"A positive fit" - Barnsley FC swoop praised as 46-year-old replaces Neil Collins | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Barnsley have confirmed the appointment of former Cheltenham Town boss Darrell Clarke as their new head coach.

The 46-year-old has put pen to paper on a two-year deal, with the option of a further one-year extension at Oakwell, replacing former manager Neil Collins after less than a full season in charge.

Darrell Clarke tipped to be a good fit for Barnsley job

Clarke joins after failing in a valiant attempt to keep Cheltenham Town from relegation to League Two, and FLW's Barnsley fan pundit Andy Symcox believes the appointment is one filled with promise for Barnsley.

Despite relegation with Cheltenham this season, Clarke still earned significant plaudits for taking their struggle all the way to the final day of the season - something that few deemed a possibility given their start to the 2023-24 season.

Speaking to FLW on what Clarke could bring to South Yorkshire, Andy said: "The appointment of Darrell Clarke as our new head coach from Cheltenham Town seems to be a positive fit to me.

"He plays a style of football that Barnsley fans like to see; attacking, pressing football, pass and move football. And he's had some success in the EFL with promotions with both Port Vale and Bristol Rovers.

"Last year, obviously he just failed to prevent Cheltenham from being relegated from League One, but he didn't have the full season with them, coming in when they hadn't scored a goal in the first 11 or 12 games.

"So it's difficult to say that was necessarily poor coaching on his behalf, he turned them around but it was sadly not quite enough for them."

Andy then spoke on Barnsley's positive track record when The Tykes drink from Cheltenham's well, adding: "We seem to do well with people from Cheltenham.

"We've got Martin Devaney as assistant coach who we signed from Cheltenham, who has always been a stalwart at Barnsley and is quickly becoming a legend for us.

"And then obviously Michael Duff, who did very well two years ago. So feeling very positive about this particular appointment, and hopefully its onwards and upwards next season."

Darrell Clarke is a proven winner in the EFL

Clarke has proven on multiple occasions that he knows how to guide teams to promotion, something that stretches back to his early days with Salisbury City, taking them from the Southern League to the Conference Premier in two years.

Back-to-back promotions with Bristol Rovers saw him take The Gas out of the National League and into League Two in 2015, before taking Rovers straight into League One the following season.

More recently, Clarke guided his Port Vale side to a League Two play-off final victory over Mansfield Town in 2022, reaffirming his credentials as an accomplished EFL gaffer.

An attacking-minded manager, Clarke's trademark tactical approach is a flat back three, with varying attacking combinations that include the use of wing-backs.

3-5-2 or 3-4-1-2 is what Tykes fans can expect to see their side playing next season - something that both previous boss Collins, and then caretaker manager Devaney both implemented during their respective tenures in control of the team last season.

Barnsley are a club that will always expect promotion from League One, as they look to return and then stay in the Championship.

Therefore, a manager with a track record of promotions on his CV should be an appointment that excites Barnsley fans, and the very fact he gave Cheltenham every chance of staying in League One should be how his time there is remembered.