DANNY ADAMS today signed a one-year extension to his contract confident he will become a Championship player with Town.

The tough-tackling left-back, pictured, who will be 30 on Tuesday, has agreed improved terms with manager Peter Jackson which tie him to the Galpharm until summer 2007.

It's a much-needed tonic for Town ahead of tomorrow's crunch clash with improving Barnsley at Oakwell (3.00) in which they are hunting a first League win in six outings and to end a miserable holiday sequence.

"This is the best club to play for, I've got a deal that I'm happy with and I'm delighted it's all sorted," said Adams, who has lost just six times in 33 appearances since arriving on a free from Stockport.

"I know we're having a blip at the moment, but I don't see us slipping out of the promotion race at all.

"I'm confident we'll go up because we've got the players to achieve it and the management team to take us up.

"The sooner we come out of this bad run the better, that goes without saying, but it won't surprise me if we win promotion, far from it. I expect us to go up to the Championship."

Jackson - who has Tom Clarke and Martin McIntosh fighting to take the place of suspended David Mirfin in the centre of defence - believes Adams fills a vital role.

"Danny is very consistent, he has hardly missed a game or a day's training and, if he had a bit more pace, he would be playing at a much higher level," said Jackson.

"He's a popular bloke in the squad, his tackling is ferocious and I'm delighted to get him signed."

Adnan Ahmed is in the League I Team of the Week alongside Brian Howard of Barnsley.

Town's FA Youth Cup fourth round tie at Carlisle is on Tuesday January 17 (7.00).