WAKE UP CALL

Well, just when you start to get comfortable and begin to feel confident ahead of a Barnsley match, you're smacked back down and in some manner too. I didn't see that coming yesterday, at all. Maybe it'll be good for us in the long term, something to learn from, a wake up call perhaps? I certainly hope the performance itself was a one off. Because quite frankly it was another embarrassing Oakwell showing and we've had far too many for far too long. If we're trying to create a fortress at home, it'd help if we didn't have the doors wide open and guards only too happy to let the enemy in and fill their boots. We were beyond bad yesterday, against a very good side at this level, and the three late goals can't gloss over that. 




I've little interest in giving a report on the match. What can I say that hasn't already been said? It was dire stuff from the moment MK Dons took the lead. Simple passes going astray. Mistakes aplenty. A lack of application. The basics missing. The majority of our players had shockers. And so you've to hope it was just one of those days. I do hope so, because I was getting pretty irate as that second half wore on. I'm all for being patient, being supportive of this new dawn/era or whatever, but because I'd had too much to drink I wasn't showing much of that. I think I even booed at one point. I certainly gave Dale Jennings a piece of my mind on more than one occasion, using choice language. His performance was as bad as I've seen from him, but I'm not sure my shouting at him will help. I feel suitably ashamed of my behaviour in that period. And I apologise to anyone who was sat within earshot, especially the chap I was arguing with. I think yesterday was a wake up call too for me personally. I either need to rein in my pre-match drinking, or cut it out altogether. 

West Ham Dave and Red Roy

The afternoon had started off on a more positive and upbeat note. After myself, Dave and Roy had a couple of drinks in town, we headed down to Oakwell and Redfearn's. After email communications in the week with the club, I'd said I'd be happy to meet up with Ben Mansford in the bar to say hello and discuss things that I'd been unable to at the recent engagement forum (I was on holiday at the time). However, I'd not realised the time whilst we were in town and it took a phone call from Hicksy at Redfearn's to remind me that Ben was waiting. Not the last time I felt like an idiot yesterday. 

But we got there eventually, and after getting ourselves a drink we met Ben who was deep in conversation with other supporters. We shook hands, introduced ourselves and Ben took us into a quieter area of the bar and we spent a good thirty minutes discussing many things, from Brek Shea to WSB, from sponsorship to John Eustace. It was very good of him to spare us his time, and whilst he's one of the few people I've met who can out-talk me, I came away from the chat convinced of his desire to do all that he can to help the club. 

So what did he have to say? Well, I'll no doubt forget some stuff, but here's a breakdown of what I can recall. 



* The commercial activity behind the scenes and evident throughout the stadium is going to be of big help in terms of us doing all that we can in trying to cover for the losses felt after relegation and all that that entails. 

* They've found a sponsor for the West Stand, this will be announced shortly. 

* Chris O'Grady was pulling over £10,000 per week here, and Ben suggested Chris had been expected to leave very soon after relegation but turned down offers before his eventual move to Brighton. We received around £1,000,000 for him, not the much quoted £500,000 mentioned in dispatches. 

* Chris' leaving allowed us to recruit eight or nine players straight away, such was him being here a financial drain. Ben felt that despite the goals he scored for us, there was better out there and pointed to O'Grady now failing to even make the matchday eighteen at Brighton. 

* Ben said he has no issue with WSB or those who run/write for it. He's very recently emailed them and offered to meet up/chat. He was keen to sort out any differences but as I kept repeating to him, the fanzine is something I'm fortunate enough to contribute to, but that's where my involvement ends. Lost count of the times I referred to it as a "písstake". 

* Ben feels that a target man is needed. I suggested keeping five strikers happy would be difficult and that if we did recruit a big man up top, it'd surely have to be someone like Marcus Haber who we had on trial, rather than a 'name' player. Ben agreed. He explained that Haber's lack of fitness was an issue for Danny and couldn't stand in his way of a two year deal at Crewe. He was asking for just over £1,000 p/w in wages. 

* We received £100,000 up front for Danny Rose. I suggested we'd done well to get any money for him, a lad who'd not really done much to be honest. I asked if he goes on to prove to be a world beater, do our add-on clauses hold us in good stead. "Definitely" was the answer. Ben also referred to Danny's tears and him being gutted to leave his hometown club, but Danny Wilson wasn't planning to use him regularly and so Rose took his opportunity to play regular at Bury. 

* I pointed to the big screen where Brek Shea was, playing for Birmingham, I used a popular hand gesture... Ben wasn't slow to make it clear that Brek was a sandwich short of a picnic. I said "he was a bellend, wasn't he?" and asked Ben if I could put 'Ben says Brek was a bellend' in the blog. He laughed and then gave a political answer which suggested we don't have any players of his ilk at the club anymore. 

* Ben reckons we're actively looking for a 'John Eustace' in midfield. He referred to Bailey's fitness issues, and the potential fluctuation in performances from the likes of Abbott and Digby. He suggested we need a steadying influence in midfield, an old pro who can settle the younger element in key situations. "Not a Greening or Dawson" he said, but someone like John Eustace. I asked if we were signing John Eustace, he laughed, and said it was unlikely that he'd leave Derby for us.. 

* He thinks Ross Turnbull will make a massive difference once fit. Referred to his distribution and communication being very important for us. I get the feeling he'll be straight in once fit. 

* He referred to Danny caring about the club, whereas Flitcroft had "his own agenda". I mentioned Bobby Hassell, Ben said "who?" jokingly. He referred to the testimonial being the perfect chance to say our goodbyes. I made it clear that Bobby was mistreated here in the last few years and was too good a bloke to rip into the club despite me asking him to, in my upcoming interview with him for WSB. 

* I asked why it was only now that we're seemingly active in securing sponsorship and what not. I asked what was different. He said the problem with BFC in the past was expecting business to come to BFC. The difference now being, BFC go to the businesses. I asked his opinion of Don Rowing. He said he was a miser, very strict, great at running a tight ship. Said "if you could mould me and Don together, you'd have the perfect CEO who would be a Premier League CEO.." 

* At one point I felt Ben was going to offer me a job, but by the end I think he was quite happy for me to just relay back his message (as I'm doing). Bit of a shame, as I think I'd be an asset at Oakwell unlike certain others down there. And, I won't be giving anything but a truthful account of what I see and hear at BFC. So I won't be anyone's stooge. If Ben had come across as a bell, I'd have said so. If I had an ulterior motive, I could say he was a bell anyway. But I don't, and I don't believe he is. 

* I asked Ben to please tell me we won't be flogging Hourihane for £500,000 in January. He said definitely not. "But, £505,000...." Which tickled me. But no, he referred to only 'serious' money being acceptable. He didn't give a figure, and nor should he. But I said "we're not going to get bummed on deals like this are we... you promise me he'll only be sold for proper money?" and he said yes, and shook on it. So aye, if he goes for £500,000 I'm coming for thi, Ben. 




I will have forgotten some bits and pieces, apologies for that. But he came across well to me. I'd had a few like, and so I was less likely to be argumentative or whatever and time restrained us too. He's a smooth operator though, and I doubt much gets past him. But also, I don't believe he'd give a shít if he had to fall out with anyone. A bit ruthless I reckon. Former agent and all that. But he's clearly ambitious, and he knows his football. Seriously, he knows his stuff. Just came away though with a bit of a feeling some of the lads Danny 'recruited' in January weren't 'his' recruits. Might be wrong, like. But that's how it seemed. 

He is watching us though. All of us. Or he has folk doing the watching for him. Clearly reads the BBS/twitter. Do I think he cares about BFC? Dunno. But I know he cares about being a success. So that should help BFC. I think. 

Dave, Toby and Roy

The game as I've already said was a nightmare. I don't want to single folk out on here, but I'll give a few ratings below and make of it what you will. 



Davies - Made one world class save, but other than that he was shocking. Honestly, it was like having no keeper for the goals conceded, everything straight through/past him. Think the fifth goal was the only one you couldn't really fault him for. And his distribution was awful. 3/10. 


Brown - He's a strange one, Reece. Can't figure him out. He's built like a tank, yet he rarely gets stuck in. The winger had him on toast, although he had little protection to be fair. Is he a centre half playing full back? Because he looks better going forward to me. Not sure I've seen him defend much. 5/10. 


Cranie - Not great, but one of the few who can be excused a hammering as he had awful full back performers, no central midfielders helping out defensively and a keeper having a mare, all around him. But again, he wasn't great. 6/10. 


Nyatanga - Similar to Cranie I think, in that the implosions around him made his life difficult. Won lots of aerial stuff and decent in possession. 6/10. 


Dudgeon - His first poor game in my opinion. Everybody is allowed an off day. Seen enough from him thus far to believe it was indeed an off 'day'. 5/10. 


Berry - The game rather passed him by I feel. Didn't do much wrong of note, but he had no effect on the game either. I've been impressed by him so far though, and Ben's right in that a older head in the engine room is needed. Think Luke would benefit from that too. 6/10. 


Abbott - Loathe to be too critical of a young lad breaking into the team, so I won't be except to say his passing was off throughout the first half and he was second best to MK's Dele Alli (who was scarily good). 5/10. 


Hourihane - The chief creator, the goal getter, he did what was expected of him in scoring twice and coming close on other occasions. He's clearly going to attract attention and I just hope Ben was being honest during our chat because I know that Peterbrough for example would be getting silly money for a lad like this. Man of the match for us, as usual. 8/10. 


Jennings - About as useful yesterday as a chocolate fireguard. Offered nowt. How he stayed on for the full game I'll never know. Lots of us could be wrong, but the lad looks overweight and struggles to stand up, let alone be a winger. Biggest disappointment for me in this early stage of the season. We know there's a player in there, and that's why it's so disappointing watching him make Kevin Donovan look like Ronaldo. 3/10. 


Lita - Very poor yesterday. Didn't have much in the way of service, he's not a blummin' target man, but come on Leroy, at least look like you care. Reminds me of Deon Burton the way he just stands there watching. I wasn't keen before he signed, so maybe I'm letting that cloud my judgement? Needs to improve big time for me. 4/10. 


Hemmings - Certainly not a target man so why the direct balls into him and Lita? Baffling tactic that.  Some of the balls into him were dreadful and made him look worse. Early days though, probably not match sharp yet. Think we went with the wrong front pair yesterday. But hindsight is wonderful eh? 5/10. 



Digby - Wow. How slow was he yesterday? Dunno what's happened to him, unless it all comes back to his injuries etc, but this isn't the lad that had us all excited a few years ago. Can only get better I suppose. 4/10. 


Winnall - Put himself about more than Lita did, but still dubious about his shooting. There was one chance to cut it back from the by-line, and he takes a shot. Wally. But I really like his endeavour. Grafts all day, and a good partner for Cole I reckon. 6/10. 


Cole - Improved us once on. His pace is such an asset. Messed up that one on one chance, but scored again and he'd be first choice up front for me. 7/10. 

The games are coming thick and fast for us though, potentially a good thing? A good performance at Fleetwood (backed by a sizeable travelling contingent) and we'll certainly look upon this latest Oakwell horror show as the one off, wake up call we'd like to, rather than a sign of more to come. 

Don't think I'll be getting to another reds game until Rochdale away, so I'll end by wishing those doing Fleetwood and Port Vale away safe and happy trips and by thanking the lads/lasses at Redfearn's for their exceptional customer service once again. If Ben's reading, I implore you to think about a bigger venue (East Stand lower maybe?) because this is proving a big success in my opinion. Although myself, I'll be limiting my time in alcohol related venues from now on, to preserve my decency and my head the next day... 



Thanks for reading. 



'Love Barnsley, Hate Football' 



Whitey