All the information needed ahead of the first fixture of 2017...
Nottingham Forest V Barnsley
The Reds will be hoping to extend their unbeaten run to four games when they take on Nottingham Forest in the Club’s first game of 2017.
Wins against Cardiff and Blackburn were followed by a hard fought draw at home to Birmingham on Saturday which leaves Paul Heckingbottom’s men in ninth place.
Only six points separate the Reds and the play-off places and having lost just once in their last five away games, they travel to Nottingham full of confidence.
Hosts Nottingham Forest will be looking to avoid a fourth straight defeat when they welcome the Reds to the City Ground.
Losses against Wolves, Huddersfield and Newcastle have seen Forest drop to 18th in the Championship and without a win in their last five games, they will be desperate to see a change in their fortunes on Monday.
The Nottinghamshire based side can take some heart however, from a slightly better run of form in front of their home faithful, losing just once in their last four at the City Ground ahead of Barnsley’s visit.
Previous Meetings
The Reds will be looking to secure their first victory at The City Ground in 11 years when they take on Forest.
Since Barnsley’s 2-0 win there in January 2006, the Reds have drawn three and lost three in Nottinghamshire including a 3-2 defeat on their most recent visit in September 2013.
The Reds did record a 1-0 home triumph in that same 2013-14 campaign but Forest’s 5-2 success at Oakwell earlier this season means they have now won 29 of the 78 meetings between the sides.
Henri Lansbury was the hero in that game as Forest twice fought back from being behind but with the Reds eager to get revenge on Monday it has the potential to be an exciting affair in the East Midlands.
Team News
Adam Hammill returns to the Barnsley squad for Monday’s trip to the East Midlands after completing his three-game ban.
Boss Paul Heckingbottom may be tempted to put the winger straight into his starting XI, with this the Club’s second game in just 48 hours.
Josh Scowen, Adam Armstrong and Ryan Williams provide other options for the Reds, but Marc Roberts misses out through suspension which could see Adam Jackson make his first start since late November.
Nottingham Forest welcome back defender Michael Mancienne following his one-match ban but they will be without fellow centre-back Matt Mills, who was sent off against Newcastle on Friday night.
Elsewhere, David Vaughan and Britt Assombalonga will be pushing for starts after being introduced off the bench in that loss at St James Park, but the game could come too soon for Forest captain Henri Lansbury who has been struggling with a hamstring problem of late.
Man in the Middle
James Linington will take charge of a Barnsley game for the second time this season on Monday.
The Newport-based official oversaw the Tykes’ 2-0 victory at Brentford in October courtesy of goals from Sam Winnall and Adam Armstrong.
That is one of five Reds games which Linington has been involved in, with Barnsley tasting victory twice, as well as defeat three times.
Nottingham Forest meanwhile, have met with tomorrow’s referee on eight previous occasions; winning three, drawing four and losing just the once.
Their most recent meeting with Linington came in August when he watched over the Club’s entertaining 4-3 home win against Wigan, a game in which he brandished eight yellow cards.
In total he has shown 88 yellows this term but only one red in 17 matches.
Their Star Man
Despite all the changes that have come with modern day football, one thing has remained true at Nottingham Forest and that is the importance placed on giving youth a chance.
No player depicts that notion more than midfielder Ben Osborn. Now 22, the Forest youth product is in his third season as a first-team regular at the City Ground and his performances continue to go from strength to strength.
Excelling in a no.10 role this term, Osborn has six assists to his name and although the England youth international would be the first to admit he needs to add more goals to his game, his one and only strike so far this campaign came at Oakwell in November when he put Forest 4-2 ahead with a well taken header.
Playing alongside even younger academy graduates this season including Joe Worrall and Matty Cash, Osborn – who joined Forest at the age of nine – has thrived under the added responsibility.
Not only that but his ability to play out wide as well as through the middle, accompanied by his real competitive edge for the game has seen the Derby-born midfielder linked with a number of Premier League Clubs in recent months.
Forest will be hoping those rumours turn into nothing concrete this January but with Osborn signing a new contract in August to keep him at the City Ground until 2020, they appear to have a player who is keen to achieve success with the Club that gave him his big chance.
Mutual Man
Following their promotion to the Premier League, Nottingham Forest completed the signing of striker Neil Shipperley from Crystal Palace in September 1998.
After making his debut in a 2-0 defeat at Newcastle, the Chatham-born forward would go onto appear 21 times in total for Forest which included one goal; hitting the Club’s third in a 3-1 away win at Wimbledon.
Unfortunately for Monday’s hosts, they suffered relegation straight back to the old Division One in May 1999 and Shipperley was on the move again, this time joining divisional rivals Barnsley.
Despite losing his first Tykes game against Charlton, the ex-England U21 international scored twice in his first four Barnsley appearances including a late winner at Blackburn; ending his first season at Oakwell with 15 goals as the Reds narrowly missed out on promotion following a play-off final defeat against Ipswich.
The Chelsea youth product showed no signs of letting up in the following 2000-01 campaign as he struck 16 times including braces against West Brom, Crewe and former Club Forest.
Although he ended that campaign with eight goals in 14 games, the Reds could only finish in 16th place and after netting 31 times in 91 appearances for the Club, Shipperley moved on for pastures new in July 2001, joining Wimbledon.
The now 42-year-old spent two years with the Dons before spells at Palace, Sheffield United and Brentford.
Since hanging up his boots, the former Tyke has held managerial roles with non-league sides Bedfont, Walton Casuals and most recently North Greenford United in 2014.
Form Guide
Barnsley's last five away from home: (WDWLW)
Brentford 0-2 Barnsley
Burton Albion 0-0 Barnsley
Birmingham City 0-3 Barnsley
Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 Barnsley
Cardiff 3-4 Barnsley
Nottingham Forest’s last five at home: (LDWDL)
Nottingham Forest 1-2 Cardiff
Nottingham Forest 1-1 QPR
Nottingham Forest 2-1 Newcastle United
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Preston North End
Nottingham Forest 0-2 Wolves
Going to the match?
Nottingham Forest play at The City Ground, its address is as follows:
The City Ground
Nottingham
NG2 5FJ
How to get there
By Car:
From the North
- Leave the M1 at junction 26 and follow signs for Nottingham via the A610 Nuthall Road until you meet the A6514 at Western Boulevard.
- Turn right and follow the A6514 ('the ring road south')
- Carry straight on at the next roundabout ('the Crown Island') and join Middleton Boulevard
- Stay on Middleton Boulevard, which becomes Clifton Boulevard after the Queens Medical Centre.
- Turn right for Riverside P&R if you are heading for the Embankment, or Riverside Way Park & Ride, and follow signs for Matchday Parking.
- Continue around the ring road, carrying straight on at the Nottingham Knight Island and the Wheatcroft Island until you reach the Gamston Island.
- Take the first exit left onto the A6011 ('Radcliffe Road')
- Continue along the A6011 following the road as it bends to the right and continue over Lady Bay Bridge.
- Follow local signs for matchday parking.
From the South
- Leave the M1 at Junction 24 and follow the signs to join the A453 towards Nottingham
- After passing through Clifton, continue on the A453 following signs for football and cricket traffic)
- Join the A52 eastbound towards Grantham and carry straight on at the Nottingham Knight Island and the Wheatcroft Island until you reach the Gamston Island.
- Take the first exit onto the A6011 ('Radcliffe Road')
- Continue along the A6011 following the road as it bends to the right and continue over Lady Bay Bridge.
- Follow local signs for matchday parking.
From the East
- Arrive at the 'Saxondale Island' near Bingham from the A46 or A52 and follow the signposts to join the A52 towards Radcliffe-on-Trent and Nottingham.
- Follow the A52 through Radcliffe and continue until you reach the next roundabout ('the Gamston Island')then take the 2nd exit onto the A6011.
- Continue along the A6011 following the road as it bends to the right and continue over Lady Bay Bridge.
- Follow local signs for matchday parking.
From the West
- From the A/M42 follow signs for Nottingham (avoiding the M1)
- From the A50 follow signs for Nottingham South
- Upon reaching the large roundabout (junction 24 of the M1), take the 2nd exit signposted A453, Nottingham.
- After passing through Clifton, continue on the A453 following signs for football and cricket traffic)
- Join the A52 eastbound towards Grantham and carry straight on at the Nottingham Knight Island and the Wheatcroft Island until you reach the Gamston Island.
- Take the first exit onto the A6011 ('Radcliffe Road')
- Continue along the A6011 following the road as it bends to the right and continue over Lady Bay Bridge.
- Follow local signs for matchday parking.
By Train:
Nottingham railway station is located one mile from the City Ground and takes around 20 minutes to walk. As you come out of the main station entrance, turn left and then left again. Follow the road down to the dual carriageway and then turn right. The ground is about 3/4's of a mile down the dual carriageway on the left, just over Trent Bridge.
Can't get to the game?
You can listen to full match commentary LIVE on Barnsley Player HD.
