Football Season Review

A topsy-turvy season would be the best way to describe Barnsley's 2011/12 Championship campaign. Boss, Keith Hill will have been mightily relieved to see his side escape the drop to League One, having endured a drastic loss of form in the second half of the season. It was frustrating for the Tykes, particularly as they found themselves in top six contention pre-Christmas, but injuries to a raft of first team players pushed the squad to its limit. Hill made a host of new signings at the beginning of the season and continued to add to the squad throughout the campaign with a sprinkling of loanees where possible. The new-look squad has clearly taken time to gel and minor tinkering may be the way to go in the coming pre-season. A lack of goals has been the problem at Oakwell for many seasons now and although Craig Davies chipped in with double figures for the season the Welshman had very little competition to finish as the club's leading scorer. With a budget in the lower reaches of this division Barnsley do very well to punch their weight in the Championship and Hill will know he has plenty of work on his hands to ensure they get out of the blocks quickly in 2012/13.

Player of the Season: Jimmy McNulty