1999 - 2000

SINCE the play offs came into existence in the 1986-87 season the majority of teams outside the elite have been involved in them.

Until the turn of the millennium, Barnsley had not and it must be said that they had rarely threatened to become involved in the end of season pressure cooker.

It was all to change in 2000.

During the close season of 1999 Barnsley were again on the look out for a manager after the sacking of John Hendrie.

In the end the board went for the man with the most experience and success at getting teams promoted, Dave Bassett.

He made three signings, with defender Kevin Austin coming from Lincoln City on a Bosman, Neil Shipperley joining from Forest for £750,000 and Geoff Thomas, originally on a short-term contract.

The team made a poor start losing their opening two games.

Bassett reacted immediately bringing two players from Crystal Palace, defender David Tuttle and keeper Kevin Miller.

The improvement was immediate with only one defeat in the next seven games and that included five wins.

There were some extraordinary games during that period.

A 6-0 win over Portsmouth who had two players sent off before a goal had been scored.

During that game Matty Appleby, who had not scored in over 100 appearances, netted twice.

Two days later they succumbed 6-1 at Ipswich.

The final game in that period was a highly impressive 4-2 win over promotion and near rivals Huddersfield.

After a little dip in form they hit another good run with six wins being recorded in a seven-match sequence.

The only defeat during that time came courtesy of a controversial last minute winner in the return at Huddersfield.

The defence kept four clean sheets during that time but Bassett still wasn't satisfied and brought in two more experienced defenders.

Steve Chettle joined on a free from Nottingham Forest and John Curtis on loan until the end of the season from Manchester United.

After a disappointing defeat at fellow promotion chasers Manchester City the Reds embarked on a nine match unbeaten run.

This culminated in a 5-1 hammering of Blackburn where by the half-hour mark the score was 4-1.

The Reds now sat in the top three but two bad defeats including a home one at the hands of Ipswich came at a bad time and the next three were only drawn.

One good thing to come out of those draws was the fighting spirit of the team as they came from behind in all those matches to gain a point.

The run was ended thanks to a fine 3-1 win at Stockport but four days later the boot was on the other foot as Sheffield United came from behind three times, including a third deep into injury time to gain a draw at Bramall Lane.

All the games were now becoming crucial and the next at Oakwell to promotion rivals Manchester City was very critical.

The largest attendance of the season, well in excess of 22,000 saw goals from Curtis and Craig Hignett give the Reds a 2-1 win.

Birmingham in the next game were to be a different proposition and despite scoring first through Hignett we were well-beaten 3-1 with Isaiah Rankin netting twice for the Blues.

Three successive wins followed but with six matches remaining and the pressure now on the Reds only took two points out of a possible nine from the next three games.

It now meant that with Charlton already confirmed as Champions Barnsley were the outsiders in a three way fight for the other automatic promotion place.

Despite winning the next two games results went against and second place was now impossibility.

However the Reds were guarantied a place in the play offs.

A much-weakened team lost the final game and the Reds finished fourth with a semi final tie against Birmingham to come.

The first leg at St. Andrews coming just two months after our bad league defeat there looked to be a hard task.

Bassett changed from his usual four at the back to three defenders and two wingbacks.

It was a masterstroke as City were totally confused.

Shipperley scored early and then after the break Bruce Dyer netted twice and Hignett added a fourth to put the Reds within sight of Wembley.

In the history of the club, in such a demanding game, there have been few more impressive results.

In fact in the history of the play offs no team has gone away in the first leg and won by four goals such was the enormity of Barnsleys win.

The return was always going to be hard for both teams and once Dyer had equalised a Gary Rowett goal it was to be plain sailing.

Although Marcelo gave City a victory on the night it was to be Wembley for the Reds for the first time in their history.

Barnsley went Wembley crazy and around 35,000 made the trip to see the final against Ipswich.

The team from Suffolk had failed in the previous three seasons at the semi final stage but were favourites to win.

Hignett gave the Reds an early lead but Tony Mowbray headed home an equaliser.

Then just before half time Darren Barnard saw his penalty saved and it was the boost Ipswich needed.

They took control early in the second half thanks to goals by Naylor and Stewart.

Barnsley went for broke and were awarded another penalty.

This time Hignett took it and scored.

The Reds were now throwing everything at Ipswich and a wonder save by Richard Wright from Hristov's header kept the Tractor Boys in the lead.

In the final minute they broke out to score a fourth through Reuser and Barnsley were resigned to another season in the first division.

Charlton and Manchester City were the automatic promotion winners with Port Vale, Walsall and Swindon being relegated.

The F.A.Cup was a disappointment as they went out in the third round 1-0 at Wimbledon in front of only 4,500 supporters.

The Worthington League Cup saw goals flow as we beat Lincoln 6-4 on aggregate, Stockport 4-4 on away goals and Bradford City 3-2 at Valley Parade.

However a exit 4-0 at Tranmere was very disappointing.