The first decade in the Football League was scarcely impressive, with Barnsley mid-table or worse and needing to resort to re-election twice. However by the last years running up to the First World War they had become more of a force, finishing 4th, 5th and 3rd in Division Two. These were also their glory days in the F.A. Cup, beaten finalists to Newcastle in a replay at Goodison Park in 1910 and then winners in another replay and also needing extra time, this time at Bramall Lane, in 1912 as they overcame West Bromwich Albion. When football restarted in 1919 they applied to be moved up from the Second Division to the First but Arsenal won the vote.

Historically they've been quite a 'busy' club since, with regular promotions and relegations across all three and then all four divisions. Their lowest point in positional terms came in the second half of the Sixties and during the Seventies, most of which they spent floundering about in Division Four, though never reaching the need to apply for re-election. Allan Clarke got them out of the basement in 1979 in his first spell as manager at Oakwell, and fellow ex-Leeds United Norman Hunter took them on into Division Two as runners-up to Rotherham United in 1980-81.

Throughout the rest of the Eighties and the first half of the Nineties Barnsley were a solid second tier club, rarely bothering either end of the table unduly. Then in 1996-97, with Danny Wilson in charge, they achieved the unlikely feat of promotion to the top flight for the first time in their history. And it wasn't through the play-off system, which does provide occasional chances of clubs soaring above their station briefly. Nope, Barnsley won straight promotion into the Premier League. Bolton Wanderers might have romped the title by eighteen points, but The Tykes were runners-up fair and square. Of course they came straight back down, but even should they never achieve that level again no one deny they reached the heights and touched the stars for nine months.

In 1999-2000 they had their first taste of play-offs but lost in the Final to Ipswich Town. Two season's later Barnsley were relegated from Division One. Far from bouncing back the 2002-03 campaign got off to a dismal start and The Tykes were languishing in the lower reaches when on October 3rd a press conference was called to announce the club was going into administration. By November, with debts of £3.5 million, the administrators had set a deadline of another month to find a buyer or the club would be liquidated. The then Mayor of Barnsley, Peter Doyle, completed his saving act on December 3rd. The team continued to struggle, eventually avoiding relegation with just one game to spare and in 19th.

2003-04 was a little better, with Barnsley eventually finishing 12th, though a further manager came and went. Last season, and at the cost of yet another boss, they were 13th. Since the departure of Danny Wilson in 1998 there have been eight managers in seven years.

Prediction Corner : Looks as if Barnsley have now stabilised, but are they in a state to move forward again? They are one of the potentially bigger clubs in League One, and even through the last difficult seasons continue to average close to 10,000 crowds. Minor progress but no more this time around we predict: 9th.

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FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

CLUB GOALSCORERS

Name

LGE

FAC

FAT

LGC

CC

Total

ATTENDANCE STATISTICS

Highest League Attendance: 0, vs ,
Lowest League Attendance: 999999, vs ,
Average League Attendance: Not Applicable

CURRENT LEAGUE SEQUENCE STATISTICS

Games Without A Win:	0		Games Without A Home Win:	0
Games Without An Away Win:	0		Games Without Defeat:	0
Games Without A Home Defeat:	0		Games Without An Away Defeat:	0
Games Without A Draw:	0		Games Without A Score Draw:	0
Games Without A No-Score Draw:	0		Games Without Scoring:	0
Games Without Conceding:	0		Home Results Sequence:
Away Results Sequence:			Overall Results Sequence:

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This is not a town for good beer. With well over a hundred pubs and bars finding real ale is difficult. The Wetherspoon they used to have gave up and closed down. The only brew-pub in town seems to have vanished too.

We believe the pubs listed below are likely to be friendly enough. There are others in Barnsley that are decidedly less so. Take care.

If you don't want to stray too far away from the ground about the closest place to eat and drink is the Metrodome Leisure Complex just north of Oakwell Stadium in Queens Road. Not the natural home of the football supporter perhaps, and we certainly won't be there, but it might be convenient for some.

Club Bar :

Bars are not available to away fans at the stadium.

Local Pubs :

George & Dragon: Beer is John Smiths cask and 2 changing guest beers. No offence, and it's probably a very nice pub, but on the strength of this it is the local CAMRA's Barnsley Pub of the Year 2005. Says a lot about real ale in Barnsley. Food on weekday lunchtimes only (excluding Mondays). Children allowed. Has parking and a pool room. Slightly less brisk twenty minute walk to the stadium than the Moulders Arms (below). George & Dragon, 41, Summer Lane, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2NW. Tel: 01226 205609. Map: Click Here.

Moulders Arms: Off Summer Lane, and a brisk twenty minute walk across town from Oakwell - and that's if you know where you're going. Drinkers pub (bar snacks only) with John Smith's Bitter as the house beer and a guest that changes twice a week. Children allowed. Small local open 4.30 p.m. - 11.00 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 2.30 p.m. - 11.00 p.m. Friday, 12.00 - 11.00 p.m. Saturday. Moulders Arms, Summer Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2NU. Tel: 01226 215767. Map: Click Here.

The Keel Inn: Fifteen minutes walk from the stadium and next door to Asda. Does lunches, but only Tuesday to Friday. Changing guest beers. Venue for the 2004 local Camra beer festival. Has own parking. The Keel Inn, 20, Canal Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S71 1LJ. Tel: 01226 284512. Map: Click Here.

The Mount: About five hundred yards and across the railway line from Oakwell. Does John Smith's Magnet. Hmm. No food. Allows children, is wheelchair friendly and has some parking. The Mount, 32, Pontefract Road, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 1TG. Tel: 01226 282129. Map: Click Here.

The Outpost: Close to The Mount (above), just a little further from the stadium. The beer is Hardys & Hansons. No meals but children allowed. Has parking. The Outpost, 2, Union Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 1JJ. Tel: 01226 241274. Map: Click Here.

Likelihood the Natives Will Understand You :

Archetypal Yorkshire - that's a superior species in their own eyes, and miserable bleeders in everyone else's.

Top-Tip :

What to do in Barnsley: leave.

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[No responsibilty is taken for any inaccuracies. This page is entirely the product of bias and prejudice.]

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