Patrick Cryne's Oakwell legacy....

I think we would all join in our appreciation of the great work and generous commitment Patrick has put into BFC over the last few years. He took a club in relatively serious debt, an absolute mess of a business and walking a knife-edge of existence. He cleared it's debts, underwrote it's deficits, untangled the mess left by previous owners, established a somewhat mysterious and convoluted system of ownership (but we do exist!) and despite a bit of an error of judgement with Ridsdale, set us on a path to restoring our second tier status. Most importantly he stood the club back on it's feet and gave it back it's self respect.

The succession of short term managers is testament to just how massive a task this has been and, after all, he always said his custody of the club was temporary, that he could not and would not permanently underwrite it's deficits and would strive for a seemingly un-achievable status of debt free self sufficiency. But here we are, a solvent, attractive club with a fantastic management team, an established and seemingly fruitful academy/youth system and facilities (John Dennis' wonderful vision) and a current first team capable of competing and indeed outplaying clubs whose operational budget 10 or 20 times that of ours. We are also in a position, as Jay said earlier, where we are toughening up and becoming more resistant to player poaching and more astute and secure in player contracts.

Through all this, as far as I am aware, Patrick has suffered ill health and personal business complications. Neither of which I am in any position to speculate on, only to acknowledge that these things have been going on in the background.

This is Cryne's legacy and it is indeed a massive achievement. You need to have been following the Reds closely for the last 15 years at least, to even begin to comprehend the scale and complexity of the journey this club has been on. Then possibly even double it, because we can be pretty certain there is a lot more to it that we are not aware of and never will be.

Keith Hill and his top assistant Flicker of course, are finally the management capable of implementing Patrick's ideology on the football side. Despite having the heart ripped/kicked out of the team, they recruit again, nurture and polish the talents of players no-one else on our level wants. On Saturday, they annihilated a big club on their own pitch and had their quite able manager in tears. And it wasn't a one-off, this standard of performance is becoming a pleasingly regular event.

Patrick said he would only hand to club over to responsible and appropriately motivated owners who had the best interest of the club, the town and the fans at heart. His personal affairs may appear rather complicated, but I can't see him deviating from that position. he is a massive Reds fan after all and wouldn't allow all his good work to be undone for the sake of a few million quid. Our current management team is vital and integral to the immediate and long term future of the club. Their value can not be underestimated. I would like to think any potential owners would appreciate that they are the single most important asset this club possesses, and they would immediately de-value their investment by replacing them.

I trust Patrick to safely see the club through any transition without jeopardising in any way the club's security or best interests for it's future. It is his legacy after all.

Up the Reds!

 

That's one hell of a post sir! My sentiments exactly. Clause 1 of any takeover deal should be a guarantee of the current might teams employment status on a long term contract. They are this clubs most valuable asset. In hill croft we trust. And Patrick also on the assumption that he wil do the right thing.

 

agree fully with that.

 

That's an 'amazeballs' post, C-Dog.

Cryne is a hero. I'm sure he'll do what's right...

 

To the tune of Man Utd's Cantona song....

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee'll drink a drink a drink to Patrick the king the king the king, he's the leader of our football team! he's the greatest, Barnsley owner, that the wooooooorld has ever seen!!

I for one would buy him a pint for the work he's done for us. Loves the club, what more could we ask for?

 

Absolutely spot on Mr C, yes there's been mistakes along the way and I'm sure there will be more in the future and boy have we all whinged on here at one time or another but I'm sure everybody connected to the club have learnt from their mistakes and continue to take the club forward, whether this takeover happens or not I'm confident that Patrick cryne will only do what's best for the club and I'm sure if the alleged 2 potential buyers are not right then he won't sell.

 

That's my single perrenial sensible post for this season. Rest assured thereev-baiting will recommence first thing tomorrow. Hemsworth Tyking isn't as much fun as it used to be, though. He's tightened up at the back since Hassell-gate.