After Barnsley’s recent 1-0 win over Rotherham and Reading’s failure to beat Swansea, the Tykes sealed their place in the play-offs, for only the second time in club’s history.
The victory simultaneously inflicted a damaging blow in their South Yorkshire rivals’ survival hopes.
With an end-of-season play-off place for Barnsley certain, fans are confident the final two games of the regular season are simply a formality.
But it’s all about momentum for the Tyke’s as they look to finish off the Championship campaign in style, and Barnsley boss Valérien Ismaël will want a strong finish to the season.
The team travel to Deepdale to take on a Preston side who’ve been in improved form recently, picking up three wins from their last five fixtures, and enjoying a run of three consecutive clean sheets.
Barnsley, who last played in the Premier League in 1997, 23 years ago, didn’t fare too well in their last visit England’s top division.
The 1997-98 season was the Tyke’s first, and only, top-flight season in Barnsley’s 102-year history, but despite some courageous performances, their stay among the elite lasted just one season. During which they suffered 23 defeats and had the leakiest defensive record in the division, conceding 82 goals.
But if Barnsley are successful in their playoff bid, they will be looking for better fortunes this time round.