Barnsley had endured an horrendous season, being knocked out of the FA Cup in the 1st Round by Marine 3-1 whilst at the time being bottom of the entire Football League. How on earth Jim Iley could've held onto his job I have no idea! Anyway, by the Spring, things had improved somewhat and we were moving up to mid table. Then, horror of horrors, we sold our star striker Mick Butler (at the time my hero) to Huddersfield Town (the club I detested more than any other on the planet and still do)!!! I was distraught, I was angry, what the hell were the club doing? To make matters worse, we were playing Town at Leeds Road 10 days later and we'd not won away from home all season!! They had already beaten us 3-2 at Oakwell, the week after the Marine debacle. I turned up expecting the worst, but what happened? WE WON 2-1!!! Peter Burke scored the first with a thumping heade , Kenny Brown scored the second, a few minutes later, with a superb drive from outside the area. This was truly heaven. Town pulled a goal back about fifteen minutes from the end. That last quarter of an hour seemed to last an eternity to me. But finally the referee blew his whistle and we'd beaten 'em. Butler (now in league with the Devil as far as I was concerned) had the quietest game I'd ever seen. We'd beaten the scum, but I'd lost my hero. Only Pat Howard, before, and Ronnie Glavin, after, were ever to join Mick Butler on that particular podium.
That 2-1 win at Huddersfield was the first time that i'd witnessed the Reds win an away game, and it was also the first time i got drunk - to this day i still believe my shandy's were laced in the Spinners Arms. The journey home on the local bus service was eventful, to say the least, with small groups of Huddersfield and Barnsley supporters goading each other into fights, and i think it was not long after Flockton (or somewhere close by) that the trouble subsided enough so i could relax. That same season Huddersfield had also knocked us out of the League Cup, and towards the end of the campaign i can well recall Lincoln City taking over the Main Stand with about 5,500 supporters.
I have absolutely no idea how I've managed to get here after wiping my keyboard - but it was a great read, BigLil! Do you still feel the same about Huddersfield? And has anyone else made it on to you illustrious list of Glavin, Howard & Butler? I must say I'm surprised no Redfearn!
I DEFINITELY feel the same about Huddersfield, mate. No, these three are Stand Alone in my all-time favourites list.
And then there's me thinking Brek Shea, Frimpong & Mido managed to wrangle their way to the top of your list!
At that time I lived in Holmfirth and went to Holmfirth High School where I was in a small minority as a Barnsley fan. I went to school on the following Monday morning with a smile on my face and a spring in my step and was greeted with the usual "you were lucky", "you're rubbish, we just didn't turn up on the day" etc etc comments. I remember being delighted when one of the biggest Town fans there **** them all up by saying they were just beaten by the better team!
