FORMER Barnsley FC head coach Daniel Stendel’s time at Oakwell has been immortalised in a Barnsley artist’s latest work.
Neil Richardson created ‘A Bala Street Sunrise’ after seeing a photo the German had posted to his Facebook page, reportedly taken by assistant Chris Stern and showing Stendel cycling away from Oakwell towards the horizon.
Lifelong fan Neil was struck by the poignancy of the image put online following Stendel’s separation from the club earlier this month.
“The feedback has been astronomical,” said Neil, 39, who also painted the portrait of Stendel that now hangs in ‘Stendel’s corner’ in the Garrison pub, where the former gaffer was previously spotted drinking with fans following his split with the club.
“It’s an iconic scene, him going to work on his push bike. It really sums him up.
“He brought a renewed sense of hope and belief and for him to go understandably people were upset, especially how it happened.
“But I do think we will get behind the new manager.”
Neil, of Springfield Street, writes a column in Barnsley’s matchday programme and has completed a number of commissions for the club and some former players - including portraits of ex-skipper Marc Roberts, now of Birmingham City, and club legend Bobby Hassell.
But the painting of Daniel Stendel, showing him leaving Oakwell with the sunrise ahead of him forming the colours of the German flag, was initially a private commission before he realised supporters might enjoy it.
“You can’t deny he was a passionate and likeable fellow,” said Neil.
“He got the way the town was, with his work ethic, people could relate to him.
“You’d be in Chennells on a Sunday night and he’d come walking in. We weren’t used to seeing that in a manager.
“It’s a piece I will probably keep up somewhere myself, I don’t tend to keep my own work up as I’d rather other people look at it.
“It’s called ‘A Bala Street Sunrise’ which isn’t actually correct as the original photo was taken at sunset. But I thought ‘sunset’ sounded too final.”
Neil sold prints ‘out of his car boot’ before last Saturday’s match against Swansea City and said after selling out within half an hour, he would be at the next home game against Bristol City on Friday November 1.
