Some alternative Barnsley FC stories from this year.
Youngest starter
Oliver Wilkinson has emerged as the next hot prospect out of the Oakwell academy. The centre-back made his professional debut for the Reds in the EFL Trophy against Manchester United under 21s in August – becoming the club’s youngest ever starter, aged 15. He also played regularly for England under 16s and captained them several times. Another Barnsley youngster Josh Kenchington trained with England under 15s.
Ex chairmen fined
The conclusion of the EFL charges against Barnsley was finally made public in the summer after a year-long investigation.
No action was taken against the club but former co-chairmen Chien Lee and Paul Conway were handed fines of £100,000 and £75,000 respectively for ‘failing to disclose the full details of their proposed ownership structure when applying to acquire the club in 2017.’ The EFL statement added that the pair did not disclose ‘a private investment agreement they concluded shortly prior to their purchase of Barnsley’ until January 2022. They were ‘warned as to their future conduct’.
Dads versus lads
Barnsley’s EFL Trophy campaign was not a successful one for the club, as they lost every game, but it did provide two incidents of a son playing against a team coached by his father. First Jacob Devaney, who is from Barnsley and the son of Reds assistant boss Martin, played for Manchester United
under 21s at Oakwell.
Then Barnsley youngster Bayley McCann made his senior debut against Doncaster Rovers who are managed by his father Grant.
Thalhammer’s visa
Austrian coach Dominik Thalhammer travelled to England to meet with Barnsley officials and discuss his immediate replacement of Neill Collins who had been sacked in late April.
But he did not meet the criteria for a work permit under post-Brexit employment laws.
He posted on social media: “The English want to push their own people, so coaches from abroad have to provide 36 months as head coach in the relevant leagues as proof of work. This is disappointing because it would have been an exciting project that would have interested me very much. The contracts were signed.”
Reds women secure back to back promotions
Barnsley FC women have enjoyed another fine year. The Reds made it back to back promotions as they won the North East Regional League, following an excellent second half of the season. They also reached the League Cup final but were beaten. It was a successful first year as the official women’s team of Barnsley FC.
They are now in the fourth tier, National League Division One North. The other town team, Barnsley Women’s FC, moved to the Midlands division. But they did meet in the League Cup with the Oakwell club winning.
Young Reds face Roma and World Cup winner
A very young Barnsley team took on Italian giants Roma’s first team in a hastily-arranged friendly at St George’s Park in August.
After Coventry pulled out of playing Roma, the Reds stepped in but had to play an under 21s side as first team were about to start their season. Roma won 4-0 with World Cup winner Paolo Dybala lobbing teenage Reds goalkeeper Kieren Flavell.
Conor’s comeback
Conor Hourihane returned to Barnsley FC after captaining them to promotion in 2016 then playing in the Premier League with Aston Villa.
He was player/coach but said he would mainly be coaching and, after a couple of appearances in August, has not been in a matchday squad then retired last week. He stepped up his coaching role further after Dean Whitehead, who joined in July as a coach, moved to Stoke City in September. Darrell Clarke also has Martin Devaney as assistant and Jon Stead as a first team coach. Hourihane has been given credit for Barnsley’s attacking set pieces.
Reds go pink
Barnsley released an opinion-splitting third kit which featured bright pink shirts, socks and shorts. They later added the sponsorship of charity Breast Cancer UK.
They wore it in the 3-0 loss at Stevenage in September then the two 2-0 defeats at Huddersfield in October. They eventually scored a goal in it in the 1-1 draw at Cambridge in November.
