It’s not good for one’s health to follow Barnsley Football Club in the Championship division of UK football.
Last year they hung on to stay in the Championship division by the skin of their teeth. It went down to the wire, in the last game they had to either win or draw against Huddersfield Town and they managed a nerve-wracking draw. The joy in the rooms after the game brought a lump to my throat.
Roll on 2014 and it’s a re-run of the previous year, The Tykes are down the bottom of the ladder and if anything, in a worse position. I check out the results on the BBC site with trepidation after each game and in the main it’s not good reading.
About five weeks ago, Huddersfield Town cleaned them up 5-0. I couldn’t believe it and according to the Tyke fans they weren’t impressed either. There was a bit of bad press about players’ reaction to the fans. It seems all were told to go home, have a Bex and a quiet lie down. Next week they beat Nottingham Forest who are sitting seventh, 1-0. Did the fans have an effect?
In a word NO, the next three games saw them being beaten by Leicester, who are on top, 3-0, then Watford (Elton John’s old team) who are sitting mid ladder, 3-0, and then to complete the trifecta. Bournemouth defeats Barnsley 1-0. The Tykes are stone motherless last, the future looks as grim as a disused coal mine and there are plenty of them in the area.
But wonders never cease as my mum used to say, next game against sixth place Reading they score a resounding 3-1 win and followed this up a couple of days ago by thumping fellow cellar-dwellers Yeovil Town 4-1. The Tykes leap two places and there is optimism, at least in this North Carlton home.
Who knows what the results will be over the next few weeks, I live in hope. I know the lads who I had many John Smith Lagers in the FitzWilliam Pub, Barnsley, all those years ago, do to.
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I checked out the BBC website Rod, and it looks like 3 out of your Tykes, Charlton, Millwall and Yeovil will be relegated. Sort of like playing Russian roulette with only one empty chamber. But on recent form your boys look up to it.
The list of Barnsley luminaries is impressive. Michael Parkinson, ‘Dickie’ Bird, Arthur Scargill, Kate Rusby (great singer), Darren Gough and a couple of the Arctic Monkeys.
And now Rod Oaten.
At least you keep better company in the round ball game.
Rod as a long time follower of QPR I have enjoyed yours and John Greens articles on
Preston North End it is great to read about the smaller clubs instead of the elite few if ever a competition that should have a strict salary cap etc it is English Soccer
Thanks Rod
Rod, a great read from a fellow Championship follower, being a lifelong and passionate fan of Derby County. Good luck to Barnsley; as of last night back in the relegation zone. For what it’s worth, personally I think Charlton’ll go down in your place. Of course, as a Derby supporter, I’d also note it’s mathematically possible that Forest could take their rightful place in League One. Hopefully, Derby will win promotion and make a better fist of a season in the Premiership. Maybe TWO wins? Always feasible while Newcastle are in the Premiership.