Dickinson To Return

After an initial loan spell of three months, Stoke City defender Carl Dickinson will make a return to Oakwell in the new year to stay until the end of the current season.

Dickinson, 22, has made 13 appearances already for the Reds between September and December but returned to Stoke on Boxing Day when his loan ended. But after missing the home win over Middlesbrough, the highly rated defender will come back to Barnsley and be available for selection on January 2nd when the Reds travel to Scunthorpe for an F.A. Cup third round tie.

Barnsley have enjoyed an upturn in fortunes since the on loan arrival of Carl Dickinson and fellow Stoke City defender Ryan Shotton, claiming some important victories to drag themselves out of the relegation mire. Dickinson found the winning goal when the Reds beat high flying Cardiff City, with a last minute deflected free-kick which endeared him to the Oakwell faithful even further.

The return of the two on loan defenders will give Mark Robins a rather welcome selection headache after Saturday's excellent victory over Middlesbrough.

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