Brendan O'Connell - Live from Redfearn's Bar - Questions Please

Q. for Brendan

As a Southerner were you apprehensive about moving 'up North' - what did your family think?
Did you have any pre-conceived ideas about the town and its people before you came here and were those notions accurate?
Did living in Barnsley (I assume you lived here) change you in any way - for better or worse?

You will now be aware of how important BFC is to Barnsley people and how passionate they are about their football.
As a youngster playing in the first team were you aware of this passion and were you aware how much affection supporters had for players like yourself.

 

I think he is probably one of the few players from that era whose style of play would have been ideally suited to the modern press game

 

You are doing a brilliant job. I think I speak for a lot of us here when I say that I hope these don’t end just because the lockdown starts to wind down. Some of our less well remembered players probably still have some cracking stories to tell.

 

I would also like to echo what others have said regarding your simply excellent production of these interviews. You really should be very proud of what you are doing here and Mick McCarthy’s warm words of praise at the end of his interview reflect what we are all thinking .

In terms of future interviews, as a certain Mr Taggart been sounded out yet ? I am sure we would all enjoy that one as I know his stories of drunken nights in Japanese Whispers are somewhat local folklore!!!

 

Agree RR. In our group of fans on the Ponte end, we nicknamed him " Joe 90", as he literally
appeared to run from the first whistle for the entire ninety minutes and beyond. Fantastic " engine."
Be very interested to know what diet he followed and how many calories he had to consume daily
to maintain such a high level of stamina and fitness.?

Big mate of mine played for Ashby FC , who I believe at the time, were in what was the old Midland league. It contained a lot of the professional Clubs reserve teams. They had a new coach that came in and pre- match, he insisted that the
squad drink his "secret" potion. It turned out to be a glass of full fat milk, containing a shot of sweet sherry, with a
raw egg blended into it.

He was told it would increase his stamina levels and he didn't know whether it was a psychological thing, but
he definitely claimed that it seemed to do just that. I tried one once before I played one Sunday, but spent the first
twenty minutes of the game, belching and breaking wind.

 

1991 you were player of the year. In your opinion was that your best season at Oakwell?

 

I agree YTBFC. An endearing memory from that night at the Hilton Wembley was, how " grounded", personable
and easy to talk to Brendan was. Although brief, following that encounter you genuinely felt you had known him
for some time.

 

I realise your post is only half serious and is made with warmth and affection, but actually, it probably did occur to him, but as passing wasn't his greatest strength, yet passion, pride and duty were, he ran his heart out to compensate.

He's one of my all time favourite Barnsley players. Not because of the old adage that everyone loves a trier; he was a trier, he was courageous and energetic, he'd never stop and he'd tackle a brick wall (the West Stand is still shaking from when him and Stuart Pearce went in for a 50/50, no quarter given nor received), but because he could also play.

There was a period towards the end of Wilson's first season in charge, when we were playing wonderfully and chasing promotion, that Neil Redfearn, who'd had a great season himself, but had been suspended or injured, couldn't get back into the side, with Wilson continuing to select himself and O'Connell, with Bullock just in front.

As well as the blood and guts, Brendan could run with the ball, not on mazy runs taking on player after player, but with decent close control, pace and strength, shielding it from the opposition, relieving pressure on our defence by running it from the edge of our own area well into the opposition half, often setting up our own attacks. And crucially, unlike our midfield these days, he could score goals, arriving late in the box to get on the end of crosses or making intelligent runs from deep to beat the offside trap. He wasn't the best footballer we've ever had, but he was a good 'un.

Sorry, not telling you anything you don't already know, just reminiscing fondly.

As for players covering as much ground as Brendan: Jim O'Brien? Alex Mowatt?

 

You are right. I loved the all action style that Brendan brought to every, and I mean every, game. Nevertheless, he frustrated in equal measures because if his passing had been better, he would have been a great, and not just someone who played his heart out every week for his team and the fans. Memories!