Natural Affinity...

I think what sparked my initial enthusiasm with Barnsley was my Dad getting excited about the team starting the 94/95 season quite well.

It didn't last long. I saw Barnsley lose to Reading and thought they were a sack of 5h it. I told him so too. (Although if I'd swore I'd av' gotten a crack.)

My Dad bought me a Spurs shirt. No Holsten sponsor because I was 10. Ditching Barnsley stuck for a few seasons. (Cup disappointment n' all). In fact it was a farrow period. Can remember a 2-2 with Sheffield United on goals on Sunday live.

Time went on and I got into Pat Eddery and Willie Carson. (Not literally ). I was bigger than them.

Didn't even have an interest in football. Was playing levey, tag, eating rhubarb sticking out of the fence in the allotment. Didn't have a care in the world.

Then in August 1996 Barnsley won their first five games. My Dad was waxing lyrical I didn't give a monkeys. Then they lost at QPR and sumat changed.

I was hooked. I was more bothered about a defeat because of my Dad saying this will be the year. He was right.

I'm rambling now. Night.

 

I grew up without my dad around, so there was no fatherly football team to be passed on. My grandad was a rugby league man, and supported Leeds. I wasn’t that fussed about football through most of primary school.

When I was about 11 my best friend at school said his mum couldn’t go to the football match at the weekend and did I want to go with them and use her season ticket. A speculative yes and about a hour’s drive later and they took me to my first match - Nottingham Forest vs someone or other. I remember we parked somewhere proper dodgy, walked past a car with its windows caved in and the car alarm blazing, and I was advised to wear a Forest scarf so I ‘fitted in and didn’t get beaten up’.

Forest didn’t stick, but my uncle now got the idea that I might like football. He was a massive Man Utd fan, but had always lived in Norwich until he got divorced and moved back to Wakefield. For a while he’d include me in the ballot for match tickets along with him and his mates. A few times a season we might get some, often for a League Cup match, but I rarely got to go. Man Utd were quite successful, I had a Paul Ince Guv’nor t-shirt, and I played a lot more, which was less controversial at school.

Then 1996/97 - a friend and his dad (and sister), with whom I always went swimming on a Saturday evening (Dewsbury baths, family swim with a big obstacle course inflatable) said they wanted to start going and watching Barnsley because they had a good team and it was a good atmosphere. I think there was a veiled threat they might stop taking me swimming if I didn’t go to the football first and make it convenient, so I did at 50p a ticket - and thus was born a 30 year occasional joy and frequent regret.

I’ve now passed Barnsley down to both of my sons, and it’s a repeated bafflement to their Man City and Liverpool supporting friends at school sandwiched here somewhere between Nottingham and Leicester.

 

The joy it brings me to see young kids supporting local/clubs their family support has no end. So many young uns these days support the 'elite' clubs and its so disheartening. I understand it from their young minds, excellent football to watch, some of the worlds best players, easy access to a million games a season on TV to see them play. I'm desperately trying to get my nieces into barnsley - the eldest (5) is going to be a mascot soon and plays football herself, so good signs so far!
Its petty but when I have a kid, I think id be heartbroken if he supported any other club, but I suppose I best get ready for it just incase...

 

I'm going to get some right stick for this. My best mates dad was a Wendseday fan. And from about 1963-65 aged 6/8, took us both, to the games. (Mi brother 8 yrs older, probably didn't want me to tag along tut tarn at that age lol). Sadly mi mates dad, died in 65.
I have no soft spot for wendy btw. But like any other club wouldn't like to see em fold. I had a lot of workmates that love that club as much as I do mine. Not all are massives. But live in the real world.

Then mi cuz, a few yrs older. Started to take me tut tarn games. And 66/67 was the first season I didn't miss a home game. And the love affair began for Barnsley FC. We sit together at home games even now, along with mi brother and other members of the families. Including my eldest and his attempts to get his daughters hooked lol.
I allus tell mi cuz he's cost me a bloody fortune. And replies "what the eck* else would tha have done" *never recall him ever swearing . .
And then a few of us who used to travel in cars. formed Hoyland reds (away branch, there was another one at the time ran coaches to home games and the odd away. But then came along with us) in 1995. And i have been an organiser along with several others, who are a great bunch of volunteers. And a paying membership group of 200+ (not to be confused with Hoyland reds facebook group) .signed up for this year. Who it's a absolute pleasure to take to games. Young children to old fogies like yours truly. .

 

I offered mine a choice of any of the local teams (Forest, Leicester, Derby, Burton, Notts County), their grandad's team (wife's side) - Man Utd (but it's OK he grew up in Manchester), or mine.

The oldest is now a bit more enthusiastic - especially when it's a big match at Wembley, but the youngest can't be trusted to sit still or not ask when the match finishes a few seconds after kick-off. My wife has aspirations of us all being season ticket holders in a few years and her getting Saturday afternoons child-free for whatever nonsense she'd prefer to spend her time doing.

 

I wrote an article in the fanzine about the first match went to without an adult in the early sixties. My mate and me had bus fare and entry money. Lost to QPR -. Left at half time when were three down. We both said never again. Turned up following match and lost to Bradford Park Avenue. Said never again. Here I am sixty odd years later. Next time we lose it’s never again.

 

You do a fantastic job long may it continue.Not forgeting your always brilliant end of season event.

 

There was never any question of anyone in our family supporting the big neighbours down the road, or up the road, or to the west. My Dad had been supporting the Reds all his life, as far as I know, and my older brother Ron (aka GloucesterRedsBigBro) followed him down to Oakwell in the 1950s. It was my turn to take the medicine at the age of 10 and I had the pleasure of seeing the likes of Eric Winstanley coming through the ranks to take over from hard man Duncan Sharp. I did a paper round for ex-Barnsley full back Jack Harston and he tried to convince me that only Sheffield Wednesday were worth bothering with, but he didn't succeed. I did, however, go to the odd First Division match at Hillsborough because there were special buses from the bus station going there and there was no chance of seeing much of these big stars anywhere else, being pre-blanket tv coverage of football.

I stuck with the Reds through some extremely grim times (we're in clover these days in comparison) and fully expect to be able to call them "My Team" until the day I die. Throughout my long RAF and Civil Service career, which took me all over the country and abroad, I made a point of letting everyone know who I supported. I might not get to as many matches as I would like now but I live and breathe the experience every match day, wherever I am. Dad had to call it a day after that soggy Middlesbrough match when we drew 1-1 and Jan Aage scored for them. He just couldn't see well enough any more. Ron kept going but has become disenchanted in recent seasons and rarely goes now. I'm going to the Burton match and we'll see after that. Like I said, this is MY TEAM and, as the song almost goes, "I'll support them ever more". The rest of football is just idle entertainment where I couldn't care less who wins what.

 

I was Rugby League through and through ( just Fev now). NEVER interested in football but lads at work in Pontefract all went to watch Barnsley and asked just try ONE game. I could 'kill em' that ONE game turned into 42 years of supporting The Reds lol. My Son was a Leeds fan growing up ( most of my ex family, divorced now) were all Leeds. I thought its pointless trying to 'convert' him so went on my own. When he got to about 12 he asked if he could come to watch Barnsley with me,he's supported em ever since. Got a Toby Tyke tattoo on his leg and can't stand Leeds now. He lives in Australia now but been over a few times and it was amazing when he brought my Grandson over ,3 generations at a Reds game, who'd have thought that - certainly not me.

 

Can’t believe I have helped a Wednesday fan

 

Started going around 68-69 when my mate next door asked if I wanted to go with him and his dad. Now, 50 odd years later, I have 2 Cambridge born sons (24 & 28) who support the reds. Eldest is actually keener than me. I think he's going up on Saturday.
When he was younger (c.10-12) I used to take him to a few Arsenal games on the assumption that he'd want to support a Prem team like all his school mates & back then Arsenal were great to watch tbf. Also took him to a few of the reds' away games and after about a year much to my surprise & pleasure he told me he wasn't bothered about watching Arsenal anymore & could we go and watch Barnsley instead

We live in a small village about 10 miles south of Cambridge and there's another lad from Barnsley also living here. All his 3 kids & him are also reds fans. They'll be 6 of us all travelling up to the Peterborough game.
Oddly enough my eldest and his eldest were best mates at the local primary school pretty much from day 1, but it was about 2 years until it the Barnsley/Reds connection became known and that was by accident.
The mum's were chatting at the school gates one day and his missus happened to mention that they were going up to Barnsley that weekend to visit the grand parents and the rest, as they say, is history!

The whole thing is a bit incestuous tbh

• We both have the same surname
• Our kids are all friends with each other and of similar ages
• We both have the same job (in fact he's just started working at the same place as me)
• The mums are pretty close