The Reds’ plan in recent years has been about pushing young players into positions of responsibility earlier than others might. It is why 23-year-old Luca Connell has the captain’s armband previously worn by Jordan Williams until he left in the summer aged 24.
This season has been about adding a few older role models but with Conor Hourihane much more coach than player, a lot has fallen on 34-year-old Roberts’ broad shoulders.
Even so, Connell’s elevation shows it is not an excuse for youngsters to keep their heads down and hide away, particularly when the challenge of winning more matches at Oakwell, starting with Tuesday’s visit of Charlton Athletic, looks as much mental as anything.
“There’s quite a bit of experience but it is a young changing room. I feel like if we can all add a bit so it’s not just coming from Robbo and Luca, the vice-captain and captain, that will help us going forward.
“I feel like I’ve played in the EFL now for quite a few years so it’s comes naturally but I feel like there’s a lot of it around the training ground, even with lads that haven’t played many games.
“I feel like everyone’s trying to take charge and help others. There’s no real cliques in this group – they’re the leaders – everyone seems to be on the same wavelength to help people through.”
Clarke outlines what he is looking for – and seeing – from the likes of Connell, Roberts, Josh Earl and O’Keefe.
“First and foremost driving training, driving standards, discipline,” he says. “Good changing rooms I’ve had in the past have looked after themselves, they don’t take the players being late for meetings or training, they don’t take the players not showing the right intensity levels in training or not living their life right.
“You’re looking for experienced players to develop that as well as myself and the coaching staff.
“That’s important, but also the mentality of the game as well, understanding the pressures of a game and being able to perform under pressure because that’s what players have to do on a regular basis.
“The senior boys have seen it, done it and can pass on their wisdom and knowledge to the younger players that haven’t quite experienced it on a regular basis at a big football club at the level we need to move up from.”
Roberts, who scored his third goal of the season to turn one point into three at Blackpool on Saturday, is showing the way.
“There were games last year where I feel if we were in that scenario (of being 1-1 late on at Blackpool) maybe we might concede in the last minute, which happened quite a few times,” argues O’Keefe, preferred to Barry Cotter at right wing-back. “It’s a big voice back there, very dominant, talking us through it.
“I knew him (Roberts) from Birmingham and he was like that there. Even though it was an older changing room he was still one of the loud heads.
“You need that because it’s very good coming from staff but sometimes when it’s coming from a player who has been there and done that, he’s helping all of us and I think that’s massive.”
Only one of Barnsley’s five league wins this season has come at Oakwell – they did beat Sheffield United there in the League Cup too – and cracking that conundrum is the next challenge.
We’ve got to take confidence from what we do well,” says O’Keefe.
“I think sometimes we might think we’re at home so we’ve got to do something different but the things we did well the other day, just take that in, like patterns of play.
“Confidence is a massive thing and the fans will get right behind us if we start doing the right things – even if we’re trying them and it’s not coming off.
“I don’t think we treat home games different but subconsciously we might think we have to do this or do that. At the end of the day, a football game’s a football game whether it’s at home or away.
“I feel like when we stick to what we’re trying to do and trust in ourselves we can bring good home form to Oakwell.”
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