Rarely post - often read - observations on today and the season so far.

As a fan who has rarely missed a home and away game so far this season can I just observe that...

1. Today - beaten by the better team, although 5-1 flattered Ipswich. Having said that, criticise individual players by all means but,
the buck stops with Davey and perhaps somebody can explain to me the logic behind playing our pacey wide man - Kyel Reid - as a
second striker in the centre of the park, whilst leaving Nads and Rajcki on the bench.

2. A lot of flak on here recently against Colgan - he was superb today despite conceding 5 goals. A brilliant save in the first half
and another superb stop in the second, and he didn't stand a chance with any of their goals.

3. Last week - Derby at home - again, why does Davey field a 4-5-1 formation AT HOME? Fair enough, we're playing the team at the
top of the table, but starting with a defensive formation gives entirely the wrong signals to the opposition. We're into the final stages
of the season, fighting relegatiion and need to be brave - not negative.

4. The season as a whole, after 41 games - well, I think we all knew it was going to be a battle and 4th from bottom would be acceptable
to the majority. It's proving to be the case although Mr Shepherd has not helped matters in dismissing Ritchie and appointing Davey half
way through. Yes, Ritchie had his faults and was open to criticism - but he had the side playing with spirit, skill and passion even though
we were losing too many winnable matches. Simon Davey has not improved the situation and neither has Gordon with his statements re
points per game etc., We fans are not idiots and we judge games based on what we see occurs on the pitch. From my viewpoint, we were
in a better state under Ritchie, and nobody can now envisage where we might be if he were still in charge. Where we are under Davey is
plain for all to see.

5. We all have opinions on individual players, formations, performances etc., At the end of the day our current plight comes down to
Simon Davey and Gordon Shepherd. Davey, because he decides the formation and team selection, Shepherd because he ultimately
chose the managerial team on the playing side. It's a results-based game and 3.30pm-ish on May 6th will prove whether or not both
individuals have taken the right decisions this seaon. Whatever occurs by then, those decisions will have had a major impact on the
majority of BFC fans - and unfortunately I don't think either Gordon or Simon really appreciate that fact. They might well once next
season's ticket prices have been announced and the resultant take-up becomes apparent.

6. A personal observation but my opinion is that the club has lost sight of the fans' involvement with BFC and have regrettably set
themselves up on a pedestal. For instance, Mr Shepherd's comments to other members of this Forum that we are 'outside of football'
implicity states the club's attitude towards the fans. In fairness BFC can never win as far as supporters are concerned because we all
have our views and opinions as to how the club should be run, what players should be selected, what formation we should play and so on.
BUT, we are the club customers, and without us they would not survive. So, to dismiss fans' views in such an arrogant way only
makes the club's hierarchy elitist, and does little to engender a community aspect, which Patrick Cryne has always projected. Similarly
Gordon's attitude to media and fans' criticism has done him no favours whatsoever, and in my view has only resulted in portraying
our club in a poor light.

7. What remains for the rest of the season? Much as I want our club to remain in the Championship - I can't honestly see that
happening, based on the 41 games played thus far. Assuming we need to hit the magic 50 points mark, I really can't envisage
where another 9 are coming our way. A quick resume of our recent 10 games will prove my point, and the way we are
playing at present, combined with the formations and team selections that Davey is making, gives me little hope for salvation. It may
well be that other teams will decide our ultimate fate this season. At the start of the seaon I felt that Ritchie was right to stick with
our promotion squad, although one or two additions - especially in defence - would have been more than welcome. The fact that didn't
occur wasn't entirely the fault of Ritchie, Mr Shepherd has to hold his hands up as well he knows. Wherever we are come May 7th, the club
cannot blame the fans - the buck stops with Shepherd and Davey, the fans have been superb throughout the season - even though
more vocal support at home would have been welcome at times.

8. Should we end the season being relegated back to Division 1. I, like most fans I suspect, will renew my season ticket and support the Reds
throughout the coming seasons. That's what following Barnsley is all about - and in my opinion it's about time the club appreciated the fans and
made tangible efforts to reward those people for their support. Supporting the Reds is a form of religion for most people in this area and beyond,
and the club shouldn't take advantage of that fact. Treat us as reasoned individuals and we will respond in like manner - too often this season that
hasn't occurred.

Thank you for reading this missive, and I hope the Reds will reward you for your unswerving support come May 6th. Should the worst case scenario
occur and we start next season in Division 1. - please continue to get behind the team next season, and cheer them on back to the Championship.

 

Well I can see why you rarely post here.

You are far too sensible.

I agree with everything you have just written.

No-one knows how we would have finished under Ritchie, but anyone can see where we are going under Davey and it is no where good. He was brought in as a supposed tactical wizard, but since he took over I fail to see any improvement at all. The defence , which has been the downfall for 2 seasons or more, has not been addressed, we have brought in more players , but of lower or equal standard, no improvement. We have signed a striker that looked like he knew what to do, then we start playing him on his own , with no-one within 25 yrds. No he looks disallusioned and dumbfounded.
Davey has got no idea how to get a team playing together and I firmly lay the blame at Shepherds feet.
During the summer it was obvious to everyone that we needed to bring in better players, those players decided against coming for reasons we dont know, but to say that Ritchie would not sign anyone is ridiculous and if the players we have signed since his sacking are what was offered to him, then he was right to turn them down.

 

Kudos mate. Great post. Cazi - ban him.

 

You're too sensible to be on here, especially at 5 to one on a Sunday morning!

Good post though, but like all others it'll be totally ignored by those who need to know.

 

give him the managers job

 

Agree with everything bar number 8

Some of us supporters have simply had enough. If we go down and the club continues to be run by a chairman with total disregard for fans and a manager who is obviously incapable of influencing a football team that will work 100% then many will not be renewing im afraid. Lots of those who sit around me have simply said if we go down then it would take something special for them to come back and pay their £300+ a season. I have to say i agree with them and i have been a ST for 10 or so years. Ive seen the ups (wilson/ritchie/bassett) and downs (parkin/spackman) and i have never felt this estranged from the club in so many ways.

Apart from that everything is spot on and i suggest you send it to the club.

 

Shepherd is far too arrogant to ever admit he's wrong

 

Great post, but as someone else mentioned I have to disagree with point 8. Group of 6 blokes who sit behind us, haven't seen them sinceColchester game and they all have season tickets. Prob a fair few others too that haven't had the strength to come down to Oakwell even though already paid, so I can't see the hope of everyone renewing. Im still undecided on mine.</p>

The main concern is the whole setup at Oakwell. </p><ul>[*]We have a very, very poor manager. He may be a good coach (supposed to be) but he lacks the management skills. Not oneplayer seems to be interested in the battle, or fighting for him. (Leeds are battling for the cause and Wise)[*]We then have a average set of players (Bar Howard, Ferenczi, Colgan). I can't see these guys battling in League 1. Yeah they did it last season, but different story. [*]Add into that our Chairman. If he was so quick to speak out about Ritchie, then WHY NOT ABOUT DAVEY!? He's given the guy money and in my eyes, wasted90% of it. Apart from Ferenczi what's he done??? We should have heard something weeks ago in my eyes.[*]Club Shop. Yeah it's only a minor thing but it can be a major income for any club. Instead we sell very poor quality items at an overpriced rate. The amount of away fans I have heard come out of the shop and laugh at it is unbelievable.[*]Fans for the Future. We do nothing for them. Oakwell this season as looking empty. Every game we should have done Kid for a quid, or offered schools free tickets. What have to lose??? It's been great to see the likes of Sunderland and Derby bring 7K.[/list]

Anyway that's my views over with. No doubt some will disagree, some will agree 100%. End of day we all want the same thing for barnsley Football Club, the difference been we express it in different ways.</p>

 

Good Post!

Having gone to the game yesterday i agree with your comments on the match, in respect of the rest of your post i agree totally but unfortunately i will not renew my season tickets but pick and choose the games even if we stay up i am strongly against GS and SD because collectivly they have took the the club backwards.
As for the fans, i feel we are treated with comtempt, if i treat my customers with the condesending attitude we have to put up with then i would not have many customers left.

 

Agree Completely

Excellent post - shame you don't post on here more often but there again, I read every day and rarley post too!

I have to agree with all aspects of your post - however I am getting increasingly incensed by the club's attitude to their customers. As a marketing manager I understand how critical it is, on a purely business level, to retain your current customers. Money spent on retention is an investment every company has to make as getting new customers takes more investment and a greater amount of work.

My brother, for some unknown reason, has suddenly started coming to games with us, he's watched some abysmal games so far and still keeps coming - a great deal to do with spending time with his mum and sister, I'm sure, after our dad died last year, but he's been home and away for the last couple of months. He works in Doncaster and the difference in attitude of Donny Rovers to their supporters is great. Now he is, what we could consider, a floater, a bit like Adopted Tyke - he could be swayed either way, he's even talking about getting a season ticket somewhere. Luckily for the club I can still bully him and I don't think we'll lose him to somewhere else - but that's nothing to do with the club making him feel welcome as a supporter, nothing to do with some fan-friendly initiatives, nothing to do with any travel incentive to get him there as other clubs have done - it's only because he's still scared of his big sister.

I worked for the club, a few years ago now, and the attutude has not changed and I doubt, ever will. That was one of the reasons I got out of the job I was doing, the frustration of coming up with idea after idea only for it to be dismissed through lack of long-term view and only concentrating on the printing cost, for example, and not the revenue that could be generated. And this, I've found is through lack of investment in the calibre of people they need to move things forward. They continue to do things on the cheap - everything had to be at a cost. I completely understand having constraints in place but to continue to take on staff who have limited experience will keep this mentality that ceases to let the club grow.

Anyway, it's something very close to my heart and it frustrates me beyond belief. We are the club, they are not able to exist without us - but they choose not to accept this. One day they may suffer from this. But, I truly believe that there are too many of us that will blindly follow the club no matter how badly they treat us! Oh well, sign me up for another season, whatever. I'll still love the club, unfortunately!

 

Send this post as an E Mail to Gordon Shepherd

Yes agree with all you say. However the lack of 'vocal' support at home matches is because of late, there has not been much to shout about.

 

Point 4, beginning to suspect We Are Idiots

were putting up with total rubbish at the moment,

 

complete waste of time

the man has an ego the size of his house and is interested in no-one's views but his own.

 

what a good post !!!</p>

Far too sensible for this board !!</p>

 

RE: Well I can see why you rarely post here.

21 clean sheets last season. Last seasons problem was not scoring enough and we were lucky to sneak up.

But this season they just haven't been good enough. Not a single one of them is up to Championship standard. This means the rest of the team go into games with no confidence and the knowledge that we are definitely gonna let goals in. The managers and chairman need to shoulder the blame for our defence being so poor. Us fans have been saying all season that we need a new CB and a LB (at least) but they have just continued to bring in midfielders. Nyatanga has been a decent loan but with the crap he is partnering it hasnt changed much. They should have built from the back at the beginning of the season.