Matty James

You're going to have to explain to me how we replace Conor Hourihane with a better player.


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Without wanting to get into any argument I really think that last opinion is a little over the top. It's your opinion and that's fine but he also did many great things for the club.

Any decision or thought at that time must be seen in isolation, not everyone thought we the miners were right.

 

I don't know who the Chairman was in 1984 but by refusing a collection because
he didn't wish to bring politics into the issue if as is inferred he supported the Milk Snatcher,
surely that's exactly what he was did and really shouldn't have been surprised that fans
who's sympathies probably were with the striking Miners voted with their feet.?

 

Does that mean every country that stayed neutral during WW2 actually supported the nazis?


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I can't quote anyone directly, but an older and now deceased friend of mine, who worked at Grimethorpe Colliery and Shafton Workshops, the latter at the time of the strike, was absolutely incensed and deserted Barnsley FC during the strike. "The Club" collectively as I recall him saying rather than manager Bobby Collins, chairman Geoff Buckle or other board members individually, sent out a message towards Christmas of 1984 about supporters not backing the team in numbers.

If you recall, the team were doing well and got to Christmas in 3rd or 4th place with a 15 match unbeaten run, but gates stayed around the 6,000 level. In the circumstances, quite how "the club" could target a comment at the obvious missing miners still leaves me scratching my head. I'd like to think it was sheer amateurish communication rather than malicious intent, but talk about picking the wrong target.

We also had a good cup run, and "the club" were disappointed with a 19,000 crowd (according to what is written in Keith Lodge's Oakwell Saints Go Marching On) against European Champions Liverpool, despite it taking place 1 week after the end of the strike when those same people hadn't been paid for a year, and televised live on ITV.

There were some similarities with today though. We sold our star striker, David Geddis to rivals Birmingham for a pittance in early spring, and our form declined, other than the cup run.

 

He definitely was on the fringes. Might have even had some sort of preliminary squad call up. Along with Danny Drinkwater. James then had his injury and lost out.

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Genuinely can't remember that, but I believe you.