Reading all the posts on here. Here is how I feel and how I hope about10,000 other fans feel. I am 41,went to my first game at the age of 4 and my love affair with Barnsley FC began. I went in the bad times of leagues 4 and 3 when the football may have been poor but 11 Barnsley players took to that field and gave the best they could.We never had the best team but when we played there was passion. I was there week in week out come rain hail sleet snow or sunshine.All those guys were my heroes, yes it would have been easy to support a top team especially as we had a few around us at the time. For my 11th birthday I was taken to old trafford in our Datsun Cherry.After been there 10 minutes I turned to my dad and asked if we could leave, these players may have been much better than ours but it wasnt Barnsley FC. When I started work all my cash would be spent following the reds home and away,the older I got the more the passion grew. I remember going to swindon away, staying in London over night,getting pissed out of our heads and loading Cunning Stunt in a taxi as he was throwing up. We followed OUR team. We had the glory of premier league the highs and lows of winning and losing in playoff finals. I once never fell out with my love affair. Right now we are on the brink of relegation. Yes I live abroad but IM always up to check on and listen to MY TEAM. When people ask me which soccer team I support I tell them with great pride BARNSLEY FC. BARNSLEY FC IS MY TEAM AND I WILL ALWAYS BE PROUD OF THEM I just wish every one else could be too.
Well said that man. My devotion to the Reds goes back to 1973 and I've seen many ups and downs. Relegation is not the end of the world. Some ridiculous over reactions on here tonight.
Same here . We arnt relegated yet . But I have watched us in the 3rd and 4 th division before , and would do again
Great post makes a difference to hear from a proper barnsley fan rather than all the negative hate mongers.
I go back 3 more years and one more relegation which for me was the worst Probably because it was the first for me. I'll be back next season in any case we aren't officially down yet teams have pulled off miraculous escapes before and will again
Great post fella, I do think there is an age thing going on here. For all those of us 40 plus we started the love affair with BFC when there were no expectations. I think that, coupled with the fact that age brings with it a sense of perspective helps deal with the current plight. I'm not saying the younger lads are wrong I know that I was exactly the same back in the day, it's just that we all mellow with age. The one thing across the whole board is a passion for Barnsley, we might not agree on somethings, or in fact anything, but this club has got a core of die hard support.
Like most people have said anybody 40+ (im 48) remember the good days and bad days when nothing was expected of the reds, yesterday at Derby aprt from thinking BFC were at home the noise was so intense i felt like I did at wembley in 2008, gutted and disillusioned at the state of our beloved team but even in League 1 ill be there youstand by your team through thick and thin time to rebuild and refocus and come again sometime
Why? I can remember my first game. 1966 v Southport. Barnsley bottom of League4 with 3pts. That was mid October (I think. It's a long time ago). I can remember the climb from that league to Division 1. Us older supporters have seen the bad and have seen the club come through it. This is my club. Premier league or Conference North
I'm 36 and have been going to watch the Reds for quite a while also.... A long time before the Premier League was even around. I've seen bad, good and indifferent Barnsley sides. Promotion, relegation and year after year in the second tier. I've loved every minute of it even the bad times and come next season weather it's league 1 or the championship I know I will be there home and away and I know I'll still be loving it be it Sheff Utd or Sheff Weds we're playing next season!! Anyway I've a bus to sort out for Boro Saturday so rant over! Si thi....
Thereev started watching the pubteam that is BFC when he was 10..... mi dads fault. I think it was a 1-0 win against Lincoln. Bobby Doyle scored and me mi dad and mi brother were stood on the old muck stack....and that was young thereev hooked. I wish the bas.tards had lost.....I might never had gone again. Hth
I first went in 1961..... was smitten instantly and still am. I feel the same as you, but that does not mean we are not allowed to moan and criticise etc.. but we still will be there for them no matter where in the world we are.
To be fair, I can't see many (if any) on here saying they won't be supporting the club next season. Far from it. No doubt I've overlooked one or two posters who've suggested it's the end of the road for them in terms of attending etc, but the vast majority are seemingly sticking with it. Which they will, as supporters. Me included. I'll end up doing more away games if we are relegated. A few grounds to tick off the 92, and some cracking away days. However, I'm not looking forward to our relegation. I don't feel enthused about the JPT. I can't say I'm excited about a season where Wednesday, Donny, Leeds, Hull and possibly Rotherham are divisions above us. I can't pretend the likes of Dawson and Kennedy are actually decent and will do well in the third division. I'm not looking forward with relish to a 1st Round FA Cup tie. Can't say welcoming Gillingham to Oakwell on a wet Tuesday evening in October is appealing. So whilst I'll be just the same supporter of BFC, I refuse to try making out our probable demise is something good. It may well prove to be, eventually. Who knows? But you cannot blame/fault any supporter for taking this disaster badly. It doesn't make me/them any worse a supporter. And even though I only started watching us in the late 1980's, so haven't witnessed us playing in the fourth tier or owt, I've seen us at our zenith, and then saw a proper horrific fall from grace. So I know what it feels like to support the club in truly dark times. Hence me not pretending all is okay. Because it ******* isn't. Had to spoil it by swearing....
