[Official Site] Exclusive Interview | John Dennis

Hardly a penny has been spent on the stadium since.

 

His family have left a legacy that every reds fan should be proud of. A visible, tangible legacy that any owner should look to emulate.

I've been lucky enough to get to know John through this film thing & I'm chuffed to see him start to get the recognition he deserves through the official channels now. That's been sadly lacking by us since he left. Chuffed for him & his family.

 

Comfort yourself in the fact. Swillsbro. Has had nowt spent on it since 1965. ( and that was paid for by the FL for the 66 World Cup. ) sorry, they Put a few seats on the kop and lepping lower. Also built up £40m + of pretend debt. With a chairman that is revered by lots of the silly buggers. Most would get shut tomorrow but they haven’t a pot to **** in.

 

the basic structures remain the same, with the addition of the corner stand.

Id take issue that hardly a penny has been spent as maintenance and upkeep won’t have been cheap

 

Great piece by John. As I've said previously had a pint and a chat with him at the Hilton Wembley
when we played Cardiff. Wears his heart on his sleeve, loves Barnsley Football Club and apart
from administration, is rightly proud of what himself and his Dad before him, did for the Club.
A true gentleman who I personally thank for his endeavours for the Club.

 

Fiar enough. Very little improvement has been made. Limited investment just basic upkeep.

 

Genuine question. Apart from the west stand. Which is on the back burner due to ownership of the ground issues and planning. What would you like to see. Apart from a purpose built indoor supporters club/fanzone . In the east stand I would like to see some sort of easier access to the upper tier. Eg. Escalators. ( although I’m on the lower tier) not sure about the ponty and west stand facilities.

 

Mention of Spackman brings me out in hives. I hate him.

 

The rest of the corners filled in would make a huge difference to the ground and could if done correctly add to the matchday experience too.

Corner between east and north filled in same as the other corner but with the internal areas used for a purpose built kids club. Utilised outside of mstchdays as a youth club for the local area too. On the front (pitch)side of the stand a large scoreboard bro generate revenue and improve the matchday experience.
Lower and first floor balcony areas for disabled supporters.

Corner between ponty and west. Same design, scoreboard on front etc but this time the internal area a supporters bar which would be in the ideal place to use on none mstchdays as and when required.

 

Well the two you have said would be main ones. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to mention it ok here but a scoreboard we can see would be nice. A complaint that doesn't affect me but I have heard would be improving the toilet facilities for Women. I've often thought that the largest space where you enter the ponty from the West stand side could be put to better use too.
But my general point wasn't saying what should be done but just that nothing had been done. John Dennis left us at the time with some excellent facilities.

 

The corner stand was built under Dennis too. The only visible difference actually built is the 42" plasma above the tunnel.

 

At the minute the main toilet space is between the stands

 

I like the corners not being filled in and looking out onto the fields from the Ponty. Not really got a problem with the toilets either. The historian in me loves the fact that the West stand hasnt altered, but in order to keep Oakwell as our stadium I accept the need to move with the times and rebuild the stand.

 

The move to all seater stadia came about as a result of the recommendations in the Taylor Report following
the Hillsborough disaster. In short, with an antiquated ground with covered standing on two sides, an open
terrace behind one goal and a covered Main stand containing seats, the recommendations of the Safety of
Sports Grounds Act meant that in order to admit spectators to Oakwell, they would all have to be seated.

Accordingly, the board at the time headed up by John Dennis, had no choice but to redesign Oakwell and
erect the West Stand, the Ponte end and eventually the North Stand. Truth to tell, the improvements were
welcome and long overdue.

 

Can't believe how delighted I was when we gave Spackman the job. Based on reports from blunts. Will never give an opinion on who i would like as a manager again.

 

As far as I'm aware the stand was always built for away support to generate more money. He made some **** ups just like any other owner appointing Hendrie as manager, spackman.... but overlooked our best times. Still see him at oakwell now and again smoking like a chimney outside west stand only 12 months ago. I agree with him with his thoughts on steve mcmanaman, tom and paul ince. Top man is john.

 

What got me mate was the fact we had 2 sides of the ground closed. Due to the Taylor report. Yet we were still and in some cases still are standing at grounds like . Newcastle. Sunderland. AFC Wimbledon. Burton. Brentford. ( home end) how long have Brentford been in the Championship.? Before completing a new Stadium. All using excuses to extend the criteria period. The top two divisions teams at the time to adhere to all seater by 1994. NO STANDING AT ALL. Fulham had standing in the premier in 2001/2 admittedly having been in Lower divisions for 6 seasons prior.
Us and I believe Chelsea at the time were hardest hit at the time. Reducing our capacity to below 13k Increased in the premier. To 14k plus by placing 1400 seats on the old spion kop.
*****. Lots believing it was a thatcher era conspiracy. Would have thought same but Chelsea suffered even though they had David Mellor ( Tory MP and obnoxious **** at the time.) A big fan of Chelsea.
Edit funny how it allows the word ***** but not the singular.
Also why I believe why limited safe standing should be brought in. Not having to worry about folk standing up in front of us that prefer or indeed need to sit.

 

He sits in front of me in the West Stand and he is still passionate about the club as he ever was. At the end of the home loss against Birmingham he let out a loud roar of frustration to make clear how he felt.

 

like to see more parts of the ground accessible to people with disabilities - seemingly long waiting list for seats in the 'Disabled Stand' -

 

I was at a Q and A he gave in the executive lounge at Oakwell a couple of years ago and really disappointed at the turnout for him. Probably around 20 there, no more. He gave a good account of the issues asked.