Unpopular opinion on a Barnsley player

Adam Hammill, second time around, and I’ll give my reasons.

Brilliant debut v York, topped off with a goal that was better than the one against Oxford that he won goal of the season with (announced before the even better goal v Millwall). I don’t dispute that he was a major factor in turning our season around, both in terms of allowing us to play with proper wide men and, most importantly, getting the fans back onside. But after his first few games he was pretty ineffective really, with his ordinary performances disguised by his display and goals at the two Wembley games, where it is perfectly reasonable to say he turned it on when it mattered. But he wasn’t our best player of the season in his first (half) season back (remember, it was even announced before the play-off final), Conor Hourihane was, by a country mile. I would have placed Hammill 4th or 5th, based on performances, with his true value that first season being, as I say, getting the fans back on board..

His goals and assists during his second spell were poor, considering his talent. Indeed, apart from one or two games, most notably the first game of the second season in the Championship, where he was played in the middle, he was very disappointing in the Championship. He even admitted as much himself after the first season. It’s no surprise that all the first team from the promotion season moved on to better things (okay, George Williams stayed in League One, but even then I think he won the POTY at MK Dons. He was certainly raved about by 2 MK Dons fans I met), apart from Hammill.

Aside from his poor performances, he also proved himself to not particularly being a team player. Firstly, he took Josh Scowen’s number 7 shirt behind his back, Scowen finding out via a club tweet, expressing his disappointment and being supported by several teammates. There were also the two petulant outbursts on the field when he saw his number being raised when he was being substituted. He did the same at Scunthorpe, where I believe he was subsequently never picked for them again, being shipped out at the first opportunity. Indeed, after leaving us his career fizzled out at a relatively young age, but his last two poor seasons with us were never likely to gain him a move to a decent team.

With regard to the manner of his return, the common misconception is that Barnsley were his first love and he came back to the club, offered his services to Patrick Cryne and was forced upon Lee Johnson. This is twaddle. For starters, Johnson said on several occasions that he was disappointed he didn’t get the players he wanted in the summer, mainly that he didn’t have the players available to play with two natural wide men. This was acknowledged in public by Ben Mansford at a Supporters Trust meeting. So when the possibility of signing Adam Hammill was mentioned to Johnson he jumped at the chance. Furthermore, if Hammill had decided that Barnsley were his first and only choice to get his career back on track, how come he first had unsuccessful trials at Bolton and a Scottish club (can’t remember which)?

And then there’s the elephant in the room. He assaulted two female paramedics. Had this been Barry Bannan (or any other player signed by a local rival) Reds fans would never have stopped hammering them for it.

So was I happy we signed him back at the time? No, because of the assault.
Do I think he played an important role in turning our season round? Yes.
Do I think this was because of his brilliant performances on the field? No, although he put in brilliant performances in the two games that mattered.
Do I think he deserved the POTY? No, Hourihane did, and Mawson, Winnall and Brownhill were all ahead of him, performance wise, probably Scowen too.
With hindsight was I glad we signed him? Yes, because of the effect his signing had on the fans, because his signing allowed Johnson to play with two wide men, moving Hourihane into the middle (the work Johnson and Wright did with Hourihane, turning him into the player he became, was the most important factor in getting us promoted, in my opinion) and because of the two performances and goals at Wembley.
Do I think he was worthy of a place in the team in the Championship? Not at all, he was very poor throughout this time, with the odd decent performance/goal/assist that just wasn’t good enough, considering his talent. With hindsight, from a football point of view we should have sold him the summer that we got promoted, when his stock was at the highest, although from a PR point of view this would have been a very unpopular move, given his support on the terraces.
Am I expecting to be hammered for this opinion? Yes, probably! So I might as well chuck another one into the mix. I thought Barry Conlon was a far better player than most Reds fans gave him credit for.

 

NURSE!

 

Luca Connell is not as good as people label him and neither is Adam Phillips.

 

Not sure he was good enough to have dislodged Seaman TBH, certainly squad regular though.

 

The assault - I don't judge people on their mistakes, but how they react to them. Adam has expressed many times in interviews both his embarrassment and remorse over the incident, and how it made him take stock of his life and face up to his mental health and drinking issues.

I've never met Adam Hammill personally, but plenty of people I know have - and without exception they can't speak highly enough of him.

 

Go on ill say it, james Norwood. The lad never played above league one level there was a reason for that. His best 45 minutes in a barnsley shirt was his last game against Wednesday chasing the ball. There was a reason he dropped to non League. Over rated by many.

 

We couldn’t sell him that summer. He was a free agent and signed fresh terms after our promotion.

I too, had misgivings about his off the field misdemeanours. So I’m with you there. He’d also been at a club where someone I’m close to was playing, and I heard some bad stories.

But, for me at least, his return was a success and pivotal in our promotion. Was he as good upon that promotion? Probably not. But he wasn’t poor by any stretch.

And after working with him, there’s few people in football that I liked more. A genuinely lovely lad, albeit flawed. I had to type up the article announcing his release too. Not a great memory.

 

Totally agree...not the type of player needed when trying to press...he's just too slow for me

 

Nardiello
Lazy and offside all the time because of it
Brendan O'Connell.
Couldn't be a striker that we signed him as because he was unable to score. Put in midfield to make numbers up and could run/pass only in the direction he was facing

 

To be fair you don't need to be fast to play center midfield. I watched Scott parker at 36 absolutely boss the midfield for Fulham at oakwell just pinging balls about. Also Alex mowatt not very fast.

 

I get what you’re saying but I think you have to also consider that we decided to go with a counter attacking style that didn’t suit Hammill when we went back up to the championship.

Much quicker players like Watkins & Kent were far better suited to that style of play & both barely missed a game that season.

 

I don’t really get the Bobby Hassell shouts. Did anyone over rate him really? Didn't we just regard him as a solid, decent for us reliable player who could play several positions that was also loyal to us & represented the club well both on & off the pitch?

No one was saying he was good enough for the premier league or likely to be headhunted by the best sides in the division.

 

Lot of people loved Dave Regis, honestly thought he was terrible, the worst.

 

Wish we had a few players like Bobby in the side now.

 

Unbelievable Jeff

 

Scored and created a ridiculous amount of goals, worked his bag off every week. The lunacy in this thread is more entertaining than today’s game.

 

Assuming you are referring to O'Connell rather than nardiello. Don't dispute he worked hard but he played in one direction all the time. Not sure on the goal return*
The lunacy of the thread is opinions are subjective and football opinions more than most

Edit *240 appearances - 35 goals over 6 seasons. Average 6 a season

 

None of the present bunch anyway

 

Connell.

 

40 goals and 20 assists. In the second tier. From midfield. And ran his blood to water.

He can’t be overrated. I think I’m the only person who rates him like I do.