http://www.thestar.co.uk/reds/Deal-almost-done.5618050.jp</p> <div class="ds-firstpara" id="ds-firstpara">BARNSLEY director Don Rowing has revealed that the club are closing in on the capture of Mark Robins as their new manager - and that a deal could be struck as soon as the end of play today.</div> The Rotherham United manager's proposed move to Oakwell to succeed Simon Davey became increasingly more likely yesterday after Millers chairman Tony Stewart announced Robins was going to take a "period of gardening leave" following preliminary talks with the Reds on Wednesday evening. It meant that Robins would not be in charge for tomorrow's local derby with Chesterfield and suggested that his near-two-and-a-half- year tenure with the Millers was nearing an end. He is understood to have had a meeting with Stewart yesterday morning at which the "gardening leave" sanction was imposed. He did not take training. The club then released their brief statement at lunchtime announcing their decision. It now seems certain that he will be Barnsley's next manager once he has had a meeting with owner Patrick Cryne, possibly as early as today and certainly no later than the weekend. Rowing, who interviewed Robins with fellow director Barry Taylor on Wednesday at Oakwell, said: "It's a very difficult decision who you appoint, because there is a certain amount of luck involved. "You can do as much interviewing as you like, but ultimately you tick the boxes and hopefully you get the right man. "Mark is the only person we have approached, but we have been inundated with people who have been interested in the job, some in work and some out of work. "We won't be rushed into it, but at the same time we are mindful of the fact that our programme starts again a week on Saturday in the Championship. "We've gone through football regulations and initially asked Rotherham for permission to speak to Mark. "We've had those preliminary talks, but there are issues we need to address and those will be addressed with Patrick when he returns from his vacation on Friday. There will be a meeting in the not too distant future." Salary demands are not expected to be an issue, but Robins will want to take some of his backroom staff as well. Three of them, assistant John Breckin, coach Steve Taylor and fitness coach Nick Daws, all signed three-year contracts in the summer. There will also be the matter of compensation to be sorted between the two clubs as Robins has three years left on a four-year contract signed last summer. Rowing added that it was a "difficult decision" to dismiss former boss Simon Davey, but admitted that the Welshman had himself feared the worst after a poor start to the season. "With one point from 15 it was felt we needed to do something sooner rather than later," added Rowing. "Like many clubs, you become frightened that you will be left adrift at the bottom of the division. "Simon was very professional about it ." </p><a href="http://www.thestar.co.uk/reds/Deal-almost-done.5618050.jp" />
