Admittedly since I moved away I haven't been t'Well as often as most who contribute on the BBS but I feel I've earned by right to have a say by serving my apprenticeship by watching us for the last 20 years. My first game was Joe Joyce's testimonial when the squad included the likes of Clive Baker, Stuart Rimmer (cough!), Phil Gridelet, the 2x Andy's up front and the flying winger that was Owen 'Mr Bean' Archdeacon. I've seen us through the 3-4,000 attendances, cold, miserable nights stood on the old West Stand lower while we draw 2-2 with Cambridge Utd then having to get the last 236 bus back across the county border. It was a novelty when we signed someone, it really was headline news. Why? Because we were skint but we knew we were and we lived with it. Then heaven forbid we got rid of Mel Machin and after a slight mishap, Mr D.J Wilson guided us to the promised land. Way against the odds and way ahead of anyone's schedule. In fact, is it fair to say, our brief flirt with the big time contributed to where we are today? John Dennis tried to do the right thing that he thought at the time. He had to overspend to give us any chance of staying in the top flight. Imagine if he only gave funds to buy lower league players? We would have been up in arms. But ce la vie, we failed and down we tumbled. Since then we have struggled to rekindle the magic of that season, something that breaks my heart when I look at where we are today. But I take peace in remembering where we've come from. Everyone connected with the club (despite their apparent misgivings) wants the club to live on and be successful. I think back to when Kenny Moyes and that American guy were paraded around the perimeter track and wonder how life would be now if we had chosen that particular path. Two people who didn't have Barnsley in their blood, who wanted to run us for whatever they could take out of it. At least with the current behind the scenes set up, we have fans, people who have stood on the terraces watching a dull goalless draw on a Tuesday evening against the proverbial Cambridge Utd. I don't know Don Rowing, never met the bloke, but what I see is a constant bitching vendetta against the bloke. He's trying his best with what he's got. Perhaps, we forget that and no I doubt I could do a better job. Nor anyone else on here for that matter. At times like these, we need to pull together, we've done it before. Being united, one voice doesn't just come when the team is successful - it counts more and means more when you're in the sh*t. I've had the 'pleasure' of watching Norwich City a few times since I've lived down here - no more a together club that I've ever seen. It pains me to read the whinging and whining that is on here some days. Don't get me wrong, we have the right to have a go but FFS now is the time to let the board do their thing, they'll appoint the best manager they can for this particular moment. Main objective obviously is to stave off relegation. Then when we've achieved that, during those long, balmy summer days can we reflect and rebuild and move on. A couple of final points - the board (and the fans) have realised that the club has become disconnected with the community. Ok then, remember Huddersfield's great escape of a few years ago? Hows' about knocking the gate prices down to that off whatever a season ticked cost per game is (did I read £13 the other day) to get some bums on seats. And while they're at it, get a big f*ck off banner to go under the Barnsley Football Club on the back of the Ponty saying "The Great Escape 2012/13 is on!!" and have draped from every available corner/wall/lampost/floodlight pylon some pics of Steve McQueen on his motorbike!
You might as well bugger off back to the fens with that kind of common sense, well thought out posting - it'll never catch on here.
Not feasible... ... they'd have to spend something on Steve McQueen image rights. Ever heard of Shipdham?
Interesting that you use Norwich City as the counter-example. I lived in Cambridge in the early 90s, which was right in the middle of their prolonged and sustained campaign to get then-Chairman Robert Chase out of the club. It used to get featured quite regularly on the local news. I'd even go as far as to argue that they are well run these days precisely because they campaigned in large numbers to get changes made to how the club was run. I don't think we should ever resort to being abusive in the process but, having lived through the dark days of administrations, then Doyle supposedly 'saving' the club and the subsequent ownership turmoil prior to Cryne's takeover, we should be absolutely vigilant and prepared to question (in a reasonable way) when we have genuine concerns. For several years I've relied on the fact that Cryne (who undoubtedly has the club's best interests at heart) was pulling the strings behind the scenes, so could cope far better with the frustrations of the people who worked for him. The difference now is that no-one has any real idea of how much this is the case, other than that we know he's seriously ill, and I largely feel like we're now being left to the devices of Rowing and Taylor, and the faith I have in them is evaporating with every poor commercial decision I see get made by them. In fairness to them, they've (well Don at least) have taken steps to try and establish dialogue with supporters but the fact that there is so much ill-feeling at present shows that this still falls short of where we need to be to feel like club and fanbase are truly aligned. None of this is intended to be a criticism of your post though, which I thought was excellent, even though my views differ on it in places.
I watch Everton occasionally and have to say that they are a fantastic family club - taken my daughter on a few occasions when they've given free tickets to schools. Just seems to be a buzz about the club , admittedly doing well helps but I've been there during darker days as well, Wimbledon home, and the atmosphere has always been the same
Glad my post struck a chord with some folk. Don't get me wrong, I know there are some inherent, deep rooted problems at the club but priorities and steadying the ship surely are the most important. I have complete faith in that the good times will one day return but throwing the baby out with the bath water, at the moment to me is wrong. Perhaps fan(s) voice on the board is what is required, a vote to cast as it were. There's another post running somewhere about reconnecting with the fans, all very valid (and cheap!) It's sensible, worthwhile suggestions like these that need relaying to those in power - because I seriously doubt that what is written on here is read by said people. It hurts like hell the situation we're in, and dare I say embarrassing but we've been through similar before but this time I'd rather everyone takes their time, keeps a common sense head and ensures that this shambles never EVER happens again.
