We got the reaction of Dani Pinillos following Barnsley's promotion to the Sky Bet Championship...
It was a stunning first full season at Oakwell for Spanish full-back Dani Pinillos. The 26-year-old former Nottingham Forest man made 35 appearances as the Reds regained their Sky Bet Championship status at the first attempt.
He was full of smiles as ever when we caught up with him following promotion.
“We have the youngest squad in the league, so this has been an amazing season for us all. Look at the lads who’ve been integrated this season, the likes of Browny, Jordan Williams, Ben Williams, Victor.
“None of us are old players, but we’ve had to at times rely on these young players to step in and it’s been impossible to see a difference.
“I think it’s about the club being as one, all together and on the same page from the first day we return last pre-season with the Gaffer. It’s been a special journey.”
Signed from Cordoba in January of 2018, Dani was used only occasionally as the Reds suffered relegation. But the defender described to us the feeling of wanting to make amends once the squad met back up last summer.
He said: “Going down is not nice, and you have all the summer to go over it, to think about what could have been done differently.
“We come in for pre-season and the mood was changed.
“The atmosphere and how we were feeling was good. Some players they come back from loan, some new players came too. We got a feeling that things would be good.
“We started the new season very well and never looked back.”
It’s time for the players to relax after the marathon slog that is third-tier football.
Dani has spent time back in his Spanish homeland already but is looking forward to next season and the squad testing themselves back in the Championship.
He explained: “This was a long year for us with so many games, and it is good then to take time away and to reflect on it all.
“But I’m already looking ahead excited about playing in the Championship again for Barnsley.”
