From Optimism to Despair

Audio Version

On Monday it will be eight weeks since Barnsley lost the League One play off final to local rivals Sheffield Wednesday which confined the reds to another season in the third tier of English football.

In the following weeks, we have seen a massive unravelling of all the work done on and off the pitch at Oakwell last season. From the board trying to fix the mess left by Paul Conway and his “most successful transfer window ever” as well as attempting to heal wounds opened up between club and fanbase primarily caused by the American to the building of a team on the pitch that came so close to returning to the Championship at the first attempt, much positive work was ongoing.

Whilst it did not all go smoothly, there were green shoots of recovery seen by supporters at Oakwell on and off the pitch which meant there was optimism for the season ahead whilst travelling home from Wembley disappointed at the result but not for the future.

Then it all started to unravel.

I write this article with frustration at how all that rebuilding work and those promises from the board have melted away in an instant. Let us look at a few of the burning issues being raised by many supporters and not just myself.

A fractured fanbase.

Once again there is a huge chasm between the fanbase at Oakwell often played out in the glare of social media. To coin a phrase from social media, there appear two warring sides within the Reds fanbase. Those with rose tinted glasses who allegedly see no wrong in the board and are referred to as “happy clappers” and those “doom merchants” who get criticised for allegedly constantly moaning and never being happy with anything the club does.

I try to give a balanced view, not that for one moment I think I get it right but generally am a “glass half full” person and try to see the positives but will call things out if needed.

Even this pre-season, one often referred to as a “shit show” by many long suffering fans, has made it difficult for me to be positive toward the opening game of the new season against Port Vale on 5th August. So the wounds between the fanbase that were starting to heal have ruptured open again which isn't great to see.

Still awaiting Khaled`s big news.

I hope you didn't hold your breath when our CEO came out with his big statement about upcoming “big news”. What sent supporters into a frenzy with thoughts of a big signing or maybe a new investor to the club would more likely be a resolution to the issue of ground ownership with the council. That is my best guess as no big signing or investor has walked in through the doors at Oakwell since the statement.

Whilst I am sure Khaled is a decent guy, having never met him I can only go off his interviews, etc but he does fall into the hole of shouting his mouth off and loving a big headline. Remember our club's motto? SPECTEMUR AGENDO - Which translates into Judge us by our actions. Khaled needs reminding of this regularly.

Early bird season tickets sold on a lie

Every club tends to have early bird deals but Khaled again timed his big news statement when the club were pushing the early bird deal. Fans primarily would have bought those tickets due to the reduced prices but Khaled`s sales pitch was clearly around his non-existent big news and the fact at that time Barnsley had a real opportunity at starting the new season in the Championship and with Michael Duff at the helm.

Some fans have requested refunds given that now we are only a few weeks away from the new season, they bought tickets on those promises only to see that now the club is selling its best players, replacing those with lower league alternatives on the cheap and having a manager who has no managerial experience of League One.

Acceptance top players would leave.

No Barnsley fan expected Mads Andersen to sign a new contract at Oakwell and stay at the club. We did well to keep him for one more season last year but the way in which other players have appeared to want out like Isted and Collins and hardly any of the loan players likely to return means once again it feels like the assets on the pitch are being sold off as soon as possible.

Collins wanted out once he slipped down the pecking order behind Isted. Jasper Moon has not looked back since moving to fellow League One side, Burton Albion. It makes you wonder if we can keep the likes of Liam Kitching who must be wondering what is going on at the club with all these departures.

It was a massive own goal missing out on Harry Isted who had made it clear he wanted to stay at Oakwell. He even turned down more lucrative offers from League Two sides to stay. Maybe the loss of Duff changed things, who knows? But the fact League Two clubs can offer better financial packages for players than Barnsley has me worried.

The Reds were in talks with talented defender Jesse Debrah who has left Halifax Town but those talks collapsed with clubs like Walsall and Lincoln City (no disrespect) possibly signing the player. Surely Barnsley would represent a good move over those clubs mentioned? It makes you wonder if the board has the finances to get us into the Championship?

Last season we signed the likes of James Norwood (proven at this level). Yet this summer we appear to be looking to sign League Two and non league players, why?

Whilst Covid and relegation from the Championship cost the club dearly, there have been a number of players who have left for a transfer fee including Andersen, Morris, Woodrow, Collins and with Styles likely too it makes you wonder if this board has the finances to get the club into the Championship and keep us there?

Whilst there are gems to be found at lower league level, you cannot set your whole transfer activity on looking at players who have little or no experience of playing in League One. Surely Barnsley football club should be looking to recruit at a higher level?

The board talks of success in getting to the Championship but have yet to show that desire in managerial or player recruitment.

Neill Collins

Whilst I will support the new manager and give him time (which he will need) to mould the squad and get them playing how he wants, just like it took Duff a few months last year I cannot help but think the board have again gone cheap in managerial recruitment.

It has a feel of hoping this works over expectations it will work. When there were far more higher profile managers out of work who have managed in the Championship and League One, the club opted for a manager who was working in the lower league of America, not even in the MLS level which lets face it isn't a great standard either.

For me, the appointment has the same feeling as when Markus Schopp or Poya Asbaghi arrived. I certainly hope that isn't the case and Collins is another Ismael or Duff but if he is, expect the club to accept the first offer for him from a bigger club next summer. If he bombs, he will be out by January and so begins the rinse and repeat at Oakwell of instability.

Friendlies being cancelled.

All the cancellations with the pre planned friendlies have also been a concern. Not only do fans not get to see the team play but it's detrimental to the team and new manager as the players are lacking some vital minutes in the legs. The manager isn't getting a good look at all the squad which gives me the feeling that the side will be well off the pace come 5th August.

Keith Turner aka Stretch.

To read that the club photographer of 23 years Keith Turner has been replaced was another move from the board that stinks. For a so-called family club to make this move had many fans in uproar. One comment stuck out for me with one supporter reminding us all that loan players Amine Bassi, Domingos Quina & Claudio Gomes were given a farewell on the pitch in front of supporters with flowers given to them yet Keith just gets shown the door. Poor form.

Summary.

From optimism in May to frustration and anger in July, for all the reasons outlined and probably more I am dreading the upcoming season. We could have built on a great platform from last season and whilst Duff leaving couldn't have been avoided by the board, they are culpable for the rest of the unravelling and the apparent poor rebuilding process since.

Time will tell and I hope to eat my words as the season progresses. Hopefully the manager can have the players at his disposal and time to see what he can achieve, but the realist in me thinks this could be a tough season ahead.