Wycombe Wanderers manager Matt Bloomfield described Barnsley boss Michael Duff as a ‘great man’ and a ‘good friend’ ahead of this weekend’s meeting.

The fixture at Adams Park on Saturday will be the first between the two friends in the dugouts as the Chairboys and the Tykes aim for a place in the top six.

Wycombe have won eight of their 12 matches in 2023 whilst Barnsley are unbeaten in their last 10, winning eight.

It’ll be a real clash of the titans' affair in South Buckinghamshire this weekend, but away from the game, Bloomfield has also admitted to looking forward to ‘catching up’ with an old friend.

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He explained to the Free Press: “Michael Duff is a very good friend of mine as I got to know him during the LMA course that we did last year.

“He’s a great man who did a great job at Cheltenham, and he’s doing a brilliant job at Barnsley at the moment.

“We struck up a good relationship and when I was at Colchester, he was at the end of the phone when we needed to have several conversations.

“I respect him a lot and he always has advice to give.

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“I’m looking forward to catching up with him on Saturday, but before that, we’ll be in opposite dugouts and I want to win the game.”

On facing a Barnsley side that have picked up 45 points from their last 19 games, which has seen Duff win the Manager of the Month award three times this season, he added: “Barnsley are a very good team that like to press high.

"They've got a lot of energy and that they have a lot of quality.

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“They know their formation and structures and their tactics are very good.

“They are a well-drilled team and it will be a tough game.”