Chris Morgan in t' Yorkshire Post

Tykes on the up – Morgan
Former Oakwell defender hopes Barnsley can match Blades' promotion feat
Ian Appleyard
CHRIS MORGAN was a Barnsley player when he waved farewell to the Premiership eight years ago.
After finally securing a return to the top-flight with Sheffield United, Morgan is praying that his former club will take a step up the league ladder, too, by winning promotion to the Championship.
A born-and-bred Tyke, Morgan will be travelling to the Millennium Stadium on Saturday to cheer on Barnsley in the League One
play-off final against Swansea City.
He still has many friends at Oakwell including defenders Antony Kay and Neil Austin who were on the fringes when he quit the club following a second relegation three years ago.
Morgan is convinced that Barnsley will not let their supporters down and also thinks the club are equipped to go from strength to strength after suffering several years in decline.
"When I left Barnsley three years ago, it was not the club I had grown up in and there were a lot of things wrong," he admitted. "We got stuck in a freefall just like so many clubs who drop out of the Premiership.
"But now there is an energy and vibrancy around the place again and everybody seems to be working in the same direction. Andy Ritchie has done a great job as manager and they have got a good young squad of players."
Morgan was a raw talent when plunged into Barnsley's battle against Premiership relegation at the age of 20 and subsequently clocked up over 200 appearances before joining the Blades. He was also a member of the last Barnsley side to reach a play-off final, when they were defeated by Ipswich Town at Wembley in 2000.
"People say the play-off final is the best way to go up but, I will tell you what, it is also a horrible place to lose. We could have gone up automatically that season so to miss out at Wembley in that way was heart-breaking .
"I often get asked what went wrong at Barnsley and it annoys me when people have a go at John Dennis (the former chairman). There are still a lot of good things in place thanks to the hard work he put in, like the stadium and the Academy.
"Maybe there were too many managers in a short space of time. Losing Danny Wilson to Sheffield Wednesday obviously upset things and, with all respect, they threw John Hendrie – who may have been a fans' favourite but was new to management – in at the deep end and we struggled.
"We got close to the Premiership under 'Harry' Bassett, but Nigel Spackman arrived after that and things did not go to plan. Steve Parkin was like an angry little terrier who got in players' faces. He grabbed the club by the scruff of the neck and got us together but, by that stage, the club was in a downward spiral.
"It is hard when there are so many changes of manager because each one has different ideas about doing things and wants to change the team around."
Now 28, Morgan is counting down the weeks to the Blades' first game in the Premiership.
"Of course, it is going to be difficult," he said. "The three promoted teams are always the favourites to come straight back down. We almost stayed up with Barnsley – we were unlucky and it took a long time for us to realise that we could 'have a go' at these teams.
"Going up with Sheffield United is the first time I have really won anything as a professional footballer," he said. "If I'm honest, I didn't think I would have to wait that long to get back in the Premiership.
"Now I am there, I feel very proud to have achieved something special.
"It will be the icing on the cake if my old club can win promotion too."
ian.appleyard@ypn.co.uk