Trying to think of a lower point than this for us. Take Prem year out of it. Reading away 6-0, Port Vale home 5-0. Apart from that I have reason to be proud of my club. I’ve thought about why this happened and considered the board. They want success, success for them is balancing the books and maintaining a reasonable side. Can’t argue with that I’ve thought about the players, short term professionals with a short earning span. Thankful to be with Barnsley but waiting for a better opportunity with more money. Thinking of the manager and coaching staff who want success for their own career so they can get a better offer and fulfill their career potential. Why did Duff move on? The main job of a coach is to be to instill belief in his players. That comes from respect for the individual and a belief in their talent. It doesn’t come from telling them, whether from the academy or the first team, that they are not good enough. This coach has a lot to learn.
Probably the early 2000s when we were in admin and almost got relegated back to the 4th tier, getting routinely spanked by Donny Rovers, 6-1 at Grimsby, 2-0 away at Northampton in the cup and also a couple of seasons in the 80s when gates were really down. Now feels bad because it’s now, but it felt equally as bad at the time.
Admin and near relegation to the fourth tier was definitely the low point. As we started to come out of admin I remember gates rising and a bit of a siege mentality developing. It’s a long time though since I’ve known such apathy towards the club as there seems to be right now.
This is true, but it doesn’t just apply to Clarke, who’s probably in charge of his biggest club to date. There aren’t many of our players that aren’t learning, simply because of the way the club works, there’s just so little experience anywhere on the pitch. rookies, loanees practicing on our time, and just generally a very young squad. The irony of Hourihane hanging up his boots on the eve of a game where we were missing two senior midfielders and got heavily beaten at home, wasn’t missed by me. I’m not one for the club spunking money to buy success, or even improvement, but they are losing money whilst bringing in rookie players, with little or no experience to help them on the pitch, and that is really poor business practice - but those in charge are learning too, or are they? I think the whole home form thing is a symptom of everything above. They seem scared to death at Oakwell.
Now is the low point for me. Gradually, for the last 5/6 seasons or so, ever since Conway was in charge I've been getting more and more despondent. I now have no hope at all. I have little interest. I have only watched on telly this year a few times and not been to the ground at all. I have watched Barnsley for over 50 years and have never felt as demoralised and disconnected as I do at the moment. The whole running of the club seems farcical. Nothing is joined up. Appointments seem to be gradually weakening the club. There's NOTHING positive at the moment and nothing to cling onto for a bit of hope. I dont physically go, as I said, because I dont want to leave the ground at 4.50 feeling depressed. I'd rather stay warm and watch summat on telly or go to the pub. I did (and still do) think this current board is a better board than Conway's in intent but, goodness me, they seem to do everything wrong and unwittingly contribute to the sense of doom and gloom by continually doing poor things. I have decided to pop down to Oakwell in the new year sometime because it'll be more instructive than watching on telly but I'm dreading having to go. A Barnsley fan of over 50 years who dreads going to watch his team tells you there is something seriously sick with the club. So, this 'era' is my low point and if anybody on the board is reading this will you please help?
Agree 100 % , however I have actually been to 3 games won 1 lost 2 and came out at 30 minutes on Saturday for another few drinks with my sons. Never checked the score was down ,but couldn't care less. I'm beyond caring or getting stressed. However it must still bother me as I wouldn't be on hear looking for some positive news.
The best times in the past 15 years were the 2016 season and the 2019 we seemed to have recruitment spot on fans, manager and club had a great connection. Seems world's apart now. I'd say the lowest point in the last 15 was relegation from the championship and conman and Lee in charge talks of ground share etc I genuinely thought with those two club could have dropped like a stone similar to scunthorpe, oldham or Rochdale
I started going in 1961 and although it certainly is bad now, it can never get worse than the pre-Dennis days, when we looked certain to be kicked out of the league or even go out of business altogether, having to play in front of crowds of 2000 with old footballs that had been whitewashed because we couldn't afford new ones. We came out of the slump then, and we'll come out of it now. Keep the faith!
I agree with this. As football fans, we seem to acquire a badge of martyrdom. Bemoaning how much we’ve spent, how far we’ve travelled or what we’ve sacrificed to go to the game. I’ve done it myself, but it’s our choice to go. It’s not like a speed awareness course or community service, as you say, it’s a hobby, pass time, leisure activity, much like going to the pictures, a day out or a slap up meal, just far less predictable. I’d urge anyone that’s routinely having their weekend ruined by football, to consider taking a step back, watch it at home or do something else, basically try and detach yourself from it. It’s not disloyal, neither does it make you a ‘part timer’. It just might make you feel better about the world, and in some cases, improve mental health.
I've supported Barnsley since the mid 60's and I've witnessed more low points than Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman combined!!
Maybe it has to get worse in order to improve? By that I mean we’re still just outside the playoffs, and third best team in the league away from home. Maybe the people in charge see consecutive play off final and semi as moving in the right direction, albeit with a managerial casualty last season? It might take a period of mid table mediocrity (or worse), fans not attending games and a big downturn in ST sales to really feel the extent of displeasure and/or apathy amongst the fan base, If they don’t already. I remember Conway once saying ‘a few wins and the fans will be happy’, and thinking what a simplistic view he had on things. Maybe these are the same?
