The Plan - phase two

Are we now about to move on to a situation where we actually keep the team together for three seasons and attempt to make a push for the play-offs in 2018-19 (assuming we aren't careless enough to get relegated this season), or is this our lot, building teams on a shoestring and then dismantling them before they can ever reach the Premier League?

 

No.

There is no phase two. If we get an offer in January for McGeehan and it turns the owner's head, he will be sold. I'm certain of it.

 

I genuinely don't believe that there is no phase two, for the simple reason that it makes no business sense whatsoever.

 

McGeehan will not be sold in January.

 

It does if your business is to buy players, develop them and sell them.

 

I hope you are right John. We have made some interesting signings. If we can get 4/5 quality wingers/forwards/defensive midfielders in then we may have a chance of staying up and kicking on from there.

It's a gamble but we have done well gambling so far. Clearly the team needed reinvigorating after the January debacle. Once again I think loans will be key. If we use the loan market well we can survive then look to move on from there.

Interesting times.


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Let's say he has a Hourihane-esque season and Sunderland come in with an £8m offer - do you honestly believe we will say no?

 

I'll be honest, I can't see him being first team ready till September/October.

Then if (and its a big if) he does have 2 or 3 amazing months I can't see big teams coming in for him with that type of money.

If they do, then yeah we'd be daft not to consider it.

 

But if we're then competing in a league which we have no intention of ever winning (or at least finishing in the top six), then fans will very quickly lose interest. It was proved last season that Barnsley Football Club, even on their limited budget, is perfectly capable of building a team that can compete at the top end of the league. The bar has been raised, set, and fans' expectations have also been raised. Running a football club which has effectively told its fans that "this is as far as we can go, so like it or lump it", does not make good business sense. Those running the club must surely be well aware of this, hence me being reasonably sure that there are plans for Phase Two. If not, it's complete madness.

 

I genuinely believe that if there was a phase two then it would have been mentioned when the plan was laid it to the fans. To hide the positive phase two whilst explaining the negative phase one makes even less business sense.

 

I highly doubt it. If the players perform well enough to overachieve in results like last season then they will likely then fall outside our wage structure and budget and therefore will be sold. Then we replace and start again.

The only chance of reaching the Premier League is like we did it in 1996/97, be right up there with a real chance of going up so that players are prepared to see it through and perhaps reap the rewards at BFC.

 

It was just an example. If any of the new lads have a good autumn and we receive a head turning offer they will be sold.

 

We built a team that was 7th in the table in January. We dismantled it and finished fourteenth. We've just sold our best remaining player and captain. Speaks volumes for me.

 

It just seems like the next step in what is natural progression. Assuming we're looking to progress.

 

As I've stated elsewhere, the club's survival is its top priority. It now has sufficient working capital to keep it going for the foreseeable future without PC's financial input. Hopefully in the Championship but, if not, in L1/L2. Fans can call it lack of ambition, or reality, dependent upon their viewpoint.

 

If Hecky builds a team that gets to the Premier League, we will still have to look for youngish talent from this League or Overseas. I think Huddersfield have paid over the odds for a couple of the players they bought, and if they continue in this vein, Dean Hoyle better delve deeply, as that £100m will disappear very quickly.

 

Right from the start, I have been a strong advocate in support of the plan. I see it as the only way that we can be competitive at the level of the Championship, the only way that we can cover our trading losses. However, I have to accept that other clubs have different plans, plans that involved cash that we can only dream about, cash that comes from rich owners or parachute payments. The plan will never allow us to spend the sums that they can spend. If you believe that you are supporting a football club that has a realistic chance of operating successfully in the Premier League, then your ambition exceeds the club's financial resources and you are going to be frustrated. In such circumstances, you can argue, as Conan does, that we need to find an owner who is capable of funding his ambition. Unfortunately, this can only result in his long term frustration and anger, which is far more easily and far more realistically dealt with by him changing his footballing allegiances to a club with ambitions that more closely match his own.

Barnsley FC is my club, and it will be until I take my last breath. We have been through a lot together including at least two brushes with closure. I am under no illusions about the club that I support. It has had just 1 season in the top division in 130 years and I cannot see any chance of another visit unless we are extraordinarily lucky, which is how it happened the last time. There is no way that we will ever be able to outspend our rivals to get to the top, as many clubs plan to do, so the only option is to continue with the plan and see what happens.

 

A lot of good points, but six months ago we had a team which was arguably capable of reaching the Premier League with a bit of luck (such as winning the playoffs entirely on penalties).

 

I'd typed out a more vitriolic response but deleted it. Time to put you on ignore. Permanently.

 

Tha's on form today lad

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