Season after season of asset stripping and a managed decline have brought us to this. BFC is dying

Always seems better in hindsight. We averaged about 9k under Ritchie, almost missed out on the playoffs and Robins season fell away quite badly once we were mathematically safe.

I genuinely think we’ve got too used to promotion and playoff s seasons. We’d have given our right arm for either during the 80s and 90s, but now it’s doesn’t seem enough just to be in the picture, we have to be winning every week for some, or the teddy’s out.

 

They had a much lower starting point.

 

Why would you go to the trouble? £10million quid would buy you a lot of building land, and in a better location.

Has anyone ever bought a football club and intentionally killed it and sold the land for housing ?

 

The other scenario could be that the current board were sold on a vision and a plan by Chien Lee & Conway, and that they would be taking care of executing their vision and plan, whilst the other board members were essentially investors awaiting their premier league return.

Well, what happened was that whilst Pacific Media Group looked good and their expansion was aggressive, they ultimately didn't have the first clue how to run a club. In fact they didn't have the first clue how to do really anything.

A power struggle resulted and the current board (who didn't have a clue about football or how to run a club) had to seize control. Now terrified that they had been led down the garden path so to speak, they are akin to a deer caught in the proverbial headlights, more involved and more financially responsible for the club than they ever wanted to or planned to be.

And that brings us to now. The $hit show.

 

It's one thing you can't accuse our current owners of doing as the land isn't theirs to sell. The original deal with the ground was that Patrick Cryne owned 50% of it and the Council the other 50%. The Crynes have done a deal with the Council who have taken on the total ownership of the ground. Barnsley FC lease the ground from the Council.

 

good question. In fact although i dont think the owners are asset strippers and locusts i do think they have struggled to manage the club effectively. I attended for over 50 years and paid for STs through covid. I then stopped going and finally gave up my season ticket and shared my opinions stronger when we were winning. In fact fringes of promotion to prem. I see that the experience is more than just results, perhaps common for most Barnsley fans. I felt the whole game day experience was getting tougher, less fun and not enjoyable. The social aspect also declined as more people i knew stopped going. But as for the results driving frustration, its a sport, people will share more frustration during bad times than good. As for the question of if our owners are progressing our club positively forwards, for what its worth, i think not. More from capability than intent. But whatever the semantics they are managing during this decline.

Having said all that im not sure if my opinion and observations are valid given i no longer attend games.

 

Sums my feelings up too.

 

I agree and genuinely don't think we should fear anyone in this division but we do need a clear out of fringe players to help pay the wages for a couple of quality players in January. Someone pacy that can run with a ball and someone that can accurately cross one would make a big difference.

 

Wasn't speedy Bazza doing that early in the season ? Must have upset someone.

 

Define ‘progressing our club positively forward’ & and give some examples of previous years when we’ve had sustained periods progression.

Like you, I’ve watched the reds a long time, although I still attend. One thing has never changed, and that’s our fans never being happy.

 

If you look over the last 45 years or so there's only been the period during admin and just after where we've not been higher up the football ladder than where we are now.
Anything less than a promotion challenge at third tier level is bound to have fans disgruntled. We're starting to look a way off that at present but time will tell over the coming weeks.
That said, there's a lot less patience these days, especially with social media.

 

Since "these owners" took over we've had 2 playoff campaigns and are currently 3 points off another.
As somebody posted earlier all the rubbish is spouted when we lose a couple of games.

 

Social media isn't only a scourge on football but life in general.

 

I get that mate, but you have to factor in the financial gymnastics that other clubs do in order to progress.

We have always been a club that tries to live within its means, and for a long time that was enough for us to enjoy a stay in the second tier.
Most of the 80s and 90s we survived on gates of around 8k, had the odd cup run, sold our players, etc

Our more recent seasons in the 2nd tiers usually culminated in a relegation battle or worse, so lots of defeats and misery during those seasons.

I genuinely feel we’ve more or less stood still compared to some other clubs, and compare favourably with some we used to share the 2nd tier with, but whilst standing still we’ve still had a tilt at promotion back to the Prem, and more Playoff campaigns than you could shake a stick at.

 

Looks that way

 

I get what you're saying mate. To be honest I think it's the poor, lop-sided recruitment that we keep on repeating that frustrates too.
Having so few striker options after knowing what we needed all summer is hard to believe.

 

This is in the same type of statement as 'our board are successful business people' ie it's just demonstrably not true.

Under Cryne and now this lot the Board have consistently propped up operating losses for years and years and years

 

Hopefully that’ll be remedied in the window mate. It’s crucial, unless our current strikers intend to start banging them in.

I have a feeling that DKD would benefit from Phillips moving on, but I don’t see Phillips attracting much interest in his current form,

 

Wrong on both levels. Conman not involved. (He was Pacific media rep if I remember rightly)
Lee if still involved as minority shareholder. Both imo will be looking to sell as at mo the shares are diluted every time a new issue is announced.
As for season ticket holders very much on a par before Cryne handed the club over.
I am concerned next season may result in fewer. But that will be mainly due to the stranglehold tv and dodgy sticks have interfered. And that will affect most lower league clubs unless successful on the field.

 

Convinced DKD was Phillips replacement for when we intended selling him in January. There's probably been interest registered but his form right now might mean that's cooled. Unless he's playing within himself because he knows he's leaving maybe?