Barnsley Football Club is a professional football club based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England.
The early years and FA Cup glory (1887–1912)
The football club 'Barnsley St. Peters' were formed in 1887, named after the church of the Reverend Tiverton Preedy, who founded the club in what had previously been a rugby-focused area. They began playing at their home Oakwell within a year, competing in the Sheffield and District League from 1890 and then in the Midland League from 1895. In 1897 the club was renamed Barnsley Football Club as the Reverend Preedy had since departed and the fanbase now encompassed a much wider area than the local parish. In the next season they were runners-up in the Midlands League and had also played in the Yorkshire League. Following this success, in 1898 they applied to join the Football League and were eventually voted into the third and final available spot. 1912 FA Cup winning squad
Their first game in the Football League was a 1–0 defeat away at Lincoln City on 1 September 1898. Their first league win was a 2–0 victory at home against Luton Town, with John McArtney scoring the first ever league goal for the Tykes from the penalty spot. The team struggled in Division Two for the first ten years, due in part to ongoing financial difficulties. But then came the 1909–10 season, which saw the team on better form than they had ever been. They had a spectacular FA Cup run, beating out Blackpool, Bristol Rovers, West Bromwich Albion and Everton to reach the final. Here they played Newcastle United and were leading 1–0 until the final minute when Newcastle controversially equalised, causing a replay which Barnsley lost 2–0. The following season they finished 19th in the league and were forced to apply for re-election to the Football League, which they gratefully received.
The 1911–12 season however saw a revitalised side, and they once again proved unbeatable in the FA Cup rounds as well as being on good form in the league this time (while still not quite able to earn promotion into the top tier of English football). They went past Birmingham City, Leicester Fosse, Bolton Wanderers, a quarter-final against cup holders Bradford City and a notoriously brutal semi-final against Swindon Town. In the finals they played West Bromwich Albion. After the first match ended goal-less, the replay took place at Bramall Lane. Neither side managed to score until the last two minutes of play when Harry Tufnell's last-gap goal won the FA Cup for Barnsley, for the only time in their history. They also finished the league in sixth position, the highest they had yet achieved.
Wartime and Post-War Barnsley (1913–1959)
In the following two seasons they finished the league in fourth and fifth place, not quite managing to reach the top flight, and sat in fourth place when league football was suspended due to the First World War. When the league started again in 1919, the decision to extend the first division to twenty-two teams made it likely that Barnsley would be automatically promoted. However, a ballot was instead called and Arsenal went up in their place (the Arsenal chairman later admitted to some underhand dealings). In 1921–22, Barnsley missed promotion on goal difference, by a single goal. Stoke City needed to win their final game by 3–0 in order to go ahead of Barnsley in the table, which is exactly what they did. It was the closest any team could come to securing promotion to the top flight without actually managing it.
After this disappointment, Barnsley F.C. languished in the Second Division throughout the twenties, achieving a good attacking record but not a defensive one to match it. In the thirties they found themselves sliding between the Second and Third Division, until the football league programme was once again abandoned due to the Second World War. Post-war Barnsley continued in much the same form. Notable players that served the team during this period included George Robledo, Syd 'Skinner' Normanton and Tommy Taylor, who had departed the club by 1953 when they were relegated once again to Division Three, only to be promoted two years later and go back down again in 1959.
The long, hard road to the top (1960–1995)
Throughout the sixties and seventies Barnsley were only a shadow of the team they had once been, and this is remembered as the most disappointing period in the club's history. They now hovered around the Third and Fourth Division, unable to even break into the top two flights of English football. The club saw a resurgence in the late seventies, though, managing to get themselves from Division Four back up to Division Two within two years. Two of the players who contributed to this success were future Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock and future Republic of Ireland international manager Mick McCarthy. Most importantly, though, was the arrival of player–manager Allan Clarke from the hugely successful Leeds United team of the seventies, who rebuilt and completely turned the team around. He was joined on the squad by his Leeds teammate Norman Hunter, who also spent a few years as manager of the club.
The eighties and early nineties saw the club establish themselves as a very strong Division Two side, as they had been in their early history, eventually reaching a position to once again start challenging for a place in the top tier for the very first time.
Promotion to the Premier League (1996–97)
After the end of the 1995–96 season several regular first team players left the club, including Andy Payton who was the leading goalscorer for the club and long-serving defender Owen Archdeacon. Manager Danny Wilson successfully acquired a number of signings in the summer that were to play huge roles, amongst these were the vastly experienced duo Neil Thompson and Paul Wilkinson, as well as youngster Matty Appleby.
Oakwell also gained an international flavour, as Jovo Bosancic and Trinidad and Tobagoa international Clint Marcelle were to sign, with Marcelle's work permit clearing just a couple of days prior to the Red's first game of the season, an away match at West Bromwich Albion. Fortunately, Marcelle was cleared to play and scored the opening goal of the season in a 2–1 victory. Barnsley went on to equal their best start to a season by winning the next four games. Wilson then further improved the team by bringing in Scottish forward John Hendrie, who had partnered Wilkinson at Middlesbrough.
Bolton Wanderers looked increasingly likely to win the league as the season progressed. The Reds played both games against the Trotters relatively early on in the season, with the two games both resulting in 2–2 draws. As the season neared its closing stages, it looked as if either Barnsley or Mark McGhee's Wolverhampton Wanderers would join Bolton.
In Barnsley's final home game of the season, a Yorkshire derby against Bradford City, the team knew a win would be enough to secure promotion to the top tier of English football for the first time in the club's history. The side dominated the game, but led only 1–0 at half time thanks to a Paul Wilkinson goal. With only a few minutes remaining, Clint Marcelle, the man who had scored the opening goal of the season, scored the Red's final goal at home. As the final whistle blew, the fans swarmed onto the pitch amid jubilant celebrations.
The team lost their final game of the season 5–1 away at Oxford United; however the joy of promotion remained throughout the summer and the team later had an open-top bus celebration around the town, culminating at the town hall.
The Premier League season (1997–98)
The joy of promotion and sense of achievement was mixed with the knowledge that much hard work would have to be done for the club to stay in the top flight. Neil Thompson and Paul Wilkinson left the club, with Wilson bringing in several international calibre players, Slovenia captain Aleš Križan, South African Eric Tinkler, Welshman Darren Barnard and for a club record fee of £1,500,000 Macedonian striker Georgi Hristov. Wilson also brought in a reserve keeper, German Lars Leese from Bayer Leverkusen.
The team got off to a dream start, with Neil Redfearn scoring a ninth-minute goal in the Red's first game, a home contest against West Ham United. Two second half goals however saw the Reds lose. The first victory of the season came away at Selhurst Park, where another goal from Reds skipper Neil Redfearn secured a 1–0 victory over Crystal Palace.
This was followed by a bad run of results, including 6–0 and 5–0 home defeats to Chelsea and Arsenal respectively, alongside a 7–0 thrashing against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Despite this fans continued to enjoy every moment, after going 6 down against Chelsea Barnsley supporters could be heard singing, "We're going to win 7–6".
Wilson moved to strengthen the squad and signed attacking duo Ashley Ward from Derby and Jan Åge Fjørtoft from Sheffield United. Wilson further strengthened the squad by signing central defender Peter Markstedt. One of the highlights of the season was to follow as Barnsley gained a measure of revenge for their 7–0 defeat at Old Trafford. After being drawn against Manchester United in the FA Cup the team played admirably to secure a 1–1 draw. In the replay at Oakwell, two goals by Barnsley youth team graduate Scott Jones and a goal for John Hendrie were enough to dump Manchester United out of the FA Cup 3–2. Barnsley went on to lose 3–1 away at Newcastle United.
Another of the highlights of the season was a 1–0 victory at Anfield against Liverpool, with an Ashley Ward goal the difference between the two sides. It was the return fixture at Oakwell however, which will be remembered for longer. After a good run of results for Barnsley, hopes were emerging that the team could avoid relegation. With the scores at 1–1 referee Gary Wilard sent off Barnsley players Darren Barnard and Chris Morgan. Liverpool then took the lead 2–1; the crowd was in a hostile mood yet not out of control. Then, for no apparent reason Wilard left the pitch without informing his assistants as to why. After a short break Wilard returned and Barnsley created an equaliser. In the last few seconds of the game Wilard sent off another Barnsley player, Darren Sheridan, and Liverpool scored a winner from the resulting free kick.
The results went downhill and Barnsley only won one of their final nine games, a 2–1 victory over local rivals Sheffield Wednesday. Barnsley were relegated after a 1–0 defeat at Leicester City and played their final game of the season at home against Manchester United, which they lost 2–0. In the summer to follow manager Danny Wilson departed Barnsley to join Sheffield Wednesday.
Pushing for a return to the Premier League (1998–2001)
Squad on 27 November 1998 vs Huddersfield Town (7–1 victory)
With the team looking to bounce back to the Premier League John Hendrie was named manager. The Red's promotion hopes were hampered when they lost influential captain Neil Redfearn who was sold to Charlton Athletic after making 338 first team appearances for Barnsley. The season was mostly unremarkable as Barnsley finished 13th in the table. One of the highlights of the season was a 7–1 home victory against local rivals Huddersfield Town. This was the only time new signing Craig Hignett and Ashley Ward played together, with Ward leaving for Blackburn. After the season Barnsley lost yet more players from the promotion season, with solid defender Arjan de Zeeuw and attacking midfield player Clint Marcelle both leaving the club. Goalkeeper David Watson also suffered an injury mid-season that later ended his career.