Extracts from Ronnie Glavin's foreword...

to Grenville Firth's excellent book, 'Barnsley Football Club's Greatest Games'. I sincerely hope neither the author nor the great man himself will begrudge me these snippets.</p>

&quot;every week we had an extra man on the field, in the shape of our noisy, chanting, encouraging fans.&quot;</p>

And talking specifically about the game against Fulham, when we were 3-0 down after 15 minutes and according to Ronnie, could have been 6 down after half an hour (then went on to come back and win 4-3) - he talks about the team sticking to their task and Banger scoring just before half time, then says among other things
</p>

&quot;The crowd kicked in, cheering every pass, every move...&quot;</p>

&quot;the atmosphere was electric, the crowd never stopped, the noise was deafening.&quot;</p>

&quot;I recall coming off the field applauding the fans. I truly believe without them, we would have lost that game.&quot; </p>

Some people might want to reflect on that - I shall say no more.
</p>

 

Arsene Wenger once said......

Oakwell was one of the best atmosphere's he's ever been in and was impressed with how much our supporters got behind the team, this was said in an interview after our 2-0 home defeat in the Premiership in 1998. I remember the game well a chant of Danny Wilson's Red and White Army went on for ages from three sides of the ground, l was sat in the East Upper and people were singing throughout the 90 mins up there. Probably the 2nd best atmosphere l've witnessed at Oakwell for a league game, behind Bradford City of course.

The atmosphere of the Premiership season was unbelievable, i was 20 at the time l'm just glad i witnessed it.

 

Dont blame the fans.....

"half way through our second home game of the season, the players were inspired by chants of Davey out from the otherwise silent Ponty End" etc.

 

you aren't going to witness it again, anyone who isn't sat in the lower left(?) side of the Ponty rarely sing.

and thats only cos those in that small section are usually pissed!

 

So, if you worked for a guy you admired and respected and

knew that unless you pulled your finger out and got a project completed then he was for the bullet, what would you do?</p>

a) Put some graft in to save his job</p>

b) arse around on the internet all day</p>

 

I'm not entirely sure how this is working. People keep saying that the 'Davey Out Crew' are a vocal minority. I think it says more about the rest to be honest, wtf are they doing for the cause? Are they sat on their hands and tutting.

It works both ways S.M. something you regularly fail to acknowledge.

 

It does help to have something to cheer about

The team will get help from the fans, but they need to be contributing a little bit themselves

 

It also helped that in those days we had a fecking reight team !!! nt

 

RE: It does help to have something to cheer about

Entertaining football brought in the crowds.

You were confident that the lads would give their all.

 

True, but I think the point is....

We were 3-0 down in that game.

To be honest the atmosphere at Oakwell has been rubbish for years except for big games, it's like a library most games, even if we're winning.

I always life when Simon/players say the crowd was great when I'm thinking it was silent all game apart from when we scored.

I remember the days when we used to make a right old racket.

I've tried starting songs before in East Lower (admittedly about twice due to the following point) but people just look at you as if to say 'what the **** are you doing?' S)

Prefer away games in a lot of senses as they're more noisy.

 

its more about have a proper perspective, in the era of Glavin, we were proud to be in the second tier, had our ups and downs but never expected any more. In my recollection anyway, I dont remember a manager being called to be sacked after just 4 games. Half way through a bad season, yes. And of course there was no internet then, any chuntering was restricted to the local WMC.

 

Do you mean like Wolves at home last season?

When the fans were absolutely incredible. The fans were awesome that day. We went one up after an amazing prolonged period of singing and chanting. It was nothing more than willing the ball into the back of the orange net. It was exceptional - and yes I was at the Arsene Venger Arsenal game at home (which was amazing) and the Bradford promotion game, and Sheffield United at home the year we got promoted... all great games but the fans are still there and the support is still fantastic.

I can't understand people having a go at the fans - when we've been subjected to one relegation fight after another three years running. Are we supposed to eat **** and call it ice-cream? Remember the game against Swansea at home that came not long before that Wolves game? Awful performance - bordering on a disorganised bunch of cowards who were scared to get at their opponents and gifted two (if not all three) goals away. That side was psychologically defeated before it took the field - and afterwards Ryan Kidd revealed on Radio Dee Da that they 'knew' they would struggle with Swansea's superior midfield 'they're the best football team in the division as far as we're concerned' (not as far as the league was concerned though!). ALL THIS and yet the game against Wolves had a massive attendance of fans passionately getting behind the players shouting themselves horse for fear of relegation. OH YES, and the inevitable token late (and soft) equaliser to crush our spirits.

In comparison that Ronnie Glavin side earned every supporter that came through the turnstyle by playing that type of football and offering value and entertainment week in and week out. Consistently punching above it's weight and doing the town proud.

MAYBE someone (Simon Davey ahem) should think about that with his negative tactics and bizarre selections.

It does start on the pitch you know.

 

FFS

I dont think anyone wants Davey removed because of 4 games.

 

i can remember being away at Colchster on a cold tuesday night rammed into a mesh hut and the crowd off a coupl hundred being ten time slouder than anything seen at oakwell,on a whole, for the last 5 years.

 

Was it worth watching though?

 

Not really, beat Macclesfield away though

 

ERR

I think you'll find we were proud of the team and everything associated with Barnsley FC, and were following a team that had belief knew what it was doing and knew how to score goals.You also kinda got the feeling that the feeling was reciprocated.And theres the four gamesa gain thing its NOT four games its been season after season of predominantly confused football.

 

Speaking personally

I think the strong mutual affection between the fans and the club has been somewhat lost these last few seasons - and that's not just down to Simon Davey. It doesn't seem like 'our' club anymore.

 

agreed nt

 

Agreed.

But ironically not more professional or corporate - just somehow more detatched and colder.