The first 'cult' player that I took notice of was Spud Murphy probably because all the adults around me gave him so much stick and he gave it back ,
Ronnie Glavin and Mick McCarthy for me, my first heroes in red. Then Currie and Cooper. Absolutely loved Cooper.
Gordon Owen and Clive Baker - originates from the 3-0 win v Oxford when Owen scored a hat-trick and Baker saved a penalty, been hooked ever since !!
First ones were Mick Butler, Anton Otulakowski, Brian Joicey, then Glavin, Macca, Banks, Aylott, et al took us to another level, but I was already hooked, even in the Iley years. A lot of great players have been at the club since I started going in 1974/5 season. These threads are good, as people mention players that had slipped your mind. Another thread re full backs mentioned Paul Cross, who was a great player that had slipped my mind. Hourihane, Stones, Holgate, will be ones that the youngsters of today, who are starting watching the club will talk about no doubt. Just a shame in modern football we can't hang on to them too long. Glavin made over 180 appearances, Mick not far short of 300... we never keep players like that now, but neither do other smaller clubs.
At my first ever Reds game in 1987 I was impressed by the composure of one of our defenders. He seemed to have so much time to play the ball and never ever wasted a ball. I cannot recall ever seeing him have a bad game. What a player the late great Paul Futcher truly was during the six seasons he pulled on that famous red shirt.
Alan Little I absolutely worshipped that man. I cried when we sold him. Literally cried. Mick Mc I loved him and Ian Evans. Then I lost my heart to Ronnie Glavin and life would never be the same again. True love burned deeply left an imprint on me that is still there. Later my affections wandered to Paul Futcher and Clive Baker through to Gary Fleming and Gerry Taggart. A pure unsullied unchanged love. I got older discovered women and more importantly drinking and dancing. Still along occasionally would come a Brendan O'connell and then a team full Watson, Eaden, Liddell, De Zeeuw, and the one Neil Redfearn he came from a place of darkness (West Yorkshire) to save us. Times changed. Life spins kids and lovers Nd responsibility then along comes Conor and love is in the air again. We need heroes. We need connection. We need that link between town and club. In Barnsley we don't have much we have each other and **** you to everyone else. We need our team to reflect that. Not plans or money making schemes. Not custodians or fanzines or owt else. Onwards and upwards
In today's vastly over-inflated market what would the likes of Glavin, Futcher, McCarthy, Evans, Banks and Aylott be worth and would our board get their true value.
I'm not sure any of them other than Mick and Banger would have ever played for us and they would have done the John Stones 20 odd games before being whisked off. Ronnie, Futch, Evans and Trevor would all be 10 million plus players we would get £3.47 and some 6 year old on loan.
I think you're spot on that we we would probably not even get close to signing the likes of Glavin and Futch these days. Even Hirst who came through the ranks was stolen from us (different circumstances) by Wednesday just as his Barnsley career started. It was a privilege to have seen these players in a Barnsley but sadly I think the game has changed so much that we won't see their likes again.
Who remembers Kenny Brown? Seem to recall he became a Caretaker at the old Tech when he finished. Honest as the day is long as a player but one who seemed to divide opinion in the day.
Arjan de Zeeuw was a big one for me, I was very young at the time but he moved onto the estate I lived on, and he used to play in the street with me and the other lads on the street which got me interested in the club as well as football itself. But didn't really start going to games regularly till the times of the playoff win vs Swansea so that squad we had then with the likes of Hayes, McPhail, Hecky, Nardiello, Kay etc were the main ones to get me really hooked.
Roger Wylde, Paul Futcher, Clive Baker, and of course Currie and Cooper. Unbelievable that two of them are no longer with us.