Throughout my first 20 years on this earth I remember the times when Barnsley were in the pooh, sacked a manager, my Dad was always on hand. I think he was caretaker 6 times in total. Most of the time he never felt he had a chance of taking over, there was a couple though that he felt he was shafted. The first after Mel Machin went and he was allowed to buy Mark Smith and Brian McCord, then after Danny left. I do think he was incredibly unfortunate never to get the job, although I know I’m biased, but **** me the club is crying out for someone like him now. Safe pair of hands, Barnsley through and through and knows how to organise tactically and through leadership. I miss him loads.
That's why think in the current situation big Mick is needed. The owners need to understand that our club is steeped in history. We love our home grown lads who have sweat and bled for the shirt. If they're here for the long haul, they need to keep with the traditions and stick to their day jobs, by sorting the ground and trying to bring in revenue outside of selling players. Mick would stabilise us, the players would have to step up. The players would know they're playing for a bloke like your old man, who could walk any where in the town and be respected and loved.
We had some proper characters at Oakwell in 80s and 90s. Bloody Colin Walker had a temper on him, lovely bloke but when he went he went!
Bang on the button young Winnie, I, like many more would have liked to see your dad in charge at some point in the past along with Spud who was also well respected in footballing circles. If they had taken over after Danny mk1 they would have galvanised club top to bottom.
Your post says it all....or maybe not "the club is crying out for someone like him now" but "the club is crying out for him right now" My boyhood hero. As someone else has said, he would have been able to galvanise the whole mess through his leadership and passion for this football club.
John Dennis made a huge mistake listening to Spackman and pushing your dad out, and he knows it. I'm in two minds about whether he should have ever got the manager's job. Yes, he deserved it. But manager's get the sack. Your dad was let go too eventually but we had his services for a long time, and those years under Wilson, that truly magical football, that was Wilson and Winstanley (and Dennis) and that wouldn't have happened if your Dad had got the job. Maybe he would have won promotion in his own right, but I wouldn't want to change those years for anything, they were perfect.
I was desperately disappointed a couple of times when your dad didn’t get the top job. Particularly post Machin it just felt the right time. We desperately need your dad now A passionate man who represented the best in all of us but also a great thinker of the game and brilliant with people. The way your dad left Oakwell always left a bitter taste for me and even until the last couple of years I’d hoped that could be righted.
I'd started thinking that Adam Murray was becoming a similar kind of presence to your dad. Someone always there through a host of managers, someone to depend on and keep the ship steady. And, similar to when we lost Eric, we've lost Adam and the wheels have completely come off. Took us years pushing in to decades to properly recover last time.
I appreciate all your kind words. I have a hugely conflicted BBS life to work through. Firstly, I will always be the son of Eric (The chron always told me that when I did anything good in cricket. ‘Son of Eric’ ‘Son of Barnsley Legend…’ Even though at the time I was peed off I now feel privileged but that’s what age does to you and the ignorance of youth evaporates. Secondly though, I’m a massive Barnsley fan and I want us to win every game with a passion. As a Barnsley fan and a son, Nigel Spackman set our club back 20 years and made a Barnsley legend question his loyalty to a club he gave his life to.
Just realised that my last post went into a bit of a monologue. My initial post, although I knew it would get reaction, was more about our club and the lack of leadership and a steady hand. COYRs.