I was born in Commercial street and could see the floodlights from my bedroom. I attended Doncaster Road primary School and the top class could see Oakwell through the classroom window. I first started watching Barnsley in 1967-68 season with my mum and dad. I have been regularly attending since then. One match in the 1970s when the miners strike and subsequent power cuts meant midweek matches were played in the afternoon. I missed school at Holgate to watch a match. My mum and dad were sat in the seats in the old West stand whilst I stood below them with my back against the wall so they could not see me. So always have been a Barnsley fan in the good and bad times. My biggest regret like many others is I always dreamed of playing for Barnsley.
Brought up in view of 3 land marks, view from landing window every morning wer Beetson clark, Barnsley Main winding gear and Oakwell Football ground, played on the old Queens ground as a kid and went to 1st game wi mi mates in 1970......niva looked at another club from a supporting point of view but bin to lots of football.just never got that hair on the back of ya kneck feeling anywer else. not even England at Wembly and have been a fair few times
It's hardly surprising so many children growing up in the 70's were allowed to go to/taken to Leeds or Sheffield to watch their football. After all, there have been so many other examples of child abuse which have come to light recently. And just to confirm, never had any choice in the matter myself - a product of two families of mad keen Reds fans so it's in the DNA.
Like a lot of fans on here I started 'supporting' another team at first when I first got into footy. And that team for me was Cloughie's Notts Forest team in about '78. (I was only 7 though at the time lol) Then I first came to Oakwell in season 80-81, and the rest is history.
I supported all sorts as a kid. Liverpool, cos, well, everybody else did. Torquay, cos I went to see them in a friendly. West Ham. I was taken to Barnsley as a 12 year old and supported them since. (But I still watch out for Torquay's results)
Yes. 3rd generation after my Dad and Grandad. Now handed the baton to my son. If I don't overanalyse things, I get the same kicks from going to the matches aged 44 as I did in 1981, aged 6.
At school in the early to mid 1970s, most were reds fan but everyone seemed to have a 1st division club. Leeds, Man Utd and Liverpool were the top ones. I used to like Liverpool and once had a Liverpool kit. I had a denim jacket and covered it in Liverpool badges. I never went to watch them as I was too young to go on my own and couldn’t afford it anyway. However, I was at Oakwell almost every home game cheering on the super Reds wearing my Liverpool denim jacket. I used to get a bit of stick now and then and didn’t mind too much, but one game I was getting some stick and when I turned around there were 3 of them wearing Leeds scarves. I said to them at least my colours are red. The first time I went to Anfield was the 0-0 league cup draw in the 80s, and I was very much a Barnsley fan as I was in later visits. I lost my soft spot for Liverpool many years ago, but I still chuckle today when I think of those 3 with Leeds Scarves giving me stick for wearing Liverpool merchandise at Oakwell.
Pre Barnsley fandom in 1984 , I might have been a Liverpool fan , if only coz they on the telly. Then the folks over the road asked me if wanted to go to a Barnsley game , my dad said OK , a 0-0 draw with Blackburn inspired me to get on the Red Bandwagon
Becoming a reds fan was like a gradual osmosis for me. I think my Dad started taking me in the mid sixties when I was about five. I didn't like football particularly back then and my earliest memories are sitting on the shale banking above the kop and rooting bits of coal out of it. Gradually the infection started to take hold though and I began to pay more attention to what was happening on the pitch. I carried on going whenever my Dad could take me though that was allied to brief flirtations with West Ham and Spurs because Martin Peters was me and my mate's favourite player. That eventually passed though and suddenly in 75 the Reds virus exploded. I barely missed a home game for the next 25 years and travelled the country watching them too. I wish I could remember my first game but I can't. It was probably somebody like Barrow or Newport but for a little kid playing in the muck and oblivious to the football it's turned into a lifelong source of pride and belonging and many, many fantastic memories.
I went to high school in Huddersfield and nearly went to a couple of there games but literally hated football until we played them in the play offs, there fans took mick out of my accent that much after they beat us 1-0 in first leg at Oakwell I watched second leg praying we’d win and we beat em 3-1 to go to final,then beat Swansea....Got a season ticket next season rest is history lol