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Club News

Angus: "We want to finish as high as possible."

11 April 2017

Club News

Angus: "We want to finish as high as possible."

11 April 2017

Reds defender Angus MacDonald spoke to the press at Oakwell today to preview Thursday's trip to Wigan Athletic.

The clean sheet gained against Blackburn Rovers at the weekend was the Reds' 15th of the season and helped the team to another three points, a victory that equalled the Club's best ever return away from home at this level. 

Angus is rightly proud of what he and his teammates have achieved this season.

"I'm very proud obviously" he stated. "As a defender your aim is to keep clean sheets and if you keep clean sheets you've a better chance to win games. And to keep as many as we have this season is great.

"We work so hard as a back four, working hard as a unit with a real desire to stop goals, putting our bodies on the line. It's Davo (Adam Davies). 

"A lot of our work is on instinct really. We know each other as players so well now, we've got each others back."

Another three point return on Thursday night at Wigan would break that Club record for away wins whilst pushing the Reds closer to the top 10 spot that the players have targeted. 

As Angus explained: "Our record away from home speaks for itself, but it's not easy going to these grounds especially the likes of Blackburn when you know they're down there fighting for their lives.

"But we got a result there at Ewood Park, and now we're safe for certain in the Championship, so it's a great achievement to have done that with a month left of the season.

"It's not just me obviously, it's a squad thing and we're all proud of what we've done and now the fans know they've got another big season to look forward to."

MacDonald continued: "We're going to keep pushing for the top 10. People probably wrote us off at the start of the season so it's nice to have proved a lot of people wrong.

"Next year we need to carry on doing what we've done so well this season. It's about learning and putting your trust in the management. 

"There's no reason why we can't keep on improving and look to better what we've done this season and aim even higher."

As the Reds were promoted through the League One Play-Offs last season, Thursday's opponents Wigan arrived in the Championship as title winners. But the sides have had contrasting campaigns, with Paul Heckingbottom's men 19 points ahead of the Latics going into this one. 

MacDonald believes it will remain another tough fixture regardless of form and also explained the desire amongst the squad to finish the season strong. 

Not since the 1999/2000 season have the Reds finished above 17th position in the Championship. The former Torquay man therefore feels there is still much to play for in the remaining five fixtures.

"Wigan won't want to be going straight back down, they're a massive club for that level. They're fighting for their lives and it'll be another tough evening for us.

"It's all about sticking to the game-plan I suppose and imposing what we want to do onto them.

"Our job doesn't change. We want to finish as high as possible, for the Club, the fans and everyone out there.

"If we can win more than we lose, have a positive goal difference like the Gaffer tells us, we'll have had one of the best seasons the Club has had for a long time."

You can watch the full interview with Angus MacDonald over on Barnsley Player HD.

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