Cause for concern? Or could we be about to turn a corner?

At my first fans forum the opening gambit was that we are expectioning a £8 million-£10 million shortfall this season. That set the tone for the evening and the atmosphere in the room went dead. How an you follow that? Well after the **** season with a disasterous home record resulting in a large reduction expected in the income from season ticket sales you do wonder. I must admit saving some money by folding the Women's football team does not really cause me to lose any sleep but when the summer sale starts (which it inevitably will) then we are gonna be struggling. Infact the sale of DKD, Philips, Connell, Humphrys and Russell would struggle to raise £10million altogether. Whilst we are stuck with the likes of Watters, Earl, Roberts(a good player once) O'Keefe who are average League1 players at best plus some up and coming prospects (, but only that). I have alot of time for Connor Hourihane, but he can't make a silk purse out of a pig's ear. I have renewed for next season but out of blind loyalty that expectation. I hope that I am being more pessimistic than just realistic. But it's gone very quiet at Oakwell for the moment.

 

Yes, I agree that the quiet is a tad worrying. Pre-season starts in around 3 weeks too I think.Looks like it’s likely to be last minute business as usual.

 

Humphrys isn’t our player now is he?

 

Relegation battle

 

One year option in our favour I believe.

 

When is the next fans forum

 

It would be interesting if Humphrys rejects our contract offer so we trigger the 1 year extension. I would assume there’s “get out” clauses in the extension.

 

I would assume that as we have offered a new deal rather than triggered, that the option is no longer valid.

 

Well being honest when the doom and gloom on here about relegation to league 2 was said many times.
I was like give over don't be daft.
There is a some realism kicking in now.
I think this season is definitely at the moment looking like a relegation fight.
It's not looking good at the moment.
And the expectations of CH turning this around is going to fade.

 

I like the word 'expectioning'. Definitely going to start using it.

 

Well as it stands nobody's gone and nobody's come in..We may be surprised or disappointed but until summat moves we're all gonna have to wait...

 

We’re gradually getting worse & we’re choosing to make it harder for ourselves financially by having too many players on the books & by undeservedly sacking managers.

I’ve seen some suggesting play offs next season. I’ve got no idea where they’re coming from with that.

Everything I saw in the last 10 games of the season suggests Hourihane’s going to play ‘Mladen ball’ & it won’t end well.

 

The simple fact that our goals against were actual religion standard last season. We conceded 73 while the last two teams above the drop Burton and Northampton were better with 66 apiece. Ort to set alarm bells ringing with everyone with Barnsley FC at heart.
Yesterday news could also just be the prequel of the news of player departures.. Most of us are expecting departures being the players us fans would like to keep. Because to put it bluntly no one wants your rubbish.
Said it while I'm sick of saying it.. poor recruitment is coming back to bite. A top heavy squad with too many average and below average players. With a denial from those upstairs who got us where we are..

 

They certainly would struggle to raise £10m, I think we'd do well to get £5m for all of them, and 60% of that would probably be from one of them, and one of them we don't 'own' any more.

 

The only thing that is coming from the club to give me any optimism is conor's soundbites. He is saying the right things, about playing for the shirt, sprucing the ground up, what the club means to the town. But he can only play the hand he's dealt with, if he doesn't get the backing, he'll fail

 

Agreed. Otherwise it could be a weird potential circumstance…

 

Yeah good sound bites , so far he hasn’t done very well with the hand he was dealt with and potentially it’s a better one than he’s going to get

 

Doesn’t mean anything if he isn’t backed in the window. At present we are an average league 1 side. Take DKD & Phillips out of the equation & we are worse, & they won’t invest any of the money received into the playing squad.

 

Concern is very real, going to be a struggle to bring players that would improve our squad. Having to sell our better players to buy will be painful. Will be interested to see how many we bring in before pre season, if any.

 

Well those last ten games except Bolton and Reading did not justify a 'new headcoach bounce' feeling amongst the supporters and the last couple of home games were atrocious against teams at the bottom. Maybe changes in the coaching staff could also bring improvement as much as the return of players out on loan plus an experienced goalkeeper. Not expecting many incoming transfer targets that require a fee.