Barnsley: Micky Mellon given chance to stake claim

Barnsley caretaker boss Micky Mellon is being given the chance to lay claim to take over on a permanent basis.

Mellon, who was put in charge after David Flitcroft was sacked last month, will have his third game as caretaker when the Tykes meet fellow strugglers Yeovil at Oakwell on Saturday.

Chief executive Ben Mansford told the club website: "Our plan was always to allow Micky to be his own man.

"He's earned the right to do that and that's where we currently sit."

Former Fleetwood manager Mellon, 41, stepped up after Barnsley dismissed Flitcroft following the 3-0 home defeat by Birmingham City on 30 November after less than a year in charge.

He has since overseen a 2-1 victory at play-off hopefuls Brighton and 1-0 defeat at table-topping Burnley - a result that left Barnsley at the bottom of the Championship.

Mansford said: "I'm absolutely delighted that Micky prepared the team sufficiently well enough with real expertise and experience to make sure we got a very, very good away win at Brighton.

"Last year there was a very public process that occurred around who was and wasn't going to be the next Barnsley manager. That bred, at times, a bit of uncertainty around the place. We want to do our business in private, in football terms it is the best way to do it.

"As and when there is clarity as to where we are going and what's going to happen, we'll let the fans know."