Can I just say..

And I say this as a supporter, not a spokesman or owt.

We are 8th in the second tier, a couple of points off the playoffs. By all means, (you're entitled to opinions) keep knocking the club for not forking out millions on footballers but to my mind, with us being 8th in the second tier and a couple of points off the playoffs having spent wisely, lived within our means whilst clubs a couple of points ahead of us have spent tens of millions of pounds, I would be inclined to continue down the same path. Like I say, that's my opinion. I'm entitled to it.

Whilst Aston Villa are stockpiling the supposed best players in the division and paying them 30 to 40 grand a week to lose 3-0 at Brentford and reside 8 points behind my well-run Club, I do admit to being jealous that we haven't signed a 23-year-old L2 striker for over a million pounds, paying him silly money to then no doubt come to Oakwell and get hammered when he hasn't scored every week because he's actually overrated.

But seriously, it's a shame we didn't get another forward in. The Club wanted to, tried to but it didn't come off. Reading this forum though it's as though we should have just grabbed any striker, just because. I've even seen the same folk who wrote Stefan Payne off after 7 sub appearances then knocking the Club for letting him go. You can't have it both ways. The Club will not sign anyone who doesn't fit the strategy. Or as Conan Troutman keeps saying, 'The Plan'. He loves that doesn't he?

That plan sees us 8th in the second tier, a couple of points off the playoffs just a year after we looked destined for L2. That plan has seen us secure the future of the Club financially for the foreseeable, without relying on Mr Cryne's input. I'm sure you all know Patrick is fighting Cancer? A few weeks ago fans were lighting their phones for him, singing about him being 'one of our own' etc. That lasted long. And it's not like we've had **** results/form lately. Folk are purely getting arsey over us not keeping lads who wanted to leave. Turning down their opportunities to become overnight millionaires, turning away decent transfer fees, that isn't part of the plan. Part of the plan is replacing them, and yes I understand some are worrying that we haven't. Just as folk worried last season about other players stepping up, just as folk worried as recently as last summer when Angus replaced Alfie or Yids replacing George Williams...

It's not an exact science, and even I appreciate we are going to feel the impact of the recent departures. How could we not? Hourihane was the best midfielder we've had in donkey's years. And Winnall is one of the best goalscorer's the Club has ever seen. But the Club will try, based on their plan and based on its financial power. January is a ridiculous time to recruit. These windows only help the clubs with financial muscle. But most end up trying desperate measures, as we once used to...
Were it how it once was, where clubs could recruit all year round, the likes of ourselves would be more likely to thrive. But this is it, I honestly believe some of our fans are oblivious to how up against it we are as a Club at this level. Wolves had a player on the bench yesterday who they'd signed for £13,000,000. Imagine his salary.

Keith Hill used to bang on and on and on about over-achieving and it grated didn't it? Remember when we were done last minute by Blackburn in 2012 and he said "we're little old Barnsley, look where we are, we can't compete.. they've got an £8m striker scoring the winner after being relegated, they're rewarded for failure." Same laiker that Wednesday (who nearly went bust five years ago) have just signed for £10m. Football is crazy. I love that we aren't taking part in that nonsense. It makes it all the more satisfying when I look at the table and see us 8th in the second tier just a couple of points off the playoffs while Blackburn struggle to make ends meet and scrap for survival...

And on last night's game and despite all of the above, be honest, we were the better side weren't we? ***** defending of set pieces and a daft red card did for us. But we competed. Remember the last time we were up here with Tudgay, Proschwitz, Pedersen, Frimpong, Shea, Kennedy, Fox, M'Voto, Jennings etc etc etc. Towing our ******** off, with Stephen Dawson our best laiker.
This is much better, surely?

Did any of us see us competing for the playoffs this season? Back in November (with Winnall, Bree, Hourihane) we were losing games and sat 18th at one point. Since the departures at Oakwell recently we've won one and lost one in the league. We are still second top scorers in the division. We are third in the away table, when has it ever been that good? I believe this is a great period in our Club's history and yet reading the thoughts of many supporters online you'd think we were ******* Pompey or Coventry. Clubs that overspent....

Yes, I agree we could have done with another striker, but it didn't happen. But is that worth crying about when you look at the bigger picture? I suggest we all get behind the lads here, behind Hecky and the Club for the remainder of the season and retain our perspective a bit. Some massive games coming up, great matches to look forward to and new heroes to savour.

I'm unlikely to get into debates with you after posting this, so I'd prefer folk not to fire questions at me as though I'm involved in anything but '*****' media team stuff. It's basically a few paragraphs of rhetoric from a fellow supporter.

See you all on Saturday.

Whitey.

 

I think that might be the most sensible thing ever posted on the BBS. Perfect summary of what I'm thinking at the minute.

 

Amen to that.

 

'Like'

 

I have given you some stick in the past Whitey but that "nearly" brought a tear to my eye! Well said! Just how I feel!

 

post of the year, fact.

 

just a shame the season doesn't finish in January but unfortunately for us goes om into April.

 

Excellent post Whitey.

 

My feeling precisely

Can we make this sticky?

 

Does anyone know who the striker was that we couldn't quite get over the line?

 

Probs can't say incase we choose to revisit that in the summer.

 

Agree 100%
There's no way I want to bankrupt the club chasing a maybe 1 in 10 shot of promotion.
We're doing great as we are.

 

Well said. And think it echos the majority of people's opinions.

Vocal minorities often make it look like public opinion is worse than it is. Especially when repeated multiple times daily.

Club is doing fantastically well. Small and big picture.

 

If the season had finished in January we would have just missed out on the play-offs. As things stand however, we've still got a decent chance of getting there.

 

Lets see what the summer recruitment is like.

Dyson probably sums it up best in this opening post..

http://barnsleyfc.org.uk/showthread.php?253708-Frustrating

 

That, my friend, is the best post I have read on here since I started coming on here. I am in wholehearted agreement with every sentiment and opinion expressed.
Bravo and a big hurrah to you!

 

Nar gi'or, you are either behind the club or against it, there's clearly no room for any disappointment of how the transfer window has gone or any concern at how long it might take to get other clubs players fit enough to play well enough.

Will be down at least two more come the summer as I fully expect to lose Watkins and Scowen and likely as much Roberts too.

 

Might print this and frame it.

Hyperbole aside, a common sense reasoned argument that very much compliments my own feelings.

Good lad

 

Can't argue with that, and wouldn't want to; that sums up the way the majority of supporters think, I'm sure. Well said.