The one crumb of comfort I'm taking from George Williams' departure.....

....is that Paul Heckingbottom is immensely better qualified to assess the qualities needed in a Championship-level defender than I am. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely in the "dropped a total bollock" camp, but then again I'm a Barnsley supporter who, due to geographical reasons, has only seen a handful of games this season. My lifetime experience in football amounts to three seasons as a reasonably immobile holding midfielder in our very mediocre university 6-a-side team, and several hundred Barnsley matches over a period of nearly thirty years. If a football manager started giving me his advice on the intricacies of how to do business in the former Soviet Union, the said advice would be politely declined. Therefore, while still quite puzzled by the decision to release George, I have to trust that the people who made the decision quite simply have more knowledge in the field than I ever will.

 

I take your point and would balk at 'ecky and Tommy telling me how to address a judge and jury, but were I to stand up with my knob out and start telling Chubby Brown gags they would be quite entitled to question my court etiquette and, in my view, that is the level of bollock that has been dropped here.

George Williams has not put a foot wrong since January and has no obvious weaknesses likely to be exposed by moving up a level. The concern can only be based around pace but I don't recall him getting done for it and should that be the issue, he more than compensates through the cleverness and composure he brings to the play.

Man Utd are now looking to resign Pogba who Sir Alex didn't fancy, so they don't always know better.

Please, for the relative peanuts we're talking here, have a rethink and get it sorted.

 

Read observers post in this thread. Explains it all.

http://bbs.barnsleyfc.org.uk/showthread.php?245074-so-who-is-the-poster-named-observer

 

I've thought about this since the announcement yesterday. I do think we've made a mistake in letting him go. Partly because he couldve been a solid squad player and it also takes one of the group out that has built such momentum and is clearly tightly knit.

But credit to all parties in how its them moved on and been dealt with and it reminds you of how ruthless the Championship is. I wish George well and though not played many games, his journey and the 2 wembley wins make him part of Barnsley legend.

In terms of the step up... there are limitations in his game at times (despite a very steep improvement from his first tentative games). He did get outdone on crosses a few times and his positioning and awareness at the far post was sometimes exploited (think of oxfords first goal at wembley as an example. But he grafted, gave his all, and had good composure on the ball too.

But I think it was worth having him as a squad player. Great shame.

All the best George. You'll always have a fond place in Barnsley hearts.

 

I'm a bit with you here, MT. I think what this episodes shows is that we're not just sleep-walking into the Championship, but giving some real thought to who we think might cut it in the higher league. This sometimes involves makiing difficult decisions. George has done tremendously to up his game to League One level, but clearly Hecky thinks that's his limit. I've no idea one way or the other, but after what we've witnessed in the first six months of this year, I'm more than happy to trust Hecky and Tommy's judgement and experience. Every penny is going to be crucial in this Summer's recruitment, and we've already managed to retain Adam.

 

From reading into the other thread, all this talk of keeping him as a squad player is pointless because he wanted first team football. If he was prepared to stay and be back up, I'm sure that he would still be at the club.

 

Personally i think he was more than good enough for the championship, perhaps the contract he was offered was nothing near what he expected, maybe his agent has influenced him, or his head has been turned by another club. No doubt all will be revealed eventually.

 

^^^^ This in spades.

 

It already has mate, by his dad.