IT is never just one reason why something goes wrong.
Darrell Clarke’s tenure at the club lasted from May to March and it rarely felt like he was going to be here for the long-term.
Though initially seen as a popular and sensible choice to take over the reins and better last season’s sixth-placed finish, it has never really worked out for the 47-year-old Mansfield man.
He was, at times, let down by his players and without question in player recruitment, but Clarke has done little to endear himself either.
He frequently took aim at players in press conferences and after bad results. There is only so many times harsh criticism like that can be effective.
The players have been ‘flaky’ with a ‘soft underbelly’ according to Clarke.
On that, he’s right. Their performances have been poor on far too many occasions.
The board simply haven’t backed him in the transfer windows.
A few more Davis Keillor-Dunns could have made a big difference.
The January window was abject and has contributed to the Reds running out of steam and effectively having nothing to play for from about the three quarters of a season mark.
Clarke must take some of the blame for the current predicament the Reds find themselves in with ten games remaining.
The atmosphere in and around the club – especially at Oakwell – has become toxic.
It seemed like only a matter of time before this decision was made, especially considering the hastiness of the sacking of Neill Collins last season.
And in truth Clarke was never really warmed to by the fans – whether that was due to results or his general prickly nature is irrelevant.
Either way, the Reds will now be looking to find their 12th permanent manager in just ten years.
Barnsley have also had some results to remember for all the wrong reasons.
They started with the 3-0 loss to Stevenage back in September.
This match was probably the first time Clarke’s credentials were brought into question. He had started the season relatively well, but his side fell apart in the second half.
An injury to Donovan Pines in the first half saw Max Watters brought into the fray.
He replaced a towering centre-half for a fast forward – a move he had hoped would see the Reds go onto win the game. But Stevenage, who had been hoofing the ball into the box from the first whistle, carried on using the same tactic.
Only this time the Reds were a defender light and both Elliot List and Carl Piergianni were able to capitalise.
Clarke took responsibility after the game – as he has done for much of the season since. But it turned out this would be a sign of things to come – poor tactical changes leaving his side in no man’s land.
The scarcely believable 4-0 home reveral to Leyton Orient before Christmas was undoubtedly the worst performance during Clarke’s ten-month tenure.
The Reds headed into this game having won just one of the last eight games. ut no one could have imagined the way Barnsley would unravel in this game.
A Barnsley side, at least in my opinion, should never lose by four goals in the third tier of English football.
But they did here, and it was deserved.
Two goals in either half sealed the defeat for Orient.
Murdered By The Orient Express was the headline after the game. It was a bloodbath and it’s not too arrogant to say Barnsley should not be losing 4-0 to Orient at home under any circumstances.
Boos rang around Oakwell at both half and full-time.
It was clear the tide was turning on the season, and on fans’ opinions of Clarke.
The 3-1 loss at Bristol Rovers in January was another shocker.
Barnsley have only won three games since this defeat at the Memorial Stadium.
They had gone on an impressive four-game winning run – with positive results against Bolton, Peterborough, Wrexham and Crawley Town – before this fixture and this result was not being forecast.
His side were well in the hunt for the play-offs and even had an outside chance of the top two in the run-up to this game. But they lost 3-1 despite dominating the game and Clarke said the changing room was ‘very low’ at full-time.
The 2-1 home loss to out-of-form Huddersfield in February could well have ended with Clarke’s departure.
This defeat at Oakwell was the one that would have hurt fans the most in recent weeks.
It needed no real build-up. A Yorkshire derby. Two teams pushing for promotion.
Former Barnsley manager Michael Duff back at Oakwell in the opposition dugout. And it started well.
The Reds took the lead in the 14th minute through Jon Russell and bossed the entirety of the first 45 minutes.
But when Josh Koroma equalised for the Terriers in the 59th minute, it seemed only a matter of time before they would go onto grab another.
And they did, just two minutes later.
Despite overseeing five more matches after this one, this seemed like the final nail in the coffin of Clarke’s Barnsley stint but it took until the Blackpool bashing to finally end.
