Been mentioned a few times during recent events, some tragic and some not so I must say though that even when this forum goes into meltdown, and fans are at each others throats due to the situation of the club, the passion shows through from each and every poster whatever their viewpoints. For me it's good to see such intensity, I well remember the early 1970's when it seemed the townsfolk couldn't care less about BFC, and we played in front of 3,000 or less. And this when the mines were in full swing and the town had virtually full employment with the weekend drinking starting on a Thursday. So no money excuses. I used to get asked as I walked up Oakwell Lane "what was the score?" by folk passing by (as I has a bar scarf tied to each wrist.) I used to tell them we'd lost 6-0 as I was angry they couldn't be bothered to go. Bottom of the 4th divison and all that. So what's my point? Today we get around 11,500 home fans in a much more difficult financial environment, we have the "blessing" of the internet so everyone can have their view, but that devil has two sides. One is the aforementioned meltdowns and public squabbling, the other is more important. This club of ours is capable of surprising both on and off the field, the people of my town are quite a surprising bunch of people. We have made the headlines far more than our station suggests, and we can generate huge followings for a town our size. It's an easy platitude to come out with, "Once a Red always a Red" But I like to think that the term applies mostly to our fans of whatever opinion, and to a select few ex-players I was very badly bitten in 1970 and have never recovered So when it gets a bit feisty on here I don't take it too seriously, one thing I do believe though, is that once you are bitten-there is no cure Yep, once a Red, ALWAYS a Red
I can empathize with a lot of that, I've been becoming more and more distant from the club with every passing season for about the last 10 now, the highs of promotions and the Wembley trips and the lows of relegations felt the same, where as the 25+ years before it felt like what was happening at Oakwell was life and death. All that said I still keep in touch with what's happening these days and somewhere deep inside still hurts after a defeat on a Saturday night So yeah once a red always a red
What an excellent post, it’s easy to get lost in the debates on here but ultimately we all want the same things for our club and our town.
Started watching in 1974/5 & 3/4000 was a typical attendance under Iley. Football generally is totally different now, some things good IMO, but a lot not so. We are still on here debating it all. Support is incredible at the minute, but could drop back to 7/8000 mark that was the pre-premier league level, if the current model is continued without some re-think.
Are you Belinda? If so, I was in love with you when you were in the Go-Go's? Please send me any unpublished pictures from that era. Yours JP
I wasn't born in Barcelona, have no affinity for it, don't know anyone there, have no cultural ties.... Perhaps I should have just joined the ranks of Man United fans!
Cheers. I was also only attempting to make you smile sir. Funny how posts are perceived/ read by others int it? Best wishes.
