The Football Dome

Club Profiles

Taking a closer look at the Nationwide League clubs

Barnsley

The Facts

Ground: Oakwell

Capacity: 23,009

Record Attendance: 40,225 vs. Stoke City (FA Cup 5th round, 1936)

Club Nickname: The Tykes

Entered the Football League: 1898

Shirt Sponsors: iSoft

Official Web Site: http://www.barnsleyfc.co.uk

Club Colours: Red shirts, white shorts, red socks

Chairman: John Dennis

Manager: Steve Parkin

Famous fans: Michael Parkinson (Tv presenter), Dickie Bird (Ex. Cricket umpire), Darren Gough (Yorkshire & England cricketer)

Record Transfer fee paid: Georgi Hristov, £1.5 million (from Partizan Belgrade, July 1997)

Record Transfer fee received: Ashley Ward, £4.5 million (to Blackburn)

Honours: Third Division League Champions (1933/34, 1938/39, 1954/55)

F.A. Cup - Winners (1911/12), Runners-up (1909/10)

History

1887 – Barnsley St. Peters Football Club is formed by the Reverend Tiverton Preedy.

1897 – Re-named Barnsley Football Club.

1893 – Enter the FA Cup for the very first time.

1898 – Barnsley are elected to the Football League and join the Second Division for the 1898/99 season. The first game in Barnsley’s League history takes place on September 1st, 1898 - a 1-0 loss at Lincoln. The club finishes the season in a very respectable 11th place.

1910 – FA Cup runners-up, losing to Newcastle in a replay.

1911 – Barnsley finish 19th in the Second Division and are forced to re-apply for election to the League.

1911/12 – Fans start to boycott the club’s games after captain Tommy Boyle is sold to Burnley.

1912 – Reach FA Cup final for the second time in three years, this time vs. West Brom. The match ends goal less but the replay sees the Tykes lifting the cup for the first – and only – time in their history.

1914 – Brough Fletcher is signed, beginning a relationship with the club that would last for 25 years.

1921/22 – The Reds finish the season in 3rd place, missing out on promotion to the top flight by just 1 goal.

1926 – Manager John Sant leaves Oakwell and is replaced by John Commins. Commins stays with the club for three seasons guiding them to mid-table finishes.

1930 – Former player Brough Fletcher is named as manager. His first season in charge finishes with Barnsley escaping relegation by two places.

The following season sees a poor Barnsley team struggle. Fletcher is not allowed to sign any new players, and a 9-1 defeat at the hands of Bradford is the low-point of a season that sees the Tykes relegated after a 30 season run in the Second Division.

1934 – After two seasons in the Third Division (North), Barnsley return to Division Two as Champions. During the campaign, the Tykes thrash Accrington 9-0. It is the club’s (joint) record victory margin.

1938 – After 4 seasons back in the Second Division, Barnsley are once again relegated in the 1937/38 season. The disappointment is quickly forgotten however, as the Tykes take the Third Division by storm the next season. They make an immediate return to Division Two – winning the Third Division Championship by 11 points over second placed Doncaster.

1951 – Cecil McCormack hits the net 33 times in the 1950/51 season. This still stands as the club record of most goals scored by one player in a season.

1953 – The Tykes are once again relegated to the Third Division. Manager Angus Seed leaves. His replacement, Tim Ward, steers the club to their third Division Three Title in the 1954/55 season.

Back in Division Two, Barnsley struggle for 3 seasons, and are relegated once again in 1959, after picking up ZERO points in 15 games.

This time however, they are unable to make a swift return to the Second and are instead, consigned to Forth Division football when they finish rock bottom of the Third in 1965.

1966 – The club completes the 1965/66 season in 16th in the Forth Division, their lowest ever finish.

1968 – The Reds are promoted back to the Third Division, but the roller-coaster of up and downs (mainly downs) is completed when they finish the 1971/72 season in 22nd position and are relegated back to the basement division.

Johnny Steele’s 12 year run as manager comes to an end in 1971. John McSeveny is his replacement.

1978 – Manager Jim Iley departs for Blackburn, and former England international, Allan Clarke is his surprise replacement, stepping in as player-manager from Leeds United.

1979 – After seven long years in the basement division, the Reds finally achieve promotion by finishing 4th in Clarke’s first season at the helm. The dark days were over and the club has not returned to the Forth Division since.

1980 – After a poor start, the 1979/80 season was all about stability in the Third Division. Former Leeds legend Norman Hunter was signed along with Ronnie Glavin, who is widely regarded as a living legend by Barnsley supporters.

1980/81 – Clarke leaves the Reds to become manager of Leeds United. Veteran player, Hunter takes up the Oakwell hot seat and leads the team back to the Second Division for the first time in over 20 years.

The 1981/82 season sees the Tykes finish in a very respectable 6th position, only 4 points behind 3rd placed Norwich who were promoted to the First Division.

Despite management changes, the Tykes keep their First Division status and finish in mid-table throughout the ‘80s.

1989/90 – Mel Machin is named manager after the departure of Allan Clarke (his second reign at the club) and successfully fights to keep the Reds in the First Division.

The following season sees a huge improvement with Machin steering the club to 8th place. Brighton snatched a play-off spot away from the Tykes deep into injury time on the final day of the season.

1993 – Danny Wilson succeeds Viv Anderson at the helm. Wilson is considered by many at Oakwell as the club’s best ever manager. 1997 – After gradual improvement under Wilson, the 1996/97 season sees Barnsley achieve what many supporters thought was never possible. They achieve top-flight English football. With the success, Wilson brings an attacking, free-flowing style of football to Oakwell. Fans chant, "It’s just like watching Brazil!" as the club finish in 2nd place and are promoted to the Premiership.

1997/98 – Wilson brings in Georgi Hristov for a club record £1.5 million to bolster his attacking options ahead of a campaign that almost everyone in the game said would see the Tykes relegated straight back to Division One.

Sure enough, the masses were correct in their prediction and after just one season, Barnsley are relegated. The season is not without its highlights, however, as stunning victories over Liverpool and Manchester United (the latter coming in the FA Cup) warm Barnsley to many football supporters from across the country. Despite suffering relegation, Tykes fans look back on their greatest year with fond memories.

1998 – Danny Wilson leaves Barnsley to become manager of rivals Sheffield Wednesday. Some fans have still not forgiven Wilson for walking away. Veteran player John Hendrie is his replacement, but he is sacked less than a year into the job.

1999/00 – Dave Bassett is given the manager’s post and he leads the club to the First Division play-offs in 2000. A return to the top flight is on the horizon after the Reds smash 4 past Birmingham in the semi-final first leg at St. Andrews. The Tyke’s first ever Wembley appearance ends in tears as Ipswich run out 4-2 winners.

2002 – Just two seasons after competing in the play-off final for a spot in the Premiership, Barnsley are relegated from Division One under the management of Steve Parkin. The club spent the last 20 years in the top two divisions of English football and fans will be hoping for a swift return.

All information correct as of 4/7/2002

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