BEN MANSFORD CHAT

After recent events and recent private communication with Ben (I swore at him a lot) it was agreed that we'd have a chat for an hour in order for me to use the blog as a way of getting his own and our (supporters) opinion across to each other on various topics regarding Barnsley Football Club. I'll summarise it below. 







THE COMMENTARY ISSUE 


Ben explained that due to another year in League One the club had to make savings/cuts in all kinds of areas and it was felt that whilst it was a tough decision to get shut of Matt and Adam who had served the club well over a sustained period of time, it was a decision made in the best interests of the club. By the time the lads offered to do the job voluntarily it was too late as the deal with Radio Sheffield had already been approved. It's a similar link up that many other clubs across the country utilize. At no cost to BFC, and, much better quality in terms of technical specs. Something that fans have complained about in the past. 

My opinion - I think the savings are minimal at best, and it's an opportunity to have neutral commentators on board who are going to be less critical as they're not supporters of the club. Could be wrong, but that's how I see it. It sounds like it's going to be like listening to Radio Sheffield. In fact, that's exactly what it will sound like.
Ben will be meeting up with Matt shortly to discuss the fallout and it's both blokes' intention I think to build bridges and see where that goes. 




MASON HOLGATE 



Ben wasn't able to go into detail much on this one, for obvious reasons. Except to say that the lad has a year left to run on his present contract and that the club have fresh and generous terms on the table. But Mason has had numerous clubs watching him over the last year or so and a very 'active' agent. I put forward my opinion that so long as we got good money for him our supporters would take it on the chin. That's all we can ask for as fans. Ben was at pains to explain to me that on this subject he couldn't really mention anything else and I accepted that and moved on. 

My opinion - We'll flog him because the lad has been tempted by the bright lights etc. Won't be the first, won't be the last. Fingers crossed we're paid well for developing him etc.




ROSS TURNBULL 



The club haven't received an offer or enquiry from any club at the time of press regards Turnbull's services. However, if Adam Davies continues to play as he did under Lee Johnson last season then Ben wouldn't expect Ross to be happy to sit on the bench as a number two at this level. 

My opinion - I expect Turnbull to be off. 





WADE MAXWELL/TRIALISTS ETC 



The lad has left Liverpool despite having a year left on his scholarship. He trialled here last season and so we've taken over the year scholarship with an option to extend it should he impress as a development player. We've also taken a look at a number of other lads already this summer, including the likes of Omar Rowe, Devontae Romeo, Iain Vigurs and Callum Evans to name just a few. Ben isn't in a position to tell us whether any will be offered terms etc as that's purely down to Lee Johnson. 




KYLE DEMPSEY 



I asked if there was anything in the speculation linking him with us, and Ben compared him to Alfie Mawson in suggesting he's the type of player we're now looking at - young, hungry with resale value. We're choosing this route (inexperienced/young) as they feel that the likes of Winnall, Hourihane and Scowen show that it's working better for us than the former club policy of signing older lads with little left in the tank, he referred to Perkins, Dawson, Wiseman and Harewood. 

He made it clear that it's Mr Cryne's decision to go down this road, to try and recruit lads of that ilk, trusting Johnson to sell the club and career pathway to them who may then choose us over bigger clubs with perhaps more wages on offer. He referred to Mawson choosing us over Championship clubs and explained how Sheffield United in particular were capable of offering the lad double what we did in salary terms. But LJ had him in the building, showed him a video presentation, toured the facilities, really sold the club and pathway to him. The rest is history. 

My opinion - It's bold/brave/stupid, but he didn't sound worried in the slightest when I pointed out the lack of players at this moment in time and he did mention that they aren't ruling older heads out when I suggested we could do with some, but he did say that the older heads they might fancy are harder to attract here as most are purely thinking about money, a final pay day etc. 




SEASON TICKET SALES 


Currently at around 6,500 sales, which he described as magnificent and on a par with some Championship clubs. I agreed that our season tickets are good value if you buy em early. He said that at this level you have to show the league how much you expect to have incoming for the season, so the league (SCMP rules) can establish how much you can spend, the 60% etc. Hence the early bird. I told him the matchday prices were horrific and he said the reason for the extra two quid 'on the day' was to get the casual fans to pre-book tickets online, so the club were then able to put a name and history to that supporter in order to best utilize promotions etc. 

He discussed Bradford's success with their initiative, but said it'd be a big risk for us to follow suit. However, he did suggest possibly continuing the £300 early bird, but promising that if a certain amount of fans signed up, paid up, that once they reached that figure (14,000 was the example) they'd reimburse them £150 for instance. Not sure if he was just putting that out there, but I like the idea. 





HIS ROLE AT OAKWELL 


I asked if he'd been made a director of the club. He confirmed that he had been. That he was proud to be one. He again wanted to make clear the huge financial support that Mr Cryne was putting into the club. 




DALE JENNINGS 


I asked if it was sensible of us to release a lad, pay him off etc who then turns up at a Championship club. He said we'd reached a point with Dale where we had to sack it off, it wasn't working for either party. When three managers can't get the best out of him despite all kinds of efforts then what can you do?




BURY 


They're doing the opposite to us. They're recruiting older heads on long contracts on "four, five grand a week". Mr Cryne will not put this club in jeopardy like that. We've been burned of late with lads like that, but no more. So much research now goes into every player we try to recruit. It's not all about statistics, they're just one tool the club are using. We want 'hungry' players, 'leaders' and 'good people' too. The strategy now at Oakwell is very clear in Ben's opinion, that we are about young, exciting footballers who if they do well for us will earn us money and/or success. 

My opinion - At least it's a strategy. Any strategy can work/fail. We'll soon find out I suppose. But at least we have one where at times in recent years I've not understood what we're doing. 




POLICING 



In the Championship we had far more money, so a £200,000 police bill wasn't such a hit. But last season it hit us hard. It's not about condemning some of our supporters, it's just getting the message across that getting drunk and causing problems at away games only hits us in the pocket needlessly. He referred to the Port Vale game and stated that the police bill for the Oakwell game against them was more than the club itself made on the day. 
He did go on to praise the vast majority of fans who are a 'credit to the club' and said he was excited about the season ahead with so many local games or games with spice to them. 





BOBBY'S GAME 



As far as he knows (it's down to Bobby's committee to sort out) the current squad will be subbed off with 20 minutes or so left of the match and a team of legends or former teammates of Bobby's will take their place. Ben said that certain big name clubs were initially happy to come as opposition over the last 12 months but ended up letting Bobby down, plus with Bobby being in India it made things extra difficult to sort out or pin down. Redfearn's bar will be open for the game and he hopes as many of us as possible will be there to see the new lads in the new kit, but more importantly to wish a club legend a fond farewell and thankyou. 




THE NEW KITS 



Ben suggested that we chose our kits before Swindon did, from a Puma template. He's disappointed with the way it's turned out but accepts that being in bed with such a large manufacturer/brand will have its good and bad sides. He says the Puma gear to be unveiled over the coming months is top notch, great quality and that the tracksuit tops especially look very 'cool' and retro. The team may well be coming out wearing them as they make their way down the tunnel before kick off. 

My opinion - I get the feeling we've got Swindon's away kit too. 





LEE JOHNSON 


I asked Ben how long the club were going to give LJ. I told him that even if we're mid table again as we were with Danny Wilson, surely it's time the club gave their chosen man time. He went on to explain why Danny wasn't working out, said they feel they 100% made the right decision in their opinion. Tough choices have to be made when you are a 'board of a multi million pound business and a football club with such a large fanbase'. He said LJ buys 'totally' into their philosophy, the strategy, they feel he's also a very good and popular bloke with staff and players alike and that he just oozes a desire to succeed and get on the grass coaching young lads, doing everything he can to make himself a success, therefore making the club a success. 

He wouldn't discuss a time-frame, except to say they paid for him and gave him a contract expecting him to be here until at least the end of it, because they feel in their opinion he's the right man for BFC at this point in time. The signing of lads like Mawson, the re-signing of Nyatanga owe a lot to the manager and how he's able to get lads to buy into the vision etc. 


My opinion - Unless it goes spectacularly wrong, he'll get more time than some have recently. Whether that's reight, I think they really do see this bloke as 'the' bloke. I suppose time, and results will tell on all that... 









I will definitely have forgot little bits here and there, so if and when I remember owt I'll mention it via my usual platforms. But I'd like to thank Ben for giving me his take on things. I don't agree on certain issues, but at least he's forward enough to converse with fans. There's not many CEO's or whatever who'd give us even the time of day. So aye, fair play.


I suppose I left the conversation knowing slightly more than I did before it begun and I'm happy/satisfied knowing he's going to meet up with Matt to discuss things on that issue. It's over to them as adults now. 

I've towed my bóllocks off here trying to cobble this together so late on, but I hope the content is something you felt worth absorbing. Cheers. 




Whitey