http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/70855.stm The above article is absolutely p*ss poor. Saying in one paragraph that we equalised twice and in the next, correctly saying we opened the scoring. It also says that Bullock was dismissed instead of Shez. Nonetheless, I thought I'd share some thoughts on the events of tomorrow, 19 years ago. I was 12 years old at the time. Most of my memories of the Premier League season are now hazy at best but I'll never forget what it was like to be a child in that couldron of an atmosphere that day in 1998. My experience of watching football up until then was nothing short of romantic. We had our heroes, our fairytale, we were the underdogs, everybody's favourite second team. It was little old Barnsley against the rest of them and we were happy to play it that way. But our innocence as a club was robbed by that man in the middle and now that I look back on it, I think that's the day football lost it's innocence altogether in my eyes. The raw emotion of that afternoon came bubbling to the surface, for me, not after the first sending off, not after the second or third. It didn't even come when 'that man' disappeared up the tunnel leaving us all dumbstruck. Redders smashed in that penalty in front of the Ponte to bring the scores miraculously back level and in the aftermath, my dad spun me and my 9 year old brother round to face him. "What's the matter??!" he asked us both, as bewildered by our floods of tears as he was by the officiating. "Why are you crying?" he tried again. "Because we've scored" one of us offered with a wail (I can't remember who) amidst the sniffling and short intakes of breath kids do when they're bawling their eyes out. That for me was the first and only time I'd cried at a football match and amazingly, at that game of all games, it was tears of joy/relief, not despair. We all know how that game ended... So when some 10 years later we played Liverpool at Anfield in the FA Cup, and like most of us, I didn't manage to get a ticket to the game, I opted instead to attend the beam back at Oakwell. I had no idea, but that goal of Brian Howards right at the death would bring those same tears back again. Only this time, it was about justice for me. We'd served Liverpool with our sweet revenge, Freezing February cold. I was momentarily 12 years old again and I stood next to my Dad in the East Upper taking it all in with silent tears forcing their way out against my best efforts, thinking "Are you watching, Gary Willard?" What a f**king big baby eh?
Lasting memory of the day is down at the train station where we used to park. Our lot were baying for blood, and were eyeing everyone up that came through the station. The train doors were still open and some young Liverpool fan was shouting to his mates to "get off the train" to have a go. They would have been murdered had there not been a lot of police on the platform that day. Sent from my SM-G850F using Tapatalk
Had that situation come to pass, the culprits might just about have been released. And they would have deserved every day inside. Its a game of football.
It is but it happens, and any bad feeling that day was probably part fueled by what happened down at oakwell. I hope you're not mixing me up with those involved btw, it's never been my scene. I was merely posting my memory of the day, not glorifying it. Sent from my SM-G850F using Tapatalk
Never crossed my mind my friend. I know from your posts that you are not one for glorifying violence.
I realised with the third dismissal that Barnsley would be relegated. I was angry to the point of feeling I might have a heart attack. If I had met Willard that evening I would probably have kicked the ba.....d out of town. The fact that Ince smacked Sheridan before he hit him back, was ignored by Willard, and only the Red's man was culpable. I believe, with a different referee, we would have won, and with those three suspended players would have avoided relegation. In all probability the pain of administration would never have happened.
Was 10 when I was at that game me n my dad was walking after game outside west stand saw a scouser get dropped by a Barnsley fan. Don't know if it was because I was so young but after the sending offs it was a horrible atmosphere inside and outside of the ground.
Ah we we're then thee Vinny lol. Good job bully we're in nets we cuz,thrumble n dale to fall back on.
We were "firm but mostly fair" on the football field mate. Same can't be said for that Peterborough lad that tackled me at head height Sent from my SM-G850F using Tapatalk
That was the game that relegated us; not mathematically but after showing such fight the performance of Willard and some of the Liverpool players that day broke us mentally and emotionally. I experienced an anger I've never experienced at any game of football before or since the Liverpool game and i wasn't alone. I think that is probably the most hostile it has ever been inside Oakwell. The way that Willard performed that day was nothing short of disgraceful. Gary Willard is a cheat and nothing anyone says will ever change my mind about him.
I'd agree with that I don't think it has been as hostile scince then. I remember turning round to me dad when pitch invasion was happening saying can't we go. He just turned round and said no were no off!
Great days they were mate. Some tight games with millwall, Southend and Charlton etc, and always had a good drink with them afterwards. Sent from my SM-G850F using Tapatalk
David Mellor used to host 606 on radio 5. He was saying that there was rioting at Oakwell despite him being sat in a studio and not been to the game. The reporting by the BBC was amazingly biased.
