What next for Barnsley FC?

It’s less than 24 hours since the crushing last second defeat to Sheffield Wednesday at Wembley. Maybe it’s too early to put into words how I felt about the game but more importantly over this last season under Michael Duff but I will give it a go.

Confident heading into playoffs

Going into the playoffs I felt calm and confident but not arrogant about the Reds chances. After Wednesday came back from that 4 goal deficit I did feel maybe the footballing gods were with them as of course you would. Yet, throughout the season we’ve all seen this group of young lads coached superbly by Duff, Devaney and Paterson grow individually and more importantly as a team.

Bouncing back from knockbacks during a poor October where we barely scored and the poor start in January with heavy defeats at home to Bolton & at Derby in the FA Cup. The team went on a wonderful run in November and December and then through the second half of the season when we faced some huge fixtures yet ended up beating those sides around us in such dominant style. We have won over so many people with our style of football, the press, energy and enthusiasm. So naturally I felt relaxed about our chances in the playoffs as I knew Duff would have the players prepared for the battle ahead.

We could talk till the cows come home about referees. how we have consistently been on the wrong end of their poor decisions and VAR which every week causes controversy in this country but I am going to leave that there and concentrate on Barnsley FC. I prefer to highlight the positives of our club this season over the dubious decisions from the man in the middle.

Pride and sweat on the shirt

All you ask as a fan is for players to “play for the shirt”. From day one, Duff promised “sweat on the shirt” and we got that in abundance all season but especially at Wembley. The one overriding feeling from Wembley apart from the poor standard of referees was of pride in our players. They emptied their tanks for the shirt, something that was not lost on those Reds fans inside the ground who sang their hearts out willing the team on. Nor on those supporters watching elsewhere who have all said the same, how proud we all are of our team.

So what next?

Time waits for no man and that’s especially true in football. Thoughts now turn to next season and what the club and squad will look like. The burning question on everyone’s lips is will our board stop the previous regimes of “rinse & repeat” selling off the crown jewels for pittance and now build for the long term?

We have to be practical. Bobby Thomas`s permanent deal was subject to us winning promotion to the Championship. Whilst he clearly enjoyed his football at Oakwell and we loved him in that back three, I suspect Thomas`s time at Barnsley may have ended. I had rather hoped that any fee for Callum Styles would go straight into the permanent signing of Bobby but that seems unlikely now.

Our leader and captain Mads Andersen sank to the turf when THAT goal went in yesterday and I cannot help wondering if he knew that was it for him in the red of Barnsley? I wouldn’t begrudge him a move to a higher level. Mads has grown in stature after a difficult start at Oakwell and given absolutely everything, smiling throughout his journey. This is one player who will be in demand from other clubs and the board sense they could demand a transfer fee given there is 12 months left on his contract. Oh how I would love Mads to sign for another couple of years and try again at promotion, but I fear that is unlikely.

I can see Max Watters and Slobodan Tedic returning to their parent clubs. Neither were prolific in front of goal but gave their all. I doubt either will want to play in the third tier of English football again for another year.

James Norwood proved his worth, especially his performances from the bench during the playoffs. He knows where the net is at this level and worthy of a 12 month extension to his contract which is open to the board.

Luke Thomas could leave this summer. I for one hope he stays. On his day in League One he can make things happen and was in good form prior to his horror injury in training earlier in the season. Maybe Thomas has offers elsewhere but I still feel he can do a job for us in League One.

The previous two transfer windows have been good from our board. Bringing in so many players who have adapted to Duff`s demands and without barely paying a penny for them was great business. The hope has to be that the likes of McCarthy, Cundy and Russell have good pre-seasons and make huge strides at the club because he haven’t seen enough of it so far.

There could be places in the team for those three players if Mads leaves and maybe Benson moves on, one player who has shown little in his time at the club.

I hope we can keep Luca Connell who had a great first season and Herbie Kane who proved a few of us doubters wrong with his performances as the season grew on. Their partnership in midfield drove Barnsley on in games. Maybe Russell could show us why the club signed him and slot in midfield alongside Connell and Kane?

Harry Isted put himself in the shop window with not only a great performance in the final but ever since he arrived at Oakwell. With Isted and Collins fighting it out for the Number 1 jersey, that is one department within the squad sorted for next season. As much as Harry is loving life at Barnsley, again you wouldn’t begrudge the lad a chance at playing at a higher level given that’s where his talents deserve to be shown off. Fingers crossed the club ties this deal up and soon.

Super Michael Duff

We all agree that Barnsley`s best transfer business in the last year has been hiring Michael Duff. How fortunate were we that the team’s call didn’t work for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink`s interview? This season could have been very different had he become our new manager.

Duff got the club, the town and the supporters very quickly. He came in under a backdrop of fractions between fanbase and the club given the previous five years of Paul Conway and his meddling.

Duff has given the fans a team we can be proud of, a spirit that we all feed off and some good football to watch along the way. Should the board do the right thing and fight tooth and nail to keep him AND back him, I am convinced we will hit the ground running in August and mount a successful challenge for promotion to the Championship.

All eyes on the Barnsley board

For all the good work the board has done recently and the connection is returning slowly between fan and board, all eyes are on them now. Reverting back to selling and doing things on the cheap will only alienate them from the fans which would be a shame given how Oakwell has been bouncing again after some considerable time.

Throughout the summer we could all be salivating for the new season to start with Duff and this group of lads together. Yet we could so easily be looking at a mid table finish if we weaken the squad but most importantly lose Michael Duff.

It feels like a tipping point. All eyes are on the board this summer.