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On Thursday, West Ham appointed ex-Aston Villa striker - and former Thailand and Indoneseia boss Peter Withe as their new manager, in succession to Alan Pardew , now of course managing the English national team.

Northampton Town v Barnsley - 11.8.07 - League One

With the side playing well, Fairway left his side unchanged - but would see a slow start. After the quiet opening, it would be the Cobblers who took the lead - a well-worked free kick from Freedman seeing a Pettigrew shot creep in from the edge of the area. Two minutes later, Dembele would find Kirk for a second - with Barnsley leaving gaps at the back. Fairway carpeted his players at the break - replacing Cardenás, Morais and Richards for Heslop, Mills and Moore in a triple change in a bid to turn the game around. Despite the change in personnel, there was no great improvement - but on 77, Wroe was tripped in the box, handing Barnsley a penalty. Viana stepped up - and only found the 'keeper's diving frame, the ball blocked and cleared away. Despite the save, Barnsley appeared more comfortable in possession immediatley after - and on 83, Fleetwood flashed the ball across the face of goal, only for Moore to be pulled back as he sprinted to reach it. This time, Viana made no mistake from the spot - following the ball into the net to get the game started again quickly. There would be no glorious comeback however - the defeat Barnsley's first of the season.

Northampton 2 - Barnsley 1

Attendance; 5169

Barnsley League Position; 5th

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Fairway was disapointed after the game with the news that Stuart Fleetwood would be ruled out for up to a week with a gashed arm - the nippy striker picking up the would in a collision late on, and with all three subs used at the interval, unable to be replaced.

On Thursday, big spending Hull City captured Bournemouth striker Brett Pitman for an initial £1.1 Million - a huge fee in the Football League, given that just a few short years ago, the competition was facing financial meltdown after the ITV Digital collapse.

Barnsley v Coventry City - 18.8.07 - League One

Fairway would bring Niewiadomski in for his debut, replacing Austin at right back, and also handed Moore a starting role in place of the injured Fleetwood - Wrigley coming onto the bench for the visit of the leaders. After an even and entertaining opening spell, Barnsley would draw first blood on the 16th minute - Djourou's through ball calmly converted by Richards from the edge of the box. After their early ball playing had unsettled the Tykes, Fairway was pleased to see Coventry restricted to hopeful long balls for the remainder of the first period - comfortably dealt with by Morais, and in particular, Atkinson, who would track back to retrieve the ball and then go again down the left hand side. At the break he would keep his side unchanged - telling his players to keep up the good work - and on 62, a bursting Cardenás run could have added a second. Coventry, however, were improving - and on 72, Morrell finished off a move from close range to draw the teams level once more. Fairway reacted with changes - taking Moore off for Wrigley, and moving Viana inside, with Cardenás going to the left wing. As Coventry continued to lift their game, Barnsley found themselves under the cosh at times - Morrell heading over, while in injury time, Doyle fired wildly over. Still, a point - and a particularly good crowd - were still positives.

Barnsley 1 - Coventry 1

Attendance; 14129

Barnsley League Position; 10th

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Press reaction to Kamil Niewiadomski's debut was somewhat muted - a solid performance by the Pole, but nothing spectacular. Fairway said as much in a post-match interview, although he did mention that Niewiadomski had done little wrong, and would keep his place.

On Monday morning Fairway came into his office to find an offer for Neil Higgins from Wednesday's Carling Cup opponents, Sheffield Wednesday - the Owls faxing a bid of £32,000 for the teenage Scotsman. It would be rejected out of hand - Fairway consdiering the winger an important prospect for the future - the Carnoustie-born player improving all the time, and his versatility an asset.

Sheffield Wednesday v Barnsley - 22.08.07 - Carling Cup First Round

Fairway would name an unchanged starting eleven for the Cup trip to Hillsborough - Wednesday struggling in the Championship, without a win in their opening four games. He did, however, make one change on the bench - bringing Higgins into the squad at the expense of Heslop, with an eye to showing the Owls that he was not interested in losing the winger. Barnsley set about the home side early on - hardly allowing them a touch - and on 6 minutes, 'keeper Wright was picking the ball out of his net - Viana getting away down the left to cross for Danny Moore to finish from close range at the near post. Wednesday were appualing at the back, with Cardenás finding room to roam at will - although, coming forward, they did seem to have a little more about them - Adams blasting over with the half time tea kettle coming to the boil. At the break Fairway replaced Atkinson, who had taken a kick on the leg, for Mills, and Cardenás, who despite having space, had not been the most productive man on the park, for Higgins - moving Viana inside, and allowing the Scottish teenager the chance to run at full backs who Wednesday had hoped he would only face in training. On 47 though the home side would shock Barnsley - equalising straight from the off, no doubt after a half time barracking by manager Adrian Bothroyd. A fine goal it was too - Burton O'Brien curling one beyond Ubbergen from some 25 yards out, after the Tykes had failed to properly deal with a corner. On 59 Barnsley should have retaken the lead - Higgins playing a lovely ball over the top for Richards, who had two bites at the cherry - the first time finding the 'keeper, the second the roof of the stand. It would then be the chance of the home side to break - Kuqi heading over, with the game turning into a real rip-roaring cup tie. On 67, O'Brien lit it up again with a second piece of magic - a curling effort from practically the same place as his first half goal, after great work by the busy Adams. Fairway sent Wrigley on for Richards in a bid to revitalise his attack - and knew he had to go for it when Djourou was dismissed, on 73, for a foul. Four minutes later, Barnsley's chances were torn apart for the final time - an opportunistic Olisadabe lob completing the victory. It had been a hard fought one though - Barnsley not overawed by their higher division opponents, and but for some inexperience in attack - Moore guilty of wasting a consolation chance in injury time - could well have pulled off a shock.

Sheffield Wednesday 3 - Barnsley 1

Attendance; 25620

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Johannes Djourou's dismissal would see him banned for Saturday's trip to Chesterfield - and although back for the Bank Holiday Monday match, he could be hit further - the discaplinary committee set to meet in a week to decide weather he would be further punished after referee Lee Mason included the incident which led to the red card - a knee-high lunge against Steve Adams - in his post match report. With Stuart Fleetwood also resuming training, Fairway had selection issues to address in time for Saturday.

Thursday morning saw another bid recieved - this time, from Mansfield Town , for defender Adam El-Abd . A £10,000 fee for the ex-Brighton man was mooted, with the deal allowed to be considered for up to a week - Fairway letting the Stags know that whilst he would consider the deal, nothing would be confirmed until after the weekend and Bank Holiday Monday - El-Abd needed as a substitute for the matches, with Djourou banned.

Chesterfield v Barnsley - 25.8.07 - League One

With Djourou suspended, Fairway brought Morais into midfield, handing Leigh Mills a start at centre half - and put El-Abd onto the bench, with representatives from Mansfield watching. On 12 though, it would be another defender - Niewiadomski - who let the Tykes down - playing an underhit backpass towards 'keeper Ubbergen, who failed to deal with it - allowing Pearson to open the scoring with a simple effort. On the whole it was a poor first half, characterised by mistakes - although no further goals, for either side, came before the break. At half time Fairway replaced Viana for Higgins and Moore for Wrigley - and on 51, got an equaliser - Richards playing through Cardenás for a fine solo run and finish, just inside the near post from the angle of the area. At the other end, Ubbergen had to be alert - tipping over from Bassila on 55 - and seeing the midfielder hammer over the top 10 minutes later. Chances, however, were few and far between - promising moves ruined due to poor passing and distribition from both sides - providing poor entertainment for those who attended Saltergate in glorious sunshine.

Chesterfield 1 - Barnsley 1

Attendance; 5548

Barnsley League Position; 11th

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Saturday's televised Premiership lunchtime kickoff saw Middlesbrough beat Norwich 3-2 at Carrow Road - with the first goal scored by Yakubu . On Sunday morning, a week before deadline day, the Nigerian striker was unvieled as Liverpool's new signing - the fee a cool £21 Million.

Barnsley v Walsall - 27.8.07 - League One

The penultimate Bank Holiday of 2007 would see Fairway make two changes, bringing in Fleetwood and Djourou for Moore and Mills - Wrigley retaining his place on the bench as the third striking option. A quiet first half saw Barnsley in command - Richards wasting a fine opportunity - but unable to push on, with Cardenás taking a knock just before the break. The Columbian, along with Fleetwood, was replaced at the break - Higgins and Wrigley coming on, with the Scottish winger moving to the left to allow Viana the chance to operate at the point of the midfield diamond. The Tykes continued to battle, but were making little headway against a well organised Saddlers back line, for whom Urbano and Taylor stood out, although Wrigley was not far away with one late effort - the draw a fair reflection on the action.

Barnsley 0 - Walsall 0

Attendance; 12782

Barnsley League Position; 11th

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Barnsley had now gone five games without a win, including the Carling Cup exit, and on Tuesday morning, Fairway called a squad meeting to assess the first month in League One. Things had been solid enough at the back - although some sloppy mistakes had inevitably cost goals - but up front, with Nardiello out injured, goalscoring seemed to be something of a problem. It was a dilemma - not wanting to break up his team by signing another striker, Fairway decided against adding to the squad, for now, but instead made it clear to, in his eyes, the worst culprit - Stuart Fleetwood - that his patience would not last forever.

Tuesday, however, would see better news for Fleetwood - as well as three other young Tykes. The Welsh striker recieved a callup to the Wales Under 21 squad, whilst Johannes Djourou, Sherman Andrés Cardenás and, most suprisingly of all, Nicky Wroe all recieved international calls - Djourou added to the Switzerland Under 21s, Cardenás the Columbian Under 20's, and Wroe, for the first time, brought in to the England Under 21 setup. Fairway congratulated them all, especially Wroe and Fleetwood - the former for his excellent form since Fairway's arrival which had made him the only midfielder not to see big name competition arrive for his place in the summer, and the latter as, the manager considered, it may be the kick up the backside that he needs to regain his scoring touch. At Senior level, Wednesday saw Poland bring Kamil Niewiadomski into the squad for the trip to Windsor Park, Northern Ireland.

Wednesday's big news in the Barnsley camp though was the results of the discaplinary hearing into Johannes Djourou's dismissal against Sheffield Wednesday - the committee finding that his actions merited a further two match ban, ruling him out until the trip to Colchester on the 15th of September. With this in mind, Mansfield's bid for Adam El-Abd would be rejected - Fairway considering that the defender would be needed as cover.

He would reject a second, player swap offer for the El-Abd on Thursday, this time from Carlisle United - after learning that striker Chas Wrigley would join the injury list, ruled out for up to a month with a twisted knee. Wrigley sustained the injury in action for the Reserves - who looked bright as they beat Cambridge United 3-2, with goals from Moore, Howard and the hurt Wrigley . Especially pleasing was the perfornmance of Silvio Ballarin , the 16-year old performing superbly against a Cambridge defence marshalled by a veteran of 349 professional appearances, Mark Peters .

Friday - Deadline Day. While Fairway didn't plan to be active in the transfer market, he was pleased to recieve a confirmation phone call that Saturday's game would be put back due to International Callups - the move mooted earlier in the week finally confirmed by the Football League. On the whole it was a quiet final day of the Transfer Window - Denny De Groot's move from De Graafschap to Fulham for a £1 Million fee the biggest transfer involving English clubs.

Elsewhere, it was the turn of the Under 21 sides to take centre stage - Wales beat Switzerland 2-0 with two from Southampton prodigy Darren Johnson , the 17-year old midfielder tipped for big things by all in the Valleys. Whilst Stuart Fleetwood did well, setting up one of the goals, Johannes Djourou suffered an injury - ruled out for a fortnight with a bruised thigh to add to his suspension. Sherman Andrés Cardenás was equally impressive - scoring twice for Columbia in a pulsating 4-4 draw with Argentina . For Nicky Wroe though, there would be disapointment - an unused sub as England beat Estonia 2-0 - fellow first time callups Colin Kazim-Richards (Brighton) and Jason Kennedy (Blackburn) brought on as replacements instead.

With further internationals scheduled for Wednesday, Fairway would again wait to see if the Football League would cancel the match against Rochdale - Cardenás, Djourou, Wroe and Fleetwood all out.

As he watched the results come in though, some bad news from Columbia arrived - Sherman Andrés Cardenás would be out for up to two months after damaging Ankle ligaments in training with the national team, ahead of Wednesday's game with Chile . Less than 18 hours since the Transfer Window had shut, and Fairway had lost one of his star assets - Sod's Law, he remarked to his secretary, was particularly well named.

England were able to cheer him up, comfortably beating Estonia 4-1, with Gary O'Neil winning his first cap, but for Kamil Niewiadomski there would be disapointment - coming off the bench, but unable to prevent Poland going down 2-0 to Northern Ireland .

Late on Sunday word did come through that the midweek trip to Rochdale was off - leaving Fairway at least some time to round up a squad in time for the weekend. Stuart Fleetwood was successful for the Welsh Under 21's on Tuesday evening, scoring the only goal of the game against Malta - Nicky Wroe , this time, not making the bench for the visit of Moldova to play England.

The senior England team continued their good run under Alan Pardew on Wednesday - an easy 4-0 victory over minnows Moldova doing little more than meeting expectations. Meanwhile, in the tiny Estadi Comunal d'Aixovall , Andorra recorded an amazing 5-0 victory over fellow footballing makeweights, San Marino - by a long way, their best result in international football ever.

Luton Town v Barnsley - 8.9.07 - League Two

Fairway would bring Howard into the first team for the first time this season - replacing the injured Cardenás, with Viana moving inside. Also handed a starting role would be Leigh Mills, in for Djourou, whilst on the bench, Higgins kept his place, at the expense of Kell. Just three minutes in though it would be the Tykes who found themselves behind - Viana's crazy square ball wasn't anticpated or expected by Niewiadomski - the Pole slipping to allow Vine in on the left. His cross, neatly met by a Morgan header, opened the scoring - much to the fury of the Barnsley boss. On 19, it was two - Eckersley's free kick volleyed home by the unmarked Bell - and seven minutes later, Dean Morgan lobbed the third, as Barnsley fell apart. The Tykes should have pulled at least one back by the break - Fleetwood shooting weakly at the 'keeper after a masterful Viana pass early on, and Richards blazing wide with the goal at his mercy in injury time. Fairway then was pleased to get his troops into the changing rooms at half time - hauling off two, with Wroe, who had a knock, and Howard replaced by Higgins and Heslop. Things wouldn't get better - Vine provided Morgan with the chance, taken, to claim his hatrick on 64 - a shot from the edge of the box. Fairway, already furious, made his final change, with Moore replacing a subdued Fleetwood. The 17-year old had Barnsley's best chance of the game on 81 - blasting over when presented with a Viana cross. It summed up Barnsley's day - grim.

Luton 4 - Barnsley 0

Attendance; 7135

Barnsley League Position; 17th