A nod of respect to the Club and Graham Barlow

For the list of names of those who've passed away during the season, on the inside of the programme cover, it was a lovely touch, and with a fitting background picture. I wasn't in the ground when they were put on the scoreboard.

I just want to offer a word or two on Graham Barlow, former Club Marketing Manager from the mid 90's until administration.

I got to know him well from the mid 80's, we used to stand against the same barrier in the Ponty End, him with his daughter (Emma I think), me with my Dad and Grandad and we became lifelong friends, fortnightly friends if you will. Lovely bloke, always thought he looked like Bomber from Auf Wiedersehen Pet.

When the Ponty was closed prior to the 1994/95 season, he wouldn't buy his season ticket until a day was free when we could go to the box office together and make sure our seats were together. When he got his dream job of working for the club in 1996 his matchdays were obviously occupied in the executive lounges, but he still made time for a quick natter at the bottom of the rebuilt Ponty, once he'd done supervising the half time penalty shoot out.

Administration pretty much destroyed him, I'm not sure he ever really recovered from it some ways. From what I recall, the new regime gave him short shrift, and sad to say he didn't set foot in the ground again, pretty much washing his hands with Barnsley and football in general. More than ironic that his dream job cost him his love for the club and football.

We inevitably lost touch as the years went by, but he was, and still is, regularly in the conversations of the lads I go to Oakwell with now, Curtis, Chris and Lee. We miss his pithy wit and straight talking, especially his collection of descriptions for referees.

I only found out about his death, which was in December, in the match programme against Leeds. It was stunning news. I miss him a great deal. Best wishes to all of his family.


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That's touching prose mate.

 

Met Graham several times as our family business sponsored the games occasionally back then. Always made you feel the most important person around, and clearly adored the club.
Always remember him bollocking Mike Sheron for being late to a MOTM champagne presentation due to a 'random drugs test'. First I knew of his death was his name being read out yesterday.

RIP Graham

 

I agree - so impressed and grateful to the club for doing this.

My Mum was one of those named in the programme and on the scoreboard. She passed away in January after a long battle with dementia. She hadn't been to Oakwell in years but told stories of how she used to go along years ago and how her favourite player was Johnny Kelly. When they had children she tended to stay at home and we went to the match with my Dad. They loved their home town, despite not living there since their youth and their love of the Reds in particular has passed down to their children and now grandchildren. Dad passed away back in 1987.

When the crowd spontaneously broke into applause as the names were read out the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and the chorus of "You Reds" finished me off - I had to wipe my tears away.

I love my club. And if it's even possible I love it a tiny bit more this morning. Thankyou Barnsley FC and thankyou fellow Reds.

 

Glad we got it right. It was very well respected.

 

Echo those thoughts - my Dad passed away in January too and he was also one of those listed in the programme and on the scoreboard. He saw his first game at Oakwell in 1932 and his last Barnsley game was last season. It was a very moving tribute and everyone associated with making it happen can take tons of credit for it but most especially a very big thank you to all those in the ground - the spontaneous applause, continued all the way until the last name was read out meant a lot to me. as I'm sure it did to others in the ground who were having the names of their loved ones read out.

 

Saw a lot of Graham when I worked at Oakwell AM. He was a smashing bloke with a ready wit and I was saddened to learn of his passing.

Listened to some of our 1997 promotion day broadcast the other day and Graham's was the last voice I heard on there. RIP to him and everyone else with an affinity to BFC who have sadly passed during this last 12 months.

 

A really nice touch that. Bet the families of those deceased appreciated it. That is what first attracted me to the Club.
Originating from Doncaster which unlike West Yorkshire ( where I live now) is a close knit community. Used to take ages to go anywhere cos somebody always stopped for a chat.

On my first visit to Oakwell you could feel that sense of belonging and pride in the local team and the Town.
I volunteered to sell scratch cards ( 1987) and always remember having to take the cash and unsold cards back to Gerry Whewall at the next home game. I recall Graham Barlow was a nice bloke as was our Secretary Michael Spinks. You could always ring the Club and ask for Michael and he always took time out to talk to you whether you were asking about tickets or on occasions any new signings we had made.

It was a sad day when Sean Lewis and Doyle Junior came in and their first act was to sack Graham Barlow, Michael Spinks, Stuart Manley ( Stadium Manager) and the team management duo of Colin Walker and Glyn Hodges if I remember correctly all on the very same day. Talk about blood on the carpet. I think they brought Gudjon Thordarsen in and ultimately he was also treated rather shabbily.

Glyn Hodges now runs the Academy at Stoke City and I believe Colin Walker is involved in coaching the Development squad
at Donny Rovers.