Barnsley, the team who would top an alphabetical table, are the ones who occupy bottom spot in the Championship at the halfway stage.

The Tykes, who escaped relegation on the final day last season, look set for another battle to retain their second-tier status in 2013-14.

There has recently been a change in management though and Danny Wilson's appointment, replacing David Flitcroft 15 years after he first left, has lifted spirits at Oakwell.

Here, Sports Mole recaps the first five months of the campaign.

August

The most significant financial outlay that Barnsley made during the off-season was to end Dale Jennings's unsuccessful time with Bayern Munich by bringing the former Tranmere winger back to England for £250,000. It couldn't have begun much worse for Jennings in a red shirt as he was sent off for a nasty lunge after just six minutes on the pitch as Wigan Athletic came to Oakwell and trounced the Tykes 4-0 in the opening game of the season.

Scott Wiseman's injury-time own goal made it two straight league defeats at Blackpool before the first point of the season was earned in disappointing circumstances as Charlton Athletic fought back from two goals down at Oakwell.

Blackburn Rovers handed Barnsley their second thrashing of the season before August ended on a high with a first league victory of the campaign over fellow Yorkshire side Huddersfield.

In the League Cup, Scunthorpe were overcome on penalties at the start of the month before Premier League side Southampton visited and left with a convincing 5-1 victory in round two.

September

September was an awful month for Barnsley as they lost all four league games to Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Watford and Leicester City.

The defeats to Forest, Bournemouth and Leicester were all by a single goal and perhaps luck wasn't on their side. However, Watford were the third team to score five against them in just the second month as they tore apart the Tykes.

The one and only positive of the ninth month was the club's three-month loan capture of highly-rated young England goalkeeper Jack Butland.

October

October provided some much-needed points as Barnsley achieved five out of a possible 12 with a win, two draws and one defeat.

The one loss was an expected one as they travelled to Queens Park Rangers, who had an unbeaten home record, and were downed 2-0.

Three points were collected against Boro but almost surrendered as Barnsley's 3-0 half-time lead was cut to just one with two late Boro goals.

November

The 11th month would bring Barnsley their long-awaited first clean sheet of the season but also the end of Flitcroft's time in charge.

November began with an encouraging draw at Ipswich Town before the first shutout of the campaign in a goalless draw with fellow Yorkshire strugglers Doncaster Rovers.

Next were two defeats and the 3-0 humbling at home to Birmingham City proved to be the final straw for the Barnsley board as they terminated Flitcroft's contract later that evening.

December

Flitcroft's assistant Micky Mellon was given temporary charge of the team and would lead them to an impressive third win of the season at Brighton & Hove Albion in his first game in charge.

Defeat to high-flying Burnley and a home draw against relegation rivals Yeovil Town would follow before the return of Wilson was announced.

During his first spell in charge Wilson led Barnsley to their one and only stint in the Premier League and his return to Oakwell largely pleased Tykes supporters.

Wilson expressed his delight at Mellon's decision to stay on as assistant and life back at the club began with a trip to in-form Yorkshire rivals Leeds United.

Butland produced perhaps his finest display of the campaign between the sticks to keep out Leeds and earn Barnsley a point at Elland Road. An encouraging start under Wilson.

Two home games just after Christmas seemed like a good platform for Wilson to notch his first win but both games were lost to Bolton Wanderers and Derby County, leaving Barnsley five points adrift of safety at the turn of the year.

Staying up again is certainly the one and only goal for Wilson this season. His squad lacks the quality of many others around him and it will be his management and how he makes the team play that will determines the Tykes' fate.