Steele number 1 for at least a month - The Star

Steele is Reds no 1 keeper

In charge: Cup hero Luke Steele is set to kick off ahead of Heinz Muller, inset

BARNSLEY boss Simon Davey intends to hand the first team goalkeeper's gloves to Luke Steele for the first month of the season at least.
Although rival Heinz Muller is expected to join in the first full training session of the pre-season tomorrow at Oakwell, he and midfielder Anderson de Silva can expect to be kept out of the early Championship action, starting at QPR in just over a month's time.

Both have just recovered from serious knee surgery.

Said Davey: "We think that August 9 might be a little bit too soon for Heinz. It might be another month or so before he starts in a game. Anderson, perhaps, will be back round about a similar time. He's a couple of weeks behind Heinz.

"Their rehab is coming along very well, there have been no complications with their operations. They're looking in good spirits but it's a dangerous time for them. They feel good and they think they can play but the healing process never changes for a cruciate surgery. There's always a window when they'll be back playing and very rarely is it any sooner than that. They've just got to get that into their minds.

We're probably looking at late August-September for Heinz and maybe three or four weeks later for Anderson."

Davey confirmed: "I'll be kicking the season off with a fantastic No 1 in Luke. He did very well for us last year, we've managed to secure him on a contract. He'll be starting the season unless there's a miraculous recovery from Heinz."

Only Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Kayode Odejayi and Michael Coulson are set to miss the start of pre-season tomorrow. Campbell-Ryce and Odejayi have been extended leave after playing in summer internationals. Coulson is recovering from cruciate surgery.

New signings Iain Hume, Hugo Roberto Colace and Mounir El Haimour face their first day with Davey's squad.

Barnsley still hope to bring in a fourth new face, a centre back.

Blackpool say they have not given up hopes of signing Barnsley winger Martin Devaney despite their £150,000 opening bid beiong rejected by Davey.

Colchester United have snapped up Paul Reid following the defender's departure from Barnsley.

The former Barnsley captain's contract at Oakwell was cancelled on Monday and he has quickly secured a new club.

He has accepted a deal with Colchester and trained with his new team-mates yesterday.

n Fan group Wednesdayite have received a written offer from takeover front man Geoff Sheard for their 10 per stake in Sheffield Wednesday. It is set to lead to a ballot of Wednesdayite members and is another twist in the five-month saga. It is understood that the offer is 20p a share - the same amount agreed by Dave Allen in a deal already lined up.

Moves by Sheard to finalise the Allen deal and try to buy the 10 per cent stakes by Geoff Hulley and Keith Addy appear to be on hold until the Wednesdayite issue is resolved.

Rumours that Sheard met Hulley and Addy have been strongly denied.