From the Yorkshire Post - Tykes Return Profit

Tykes profit as Shepherd gets control

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BARNSLEY chairman Gordon Shepherd has revealed that the club is set to record an annual profit for the first time since exiting administration.


The Tykes went into financial meltdown after a brief stay in the Premiership and nearly went to the wall as they narrowly avoided relegation to League Two four years ago.

Fortunes have improved since the arrival of multi-millionaire benefactor Patrick Cryne and the club defied the odds to survive in the Championship last season after winning promotion via the League One play-off final.

Shepherd, who was appointed as chairman by Cryne after the departure of Peter Ridsdale, now believes the club's finances are firmly back under control.

The club's improved bank balance is the main reason why manager Simon Davey has been able to sign seven new players, including Peruvian star Miguel Mostto, so far this summer.

Shepherd said: "We are an ambitious club and, in the days under different stewardship, we were losing money heavily – so we had to stop that and change the club around financially.

"You can't achieve your playing objectives without achieving your financial objectives," he stressed. "I would not call the financial picture at the club 'healthy' in terms of how you would run, for example, a manufacturing industry but it is much healthier now.

"When we took over, two-and-a-half-years ago, the first results I had to report for the previous year was a £3.65m loss," he said.

"The following year, it was cut to a £1.25m loss and last year, to May, we had cut it to a £186,000 loss. That's a steady improvement – but the accountants are in at the moment and to May this year I suspect we will show a profit."

Shepherd has pinned his faith in former Academy coach Davey to lead the club's revival and, in light of the investment this summer, wants no repeat of last season's relegation scrap.

"Last year, we came into the Championship with high hopes. We had a squad that had taken us up and people felt they needed a chance to show what they could do," said Shepherd. "This season, we are pushing a bit harder and we have decided that we must bring in other players to strengthen the squad.

"The task last season was keep us in the Championship. We stayed in the division. This season, it needs to be a more comfortable position where we are not looking over our shoulders the whole time. We want to get out there and enjoy the game. We want to consolidate and finish mid-table – if not slightly higher."

Davey's summer shopping is far from over and Leicester City striker Alieu Jailow could be the next new addition if he impresses on the club's pre-season trip to Portugal this week. Jailow, 19, has yet to play first-team football but has already been offered a new deal by Leicester manager Martin Allen.

German goalkeeper Heinze Muller, who plays for Norwegian club Lillestrom, is also in negotiations over a move to Oakwell.

Peruvian ace Mostto should finally link up with his new team-mates tomorrow after club officials unravelled the red tape that has delayed his arrival in England.

Mostto has been given the go ahead to fly to Portugal where Barnsley are preparing for a pre-season game against Second Division side Louletano FC this weekend.

The Football Association, meanwhile, have handed Barnsley a £7,000 fine for their part in a bust-up with Birmingham City at Oakwell in April.

Both clubs admitted failing to ensure their players and/or club officials conducted themselves correctly and/or refrained from provocative behaviour. Birmingham City were fined £6,000.

 

Great news. Well done all at the club.

 

Great news.

People are quick to slag GS and the board off, but they must be working hard behind the scenes to get the club into a profit situation.

 

Regardless of owt else ... that is very impressive from a financial point of view.

I think that Gordo comes in for a lot of unwarranted criticism from some regular posters on this board (which before anyone jumps on my back - they are entitled to do, it's an opinons board) - but the financial health that has been restored to the club in such a short space of time is fantastic.

 

Fantastic news

Well done Gordon Shepherd .

 

Shepherd gets a lot of stick

And there are things that still need sorting, but you have to be impressed with the financial side of things turning round so quickly.

 

Credit where it's due

That is an outstanding achievement.

 

over next couple of years or so before anyone starts questioning

where the profits are going....


remember we made a continuous loss for a few years, so although we have now made a profit, the debts are still there....


but GS, (Y) excellent work

 

Well done to all involved. nt

 

and season ticket sales are up on last year, despite boycotts by the London scene.

 

booooo rubbish

you really ought to let it go S.M. the club still do have failings you know. The way they treat fans is definitely one of them.

I think it's a positive thing that experiences like that are brought to light, rather then being swept under the carpet.....

S.M. OUT.

 

brilliant news nt

 

Mr Shepherd...........

and the rest of the higher ups deserve much praise for this. Well done (Y) (Y) (Y)

 

RE: booooo rubbish

2 sides to every argument, maybe a compromise in the middle can still be found. a nice sit down over a cuppa and a chat about things might go along way, hehe....

 

Don't forget Mr Cryne

Without his millions invested in the club we would have been shafted

 

there is only my side to every argument S.M.

..so bolox.............is bolox racist? I don't know any more.

 

Well Done Mr Shepherd.

</p>

There can be no argument that he's done a terrific job turning the clubs finances around.</p>

 

RE: Don't forget Mr Cryne

True and that's why I think of him as one of the higher ups that I mention. Be nice to get some more moneymen on board and push towards the premiership.

 

Well done Gordon!

Credit where credit is due - can't have been an easy job! :

 

and don't forget he does it for nothing nt