Following on from the legends thread i posted on that about Murphy, Rimmington, Winstanley, Glavin, Hammill being the only legends it is a great thread with lots of great players In recent times Adam Hammill and both spells at the club had something special but it was his affinity of our club that was to me a standout above Hourihane etc and has that player gone now from modern football?
I don't think that player was ever there. Certainly no more than today. It's just that decades ago players' wages were massively lower, the huge incentives to move were not as high. No disrespect to players of years gone by but, if the opportunity for life changing wages and cuts of big transfer fees had been there simply for swapping to a club five or six places above you in the league then those players would have done exactly what today's players do...take the money and secure their future.
It's also worth remembering, clubs had a greater control over the players. If a club didn't want to sell someone, he didn't go, irrespective of the player's wishes.
So Hammills affinity with our club is based on more lack of opportunity elseware than genuine understanding and affection for our club?
No, I'm not saying he doesn't have a genuine affinity for Barnsley. As I said on the other thread he's probably my second favourite player after Ronnie Glavin. It didn't stop him moving to Wolves though and I don't hold that against him for an instant. I'm not sure about when he left the second time. Weren't negotiations held with no favourable outcome? Either way he's in my legends list.
I think you have a point though that you can have an affinity with a club if no one else comes in for you and entices you to leave. Mowatt didnt have much affinity with us but was very proffessional and so is highly regarded. If Mowatt had turned down West Brom and signed up for an extra 3 years then he would have gone on to legend status and had that affinity with us but he didnt so he hasnt, I think that of Redfearn aswell. Cant class professionalism as affinity to a club, 2 different things. Hammills relationship with the Oakwell crowd will sit long in my memory as a special time
We came across Hammil and Mrs Hammil and their kids at a restaurant a couple of weeks after the end of the season. There is not a shadow of a doubt that they were both very upset at leaving Barnsley both the club and the area which it was very clear they loved immensely. Any chance of staying and I am sure they would. The club left Hammil not the other way round.
