Odds up to date as of 21st May, 2024

Barnsley came desperately close to landing promotion to the Championship last season, with Michael Duff having enjoyed an excellent season at Oakwell. However, the former Cheltenham boss left to take charge at Swansea City, and his replacement, Neill Collins, lasted until the last game of the season. Indeed, despite the team holding a position in the playoffs with one game to go, their run of five games without a win saw the board act.

Interim manager Martin Devaney headed the football betting markets, with the jobless Duff also linked to a return as well as Grant McCann and Neil Warnock in the early goings. Devaney led the team to a draw in the final game of the season, but they were unable to get past Bolton Wanderers in the semi-finals. However, he has drifted on the market, which was led by MK Dons manager and former Newcastle player Mike Williamson, and former Austria women's manager Dominik Thalhammer for a day or two. It was then former Salford City manager Richie Wellens who was the overwhelming favourite for the role. Damien Duff was a surprise new candidate near the top of the betting, but it is his namesake Michael Duff who looked like he would be the new manager. However, he took the same role with Huddersfield Monday, so it is now another former manager who is favourite for the role in Daniel Stendel. He was in charge of the Tykes for just over a year from June 2018, and he has since had spells in charge of Hearts and Nancy.

Duff has a strong affinity with the club after managing them with distinction last season, so it's easy to see why UK betting sites might think he is a candidate, while Martin Devaney knows the club inside and out having played for the Tykes and been part of the coaching setup for some time. 

Devaney Could Be Promoted From Within

Martin Devaney is trading as the favourite with football betting sites for the Barnsley manager's job, and it's easy to see why. The 43-year-old is already on the books at Oakwell and was part of Michael Duff's coaching staff last season. He knows the club inside out, with the former midfielder having turned out for the Tykes on 159 occasions between 2005-2011, while he has been working in some kind of coaching capacity since 2015.

Devaney already has a connection to the current squad and experienced the many highs of last season as Barnsley got to within a game of landing promotion to the Championship. It has been reported that Barnsley are considering giving him the opportunity to make the step up, having previously held the caretaker role in 2022.

The biggest downside is the obvious lack of experience when it comes to being a head coach at a Football League club. It might be considered as a risk to promote someone from the backroom to the main job, although it's very likely that Devaney is one of the shortlisted candidates.

Duff In Contention for Barnsley Manager Return

Michael Duff managed the team to the brink of the Championship last season but was unable to get them over the line and then couldn't say no when Swansea City came calling in the summer. However, that tenure didn't last long as he was relieved of his duties in December when the Swans were a little too close to the relegation zone for comfort.

He would certainly know the staff and the place well from his season in charge and may be keen to make a return to football management. 

Could Warnock Be Set for Oakwell Appointment?

Neil Warnock shouldn't be ruled out of the next Barnsley manager conversation if the odds at the best betting apps are to be believed. Warnock was tempted north of the border to take over Aberdeen earlier this season after leaving Huddersfield in the Championship, but that move didn't work out and he left swiftly after not getting a tune out of his players.

The 75-year-old has extensive experience managing in the English Football League, but will it be a bridge too far to drop down to League One at this stage of his career? While he has single figure odds with most new betting sites, he shouldn't be discounted.

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Ainsworth Could Be Ready to Return to Management

Gareth Ainsworth did a fantastic job with Wycombe Wanderers for the 11 years he was in charge for. He turned down a number of opportunities during this time before he found the calling of his former team QPR too much to resist. Unfortunately, the move didn't work out, and he lasted just eight months in charge. He knows League One well from his time with Wycombe and could be an experienced head for the latter part of the season, and that is reflected in the latest odds with the best betting apps.