Jack butland, Danny Drinkwater etc

Am I the only one who doesn't really feel any pride or association with them? To me they are merely agency guys who worked for the club short term. They were never ours

 

Showed more pride to play for bfc than some of the full timers in our championship struggles. I always look out for them glad to see them both doing well. Both enjoyed their time at bfc

 

I don't dislike them or have anything against them but I don't feel the pride of them being 'our' former players or anything.

 

I know what you mean they seemed to show pride in playing for our club that's my reason for keeping updated on their progress. I was on site with a owl last year before the everton game trying to claim barkley was a ex owl. Pffft

 

I'll always have respect for Jack Butland. Came to us when we were bottom of the league. A big reputation and England international who could have waited a bit longer and got a move elsewhere.

 

No you're not alone can't say I feel any association with either.

 

If their clubs hadn't felt we would contribute to their careers they wouldn't have sent them here.

 

I only feel sorry that Barnsley was / is not in a position to buy these young players while they are at the club.

We had probably the best mid field in the Championship when Drinkwater played here.

And if I remember right that mid field was dismantled in a matter of weeks when Drinkwater was sold by Man U to Leicester for just £1 Million and Vaz Te was sold to West Ham for £500k.
Add to that an injury to Butterfield and we dropped through the division like a stone.

This thread sort of follows on from the earlier one about whether fans are happy about promotion - and its this - I don't think Barnsley will be in a position say like Derby where they are able to buy seasoned players for say £5 Million - BUT, while in the Championship, if Barnsley is not prepared to invest in some of these good young players that they get in on loan then we haven't a cat in hells chance of maintaining our position in the Championship.

If we do get in to the Championship - lets start with Fetcher.

 

Agree with Butland, I want him to do well but don't think we played a sizeable part in his development.

Drinkwater on the other hand, I do. His career was going nowhere when he came to us, I remember Huddersfield and Cardiff fans saying he was ****. He then got a run and developed so quickly in our team which got him the move to Leicester and he's never looked back since.

 

Agree with this.

I can barely remember Butland playing for us. I remember him messing up with a cross into the box & someone getting a tap in. I'd be surprised if I saw him for us more than a handful of times.

Drinkwater was part of the best Barnsley team I've seen in the championship. That midfield 5 was quality. Good memories

 

Vaz Te playing well and Butterfield never overlapped did they? I thought Vaz Te hadn't played since that Portsmouth game where he was about the worst player to ever put on a reds shirt when he came on in a needs-must situation and played out his skin vs Leeds as a sub for Butterfield? Have I romanticised this in my head?

Actually wasn't Butterfield wanting to leave at that point regardless thinking back? Sure the injury came the day before the transfer window and he couldn't wait to get to Newcastle or something along those lines

 

Vaz Te's turning point wasn't long after Portsmouth. He was flying in the autumn. That goal v Palace straight from kick off for example. David Preece has written some great stuff on how Keef and Flicker made him add work rate to his game. The challenge always was getting Davies, Vaz Te in to the same team. Davies and RVT brought goals but Gray was the key focal point that brought others in to the game.

You're right about the Leeds game though. He started on the bench and came on for Butterfield. I don't think it's fair to say Butterfield was desperate to leave though. We failed to offer him a contract when Hill told the club to. Although I'm sure he would have left for good money in that window for more than Norwich paid and to a better club.

 

I have misremembered it indeed! I thought the Palace goal was well into the new year. That was a fantastic season wasn't it! Best overall standard of football and footballer for ages I'm sure. Just looked up the lineup from the Leeds game, whatever happened to Miles Addison, he was next big thing at one point and now he's without a club. Aidy White playing that day too.

Haha, I didn't mean that as a sleight on Butterfield, I'd be desperate to get to Newcastle if I got the opportunity too (well, maybe not this year)

 

That Leeds game was perfect. We destroyed them, it was NYE instead of New Years Day so I didn't have a hangover and was going out that night, and to cap it all I'd just found out I was going to be a dad that morning.

I loved that team. I thought we were brilliant and even after Butterfield's injury I thought we were going to push on and make the playoffs after Leicester away. Then within a week Vaz Te and Drinkwater had gone too and Perkins got injured. Tbf we hammered Derby a couple of weeks later and Korey Smith briefly looked like Lothar Mattheus on debut but then the reality of losing that quality midfield bit

 

Can't believe how much I misremembered that season! I thought Vaz Te's form was in the second half of the season and he went in the summer! Only 4 years ago.... Ooops..