I wasn't going to go tomorrow....

I can't remember the last time I've felt so disillusioned with Barnsley FC, so disconnected and disengaged with it, almost like 'my club' has gone and been replaced by one I don't seem to recognise and struggle to feel as strongly about. And I have to admit I've been one of those stayaway fans in recent months because of all of that. It's not the price for me (though I recognise it's a lot of money when times are tough), it's something deeper, and I just couldn't bothered doing a round trip of 200 miles. But I've changed my mind this morning and I'll be there tomorrow - for two reasons.

The first is my Dad. He died 25 years ago and all his life followed the Reds at home and away. He took me all over the country and passed on his passion for Barnsley FC. I owe it to him to go and support the team when their need for it is greatest. If he was still here, he'd be there - and he'd been disappointed if I wasn't with him. I sort of feel like I'll be letting him down if I'm not there tomorrow.

The second is my son. He's more brassed off than I am (with results) and has lost all hope. Whilst I've been sitting at home on a Saturday afternoon desparate to know how we're doing, he's just lost interest, sometimes not even asking how we've got on until Saturday evening. And even then he asks by saying something like: "Have we lost again?" But I need to help him understand that we're Barnsley, he's Barnsley, irrespective of how we are doing. It's not optional - they were my Grandads club, my Dad's club, our club and will (I hope) be the club his children, and his children's children support. I've told him I expect us to lose tomorrow - but we have to be there to back the team, to do our bit to inspire them to fight and achieve more.

So I've bought tickets and will be there tomorrow. I'm going to do my bit to support the team. I'm gonna GET BEHIND EM!
This clip is helping get me in the mood:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bzK8r4c6Xc

How appropriate are bits of this right now! Flicker should play it to the players tomorrow morning.

Anyway, COME ON OUR REDS!

 

Good Man!!

 

Smashing post!

 

That's what you do when your club is a community football club. You go and support, even when you don't feel like it. That is what I will be doing tomorrow, going even though I do not feel like it.

 

I wasn't going tomorrow either. Changed my mind yesterday afternoon, bought a ticket today.

Nothing quite as interesting as that story behind my decision, just felt I'd regret it if I wasn't there - win, lose or draw (fwiw I expect us to lose too).

 

Awesome!!

 

Fantastic post great views and all true through thick and thin,my son is also down with all the doom and gloom,but like I have told him we will have good as well as bad times we just need to have a few more good.And to get behind the lads on the pitch and give them our support.

 

Come on you reds!!!!!!! We are stronger together!!!!

 

You sir have my admiration, I/ We don't travel as far as you but my son, grandson and I have season tickets in the east stand lower and we love it, my grandson is 6 years old and he loves every second of the experience, from leaving home, through the walk down to the well, buying his program and the dejected walk home discussing what went wrong and as soon as he gets home he plays FIFA 13, Barnsley against Barcelona and we always thrash em. His innocent love of football brings reality to me, it is a game, it is not life or death, it brings pain, it brings dis-pleasure, it also brings apathy, but when it brings pleasure against all odds, that pleasure is greater than any Man united, Chealsea, Man City et al, fan can ever experience. 1956 was my first season and irrespective of manager, owner, league or players I WILL BE THERE and hopefully so will my son, grandson and his, yet unborn offspring. UP THE REDS.

 

Another magnificent post! Wonderful sentiments, this is what it is all about!!

 

I hear that.

 

Fantastic thread! Great posts! Been traveling these last days so just catching up with BBS. You've cheered me this morning.
I'm up for it with Barnsley player now. COYR!!!!

 

Same goes for me, with another 100 miles to add to my trip on top of yours. I have been hesitating about this one as well, feeling I SHOULD go, but not knowing whether I will. I decided last night to make the effort. It's cold, it's windy and I face a trip of nearly three hours in the car this morning, but I am going. I hope, I really hope, that a few more thousand make the effort than have been going lately, if only to show the management that the Barnsley fans really do care. Like any club we have an element of "not really bothered" types - those that will only go if we are winning. But, at the core, are those who will go no matter what.
Like plenty of other older fans on here I have seen things much, much worse than they are now and those dark days may be just around the corner again. I don't really believe that to be honest but these things happen, in football and in life in general. If we sink to the bottom of the Fourth Division again I will still be going, when I can. But we're not there yet. We have got the "MIGHTY LEEDS" coming to town this afternoon. What more motivation do you need to get down to Oakwell????

 

Superb post - absolutely inspiring - Flicker should not only be playingmthenclip but your post also! Top man" top top man. And tell your son to stick with it because one day.........

 

Reading the thread has moved me to tears thinking about my dad(god rest his soul)and the times we've had down there. From 1962 thru to now. He would be there today screaming at the top of his voice. THIS thread and these emotions are what define us. THIS is what being a fan is. THIS is what can help the players!

 

Top man! Safe journey and shout loud!

 

Thankyou all for the kind comments. I wanted to express how I felt yesterday and perhaps just make one or two others think about going.

I got up this morning and knew I'd made the right decision. I'm up for it today - GET BEHIND EM!!!!

 

Not to take anything away from the great sentiments about your Dad, but I just can't understand all these posts about people being disillusioned with the club more than at any time in the last 30 years or whatever. Ok we haven't got a manager and the prices could do with being lower but we have had some absolutely terrible times in the past and for me the current situation doesn't even compare. We are just in a typical battling Barnsley situation, we may go down but if we do it isn't the end of the world, we will be fine and for all the stick the owner gets I would much rather have a fan of the club than an anonymous foreign investor with whom I would find it much more difficult to feel connected. In short I just can't see anything particularly different about these particular struggles than any of the numerous others we have had.

 

I wasn't going to go either... until I read this thread!! Some of these posts, along with a ciuple of hours wasted on youtube yesterday reliving the glory days of the 90s and reminiscing about Matty Appleby's beautiful hair and Martin Bullock's oversized shirts have made me realise how much the club means to me, and that win lose or draw, I want to be there. Say what you like about the abilities of those current players, but they are a bunch who on the whole give as much effort as any Reds fan would and therefore theyve got my backing.

COME ON THE REDS, LETS PUT LEEDS IN THEIR PLACE!!