Just listened to Ritchie's interview on Radio Sheffield

I wasn't impressed. I realise the situation at the club is not great at the moment, but for our manager to believe that we'll never again be challenging for promotion to the premiership shows a total lack of ambition in my opinion. It will be a few years before we can even think about such a possibility, but there is no reason why a good manager can't get us back in to that position again some time in the future. The attendances this club can attract when we are doing well in the division above are comparable to many clubs in that league. The last time we won promotion to the premiership we did it without spending a load of money. And we were up there challenging a few times during our 15-year stint in that division. Ritchie seems to believe the best we can hope for is a few season back in the 1st division and then another relegation. That doesn't fit with my hopes for BFC at all. He even spoke of relegation to the division below! If that's the best he thinks we can get then I have to wonder what he's doing here for I think that negativity is a bigger reflection on how he views his own abilities rather than the potential of Barnsley FC.

To say we'll struggle to establish ourselves in the league above when we've spent the majority of our history in that division, more than any other club, is not being realistic, it's being unduly pessimistic and they are not the words of a man with the necessary ambition required for our team.

 

See my post Jay...job done for me now..

 

Oh no. Andy Ritchie has written the club off.

Time to pack in.

Balancing the books will never fill the ground.

Stick it

 

i think

he's just trying to add a bit of realism to oakwell. for me the high expectations of the fans is a big weight on the football club (weather they are right or wrong) and maybe the most sensible thing to do is reduce these expectations and rebuild from scratch. i don't doubt for a second that he'll want to get us back in the prem but its one step at a time.

 

Glad you saved your money then?

 

Season Ticket holder, thanks...

Money already spent

Ritchie's comments still ****

 

wahey...

They always find something to moan about dont they?</p>

 

If you are happy that...

our manager says that we can NEVER hope to get back to the Premiership then play on lad.

It really pissed me off to be honest. The comments kind of re-enforce many questions on here...

 

I'm a 'they' am I?

Did you hear Andy Ritchie's interview on Radio Sheffield before the game? Do you agree that there will never again be a time when we can compete for promotion to the premiership? I don't, because I believe in Barnsley football club. If you don't either, then why don't you think for once before you post.

 

You can say he's not being ambitious

But we've won 4.0, whats the point in moaning?</p>

I'm going art to get pissed now </p>

 

ever thought....

maybe, and i STRESS maybe, that
- he's trying to keep the players feet on the ground after a resounding victory
- he wants to keep expectations of promotion away from the players

personally i think he's being honest and you're one of the biggest culprits for calling people on their **** if you think they're lying anyway aren't ya?

i also think that the prem season was a flash in the pan. doesn't mean that i don't want us to get back there but lets be honest it'll take some time

 

It was the pre-match interview Jock

and I agree it will take time to be competing in the 1st division again, but Ritchie said never.

 

oops

still agree with him though and he's still being honest. i suppose it would be better if rob knowles wrote it?........ff

 

he's being honest and realistic

would you prefer him to be a compulsive liar?

 

RE: I'm a 'they' am I?

&quot;Do you agree that there will never again be a time when we can compete for promotion to the premiership?&quot;</p>

Nope I dont agree with that</p>

 

honest? realistic?

what? to say that we will NEVER get back to the premiership is realistic and honest? i dont think it is at all. i tihnk what is more realistic is that we have as much chance as every other club in this country of getting back into the premiership and that that must be our long term goal. it isnt going to be an easy ride or a quick thing but we have to keep building on what we have now and the premiership has to be our ultimate goal.

if the goal is to simply become average then we might as well fold the club now because we have achieved our target.

 

It was pre match

 

You don't think we'll ever be challenging for promotion in the championship again?

Ever?

I chuffing well do. barnsley is a great football club with a good fan base and fantastic facilities. I don't see eye to eye with Mr Shepherd and I have some problems with the way things are going at the moment (particularly ticket prices) but I believe he's a very good business man who will soon get this club breaking even. I then believe we'll once again establish ourselves as a Championship club and occaisionaly we'll flirt with promotion. I hope that one day we'll manage to gain that promotion. I don't expect it and I'm not saying it will happen but I certainly expect to see us finishing top half in the championship again in the future.

 

i really hope we do

but i can't see it for a few years