1979/1979
IN the history of Barnsley Football Club few men have had an immediate effect on the club as did Allan Clarke when he joined the club in July 1978 and the legacy he left still remains at the club.
When manager Jim Iley left Oakwell for Ewood Park in April 1978 he departed a Fourth Division club that had failed to get themselves out of a 20 year rut that had seen the fans becoming more and more disillusioned.
Iley, during his time had sold wisely and had brought in a number of experienced free transfers, who in the last couple of seasons had challenged unsuccessfully for promotion.
By leaving at that stage he gave the board of directors, led by Ernest Dennis, time to search thoroughly for his successor.
The names of ex Barnsley Boys players Jimmy Greenhoff and Alan Woodward were amongst the favourites and it was very much a surprise when it was announced that Clarke would be the new player/manager.
It was a bold step to appoint the former England international who had no managerial experience and he didn't come cheap for a club with little money.
To pay for his playing registration they paid a club record fee of £40,000 to Leeds.
From the first minute in charge he brought a completely new feel to the club.
Some said professionalism, some belief and some pride.
It was probably a combination of all these that brought over 8,500 fans to watch them in a league cup-tie against Chesterfield prior to the league programme commencing.
The Reds went down 2-1 but in the second leg they showed some of the passing and movement that was to be their trademark.
A week later the league season began and with Joicey netting a hat trick the Reds won 4-2.
It was the next two fixtures, both away, those brought maximum points and give a real indication of what was to come.
A 3-0 home win over York took it to 100 per cent from four games and another win at Scunthorpe in front of a huge Reds following meant they had equalled their best ever start to the season.
The next game at home to Torquay showed what an impression Clarke's Barnsley had made when over 13,000 turned up.
The southerners turned out to be party spoilers and won 2-1, it was to be their only defeat in the opening 12 games.
With Joicey out injured the team were having trouble scoring and Clarke's first signing was Derek Bell from Halifax.
He became an instant success as Barnsley continued to be in the thick of the promotion race.
As Christmas approached Clarke again moved into the transfer market for another striker, this time Tommy Graham joined.
However it was the manager who was the goal-scoring hero in a 6-2 win over Port Vale on Boxing Day.
It was the prelude to some bad weather in the next two months and during that time they were to play only twice, both away and they brought two defeats.
Games came thick and fast during March.
Seven matches were played with five being won and two drawn as they clawed themselves back into the race.
When the first three games of April were also won they found themselves back in second place.
All these games were beginning to take its toll on a small squad and Clarke found it necessary to blood during this time, Reed, Banks and Speedie being the pick.
The impressive form began to waiver but vital points were still being picked up.
The real low point during this time came with a 3-0 home defeat against lowly Rochdale in front of the Yorkshire Television cameras.
However with three games to go the Reds visited Portsmouth knowing that a victory would almost guarantee promotion.
Another Bell goal proved to be the winner and meant that only two heavy defeats would stop them going up.
For the final home game, a mid week fixture against already promoted Grimsby, Oakwell was awash with emotion with over 21,000, less the Grimsby fans, waiting to celebrate.
Captain John Saunders, who had been told that he would be given a free transfer at the end of the season, headed the Reds into the lead.
Although Grimsby equalised Barnsley were not to be denied and Bell again proved to be the winner.
The scenes of joy at the end were unforgettable.
Many fans had never seen the Reds promoted so they had never experienced the emotions it brought.
The house that Clarke built was to grow and more success was to follow within the next two seasons.
In fact 20 years on the club has never slipped back to the depression of the 60 and 70's.
Barnsley were promoted in fourth place with Reading, Grimsby and Wimbledon also winning through.
At the bottom end Crewe were the team who finished at the bottom.
As already stated they went out of the league cup in the first round 2-1 on aggregate to Chesterfield.
In the F.A. Cup they beat Worksop 5-1 at home in the first round but went out the local rivals Rotherham 2-1 in a replay at Millmoor after a 1-1 draw at Oakwell.
1979/80
In the history of the club it is doubtful if there has been so much rebuilding of a team during one season as took place during the 1979-80 season especially after the team had won promotion the previous season.
During the 1978-79 season new manager Allan Clarke had guided the Reds to promotion from the Fourth Division.
During the season the fans had responded to the success with an average of over 10,000 attending the matches played at Oakwell.
However as soon as the season was over he promised that he would bring in four new players before the new season.
He was true to his word as goalkeeper Gary Pierce signed from Wolves, full back Bobby Flavell joined from Chesterfield, the experienced Norman Hunter came from Bristol City and he paid Celtic £40,000 for mid fielder Ronnie Glavin.
It was to prove to be one of the best signings in the history of the club.
There could not have been a bigger start to the season with Sheffield Wednesday being the visitors and a crowd of over 22,000 turned out to see the new look Reds.
Hunter, who had been injured pre season, was the only one of the newcomers not to play and disappointingly they were comfortably beaten 3-0.
Clarke immediately brought in central defender Allan Dugdale from Charlton but the early form was indifferent to say the least.
Of the opening six games four were lost and only three goals scored.
Then the team visited Blackburn and Glavin was the match winner scoring after he broke from mid field and calmly beat the keeper.
Although results improved marginally the team were still in the lower reaches of the division and in mid November Clarke moved into the market again.
Mike Lester a midfielder from Grimsby joined for £25,000.
A fortnight later he was joined by Trevor Aylott, a powerful striker from Chelsea.
Outgoing at this time was Allan Little and more surprisingly Bell.
Still results were mixed and then on the 29th of December the team travelled to Reading and few results have had far more reaching effects inside the club.
A 7-0 hammering was just the start of it.
Clarke decided to retire from playing, a troublesome knee was one of the problems.
He was also finding it difficult to be hard on the team that he was part of.
Three other players, Flavell, Pugh and Springett never again played for the Reds while Collins and Graham were also dispensed with shortly afterwards.
They were soon replaced and in most occasions by a higher class of player.
It was not to belittle the outgoing players but as Clarke put it 'they had taken the club as far as they could and if the club was to progress further changes had to be made'.
The first replacement was to come from within the club with former junior Joe Joyce coming in at right back.
Then Ian Evans, initially on loan, came for a club record fee from Crystal Palace, to partner Mick McCarthy at the back.
Utility player Neil Cooper closely followed him from Aberdeen and striker Derek Parker from Southend.
Finally winger, Bobby Downes joined from Watford.
It quickly became obvious that this was a stronger team and results improved dramatically.
In the final 17 games of the season they were only beaten three times and late in the season Wimbledon and Mansfield were hit for four in consecutive games.
A final position of eleventh was overall a little disappointing from a fans point of view but after the poor start and the complete dismantling of the team it was a good base to start from.
While the fans were a little disappointed with the position they still flowed into Oakwell with ever increasing numbers and for a team that never reached the top half of the table until the very end of the season the average went up yet again.
The groundwork had now been done and the following season the club was to reap the rewards.
While Barnsley were finishing in mid table Grimsby, Blackburn and Sheffield Wednesday were gaining promotion.
Other the other end Wimbledon, Mansfield, Southend and Bury were relegated.
In the FA Cup Hartlepool were beaten 5-2 before they lost at Chester.
While in the League cup they beat Lincoln in the clubs first ever penalty shoot out but lost home and away to West Ham in the next round.
1980/81
During the 1979-80 season manager Allan Clarke completely rebuilt the team that had won promotion the previous season so the close season prior to the start of the 1980-81 season was very quiet at Oakwell.
The Oakwell faithful was still in buoyant mood and the upward feeling of the club was there in abundance.
The opening day, in front of over 10,000 fans, was a let down.
A 2-1 defeat at the hands of Portsmouth also had a show of dissent by striker Trevor Aylott when being substituted.
He was immediately placed on the transfer list with Clarke saying he would never play for Barnsley again.
Glyn Riley replaced him in the next game when goals by Glavin and Banks gave them a 2-1 win at Hull.
Down the road at Elland Road rumours were surfacing that under fire manager Jimmy Adamson would be replaced by Clarke.
However the next three games were to be local derbies.
The two home games were won but the away fixture at Rotherham brought a defeat.
The final of those three games against Huddersfield was to be followed on the Monday with a match at Brentford.
Over the weekend Leeds and Barnsley were involved in talks that would see Clarke moving back to Elland Road.
The manager himself announced to the players prior to the game at Griffin Park that he would be leaving immediately after the match.
He took with him coach Barry Murphy and chief scout Martin Wilkinson.
The club reacted immediately promoting Norman Hunter to the role of player/manager.
The new regime started with a 2-0 home win over Swindon.
The next two games were lost and so Hunter turned to Aylott who had just scored five times for the reserves in a 10-2 win over Middlesborough.
However his return came in an undistinguished goal less draw with Charlton.
The next two games, both away, were also drawn but now the team had begun to play exciting attacking football.
Of the next eight games they won seven with goals coming from all areas.
There were some fine performances during this time with the pick being a 5-0 hammering of Hull with Aylott netting a superb second half hat trick.
By now the team was in the thick of the promotion battle and the results were still excellent.
Christmas came and there were still no more defeats.
On Boxing Day they visited one of their promotion rivals, Chesterfield.
Over 17,000 packed in to see the teams play out what was described as one the most exciting and passionate goal less draws ever witnessed at Saltergate.
They followed this with three more consecutive wins, the last of these being an incredible 3-2 victory at Fulham.
After drawing the next game 3-3 at home to Gillingham they went to another of the promotion contenders Huddersfield trying to equal the club record of 21 league games unbeaten.
Nearly 29,000 turned up and they saw the Reds give an under par performance.
They conceded a first half goal and were unable to find an equaliser so the run was over.
It was the start of a poor run with no wins being secured from the next five games.
So Hunter decided to strengthen his squad for the first time in the season.
He brought back to the club winger Stewart Barrowclough from Bristol Rovers and midfielder Ray McHale came from Brighton.
The hiccup was ended in the 88th minute against Burnley when Banks hammered home a 35 yard free kick to give the Reds a 3-2 win.
There were nine games left now and the team needed to put together a good run to succeed.
They did, only suffering one more defeat.
That came with three games remaining when a win would have secured promotion.
Blackpool was the venue when a massive following, despite a terrible journey because of heavy snow, were to be disappointed due a 1-0 defeat.
It made the excitement and apprehension even more unbearable for the mid week visit of champions elect and local rivals Rotherham.
The atmosphere created by the near 26,000 fans was electric and Barnsley's return to the Second Division for the first time since the 1958-59 season was confirmed thanks a single strike by Glavin.
The chaotic scenes of celebration after the match will live long in the memory of everyone present.
The championship was nearly won on the final day of the season when midway through the second half of the home game against Newport when a number of circumstances had to be in place.
However things changed before the final whistle and the club had to settle for the runners up spot.
It was a success based on attacking football and the fans responded to it in large numbers.
Charlton joined Barnsley and Rotherham in gaining promotion while Hull City, Blackpool, Colchester United and Sheffield United were condemned to the Fourth Division.
It was an exciting season for the Reds in both cup competitions.
In the League Cup they went through the first and second rounds beating Scunthorpe and Mansfield, 3-1 and 4-2 respectively on aggregate.
This brought them up against Second Division Cardiff at home in round three where they won a thrilling match 3-2.
They then went to First Division West Ham where they took the lead before eventually losing 2-1.
In the FA Cup they beat Chester, Rotherham and Torquay before coming up against non-league Enfield.
After drawing 1-1 at Oakwell they won the replay 3-0 at White Hart Lane but in the fifth round they went out 2-1 again against First Division opposition, this time in the shape of Middlesborough.
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