If we can win one game...

[Ponte_Steve24]

Let it be the Rotherham match. Brother in law is a staunch Liverpool fan but he worked at Royal Mail with a big Rotherham fan related to Barker.

Since then he's been an honorary Rotherham fan and won't hear a good word said about Barnsley.

Just txt me saying he's looking forward to coming to "****well". He's a first class cee u next Tuesday

[animallittle3]

Let it be the Rotherham match. Brother in law is a staunch Liverpool fan but he worked at Royal Mail with a big Rotherham fan related to Barker.

Since then he's been an honorary Rotherham fan and won't hear a good word said about Barnsley.

Just txt me saying he's looking forward to coming to "****well". He's a first class cee u next Tuesday

Shame you weren't around in the early 80's Steve when this game really meant something and I mean something .

Absolutely loathed one another back then .

[pass_and_move]

Same sized clubs but not in the same division enough during my time as a Red. However, mi favver teld mi some good stories about the Rotherham rivalry in the early 80s. The famous Ian banks hatrick, the win at oakwell to get us promoted although they were champions that year. A pool table being chucked through a Rotherham boozer window, Ronnie Moores a banker, Glavin etc. Norman Hunter and Emlyn Hughes, both legendary footballers and former England internationals who were our respective managers at the time. Great days for both clubs but as Animal said and mi favver teld me, loathed each other.

Personally I think they're our main rivals but most Barnsley would say Sheffield clubs or Leeds.

Reason I think they're our main rivals is because of the similar size and stature of each club which is important. I don't believe Leeds give a toss about us, Wednesday and United have their own rivalry although both clubs see themselves as much bigger than us and would normally dismiss us and Rotherham. However, perhaps our sustained period in the 2nd tier during the 80s and 90s made us a bit of a cuckoo in terms of rivals and derby matches.


Personally I hope we completely smash em Steve. A Friday night kick off means most will be well oiled and it make for a good atmosphere for once at Oakwell.

[Jules88]

Let it be the Rotherham match. Brother in law is a staunch Liverpool fan but he worked at Royal Mail with a big Rotherham fan related to Barker.

Since then he's been an honorary Rotherham fan and won't hear a good word said about Barnsley.

Just txt me saying he's looking forward to coming to "****well". He's a first class cee u next Tuesday

Already let me down twice with the performances at John Smiths. Dont hold ya breath mate

[Ponte_Steve24]

It's weird I'm twitching about this game. Normally I couldn't give two hoots lol.

[Shadrack the Red]

Same sized clubs but not in the same division enough during my time as a Red. However, mi favver teld mi some good stories about the Rotherham rivalry in the early 80s. The famous Ian banks hatrick, the win at oakwell to get us promoted although they were champions that year. A pool table being chucked through a Rotherham boozer window, Ronnie Moores a banker, Glavin etc. Norman Hunter and Emlyn Hughes, both legendary footballers and former England internationals who were our respective managers at the time. Great days for both clubs but as Animal said and mi favver teld me, loathed each other.

Personally I think they're our main rivals but most Barnsley would say Sheffield clubs or Leeds.

Reason I think they're our main rivals is because of the similar size and stature of each club which is important. I don't believe Leeds give a toss about us, Wednesday and United have their own rivalry although both clubs see themselves as much bigger than us and would normally dismiss us and Rotherham. However, perhaps our sustained period in the 2nd tier during the 80s and 90s made us a bit of a cuckoo in terms of rivals and derby matches.


Personally I hope we completely smash em Steve. A Friday night kick off means most will be well oiled and it make for a good atmosphere for once at Oakwell.

You are probably right about being our closest rivals football wise but since the eighties I have never considered Rotherham as nothing more than another fixture , it will always be Wednesday for me , coming from Hoyland Common where it is as quick to get to Hillsboro as it is Oakwell thus the village has split support and plenty of rivalry and constant banter, I dislike them with a passion !!!

[NerfHerder]

I think as Pass has said, we haven’t really been in the division with each other enough for there to be a real rivalry in my opinion. On a similar level to Donny is a few ways.

When I think of our biggest Yorkshire derbies I think of Sheff Wednesday, Sheff United and Leeds.

[animallittle3]

The last time Rotherham United beat us in a competitive game was October 1982 at Millmoor .

I take the point we haven't met too many times since , 8 times since if my memory serves me right .

6 wins and 2 draws and we've won the last four encounters .

Given our home record this year it goes without saying the Millers are due .

How we beat them in the Val covid season the last time we met I'll never know .

[pass_and_move]

You are probably right about being our closest rivals football wise but since the eighties I have never considered Rotherham as nothing more than another fixture , it will always be Wednesday for me , coming from Hoyland Common where it is as quick to get to Hillsboro as it is Oakwell thus the village has split support and plenty of rivalry and constant banter, I dislike them with a passion !!!

Hoyland common houses a lot of owls and a few blunts. Winds me up Shads. Was once in the Common Club watching us laik Forest on Sky a few year ago. Think we lost 5-3 and a Wednesday fan in there was cheering every scabby Forest goal and rubbing it in. They're on our territory. Prized bell end.

[Young_Nudger]

Hoyland common houses a lot of owls and a few blunts. Winds me up Shads. Was once in the Common Club watching us laik Forest on Sky a few year ago. Think we lost 5-3 and a Wednesday fan in there was cheering every scabby Forest goal and rubbing it in. They're on our territory. Prized bell end.

That’s right.
Our biggest rivals are nearby clubs whose football shirts you see around the Barnsley District.
We can ignore the Man United, Liverpool and more recently Man City shirts - because these people arnt really football supporters in my opinion.
You see these shirts worn all over England.

But we can’t ignore the shirts that are worn by people from Barnsley that actually support nearby clubs.
And IMO it’s these clubs in this order:
Leeds
Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield United

These clubs are our direct competitors for supporters and from that money going into the club.
They are squeezing Barnsley Football Club.
If the Barnsley people that support these clubs actually supported their own town club it would put 1000s on the attendances at Barnsley.
I’m not talking about people from these two neighbouring cities that have links with those cities eg TinaTykes hubby - I’m talking about people that have their roots in Barnsley.

We can’t totally blame these people - because Barnsley have consistently underachieved.
Unlike the Leeds and Sheffield clubs - Barnsley has never had a period of sustained success.

Barnsley is a medium sized town with a population of about 240,000.
Importantly it’s a football mad town.
It’s also surrounded by villages and towns around its boundaries that see Barnsley as their local town - from Hemsworth to Wath to Denby Dale.
So the catchment area is far bigger than 240,000.

Barnsley is crying out for a successful football team.
IMO we currently have a board of directors that have roots in Barnsley coupled with individuals with money.
Barnsley has never had that combination before.
We are obviously in a turbulent period at the moment - but these directors are the best chance Barnsley has ever had of making the club a success.

If we do get that success then i believe the people of Barnsley are going to get a surprise in the number of supporters the club will attract.
This has a barring on the future development of the ground.

As for Rotherham - we hardly see a Rotherham shirt in Barnsley.
They arn’t our rivals for supporters.
I’ve always liked Rotherham United - and probably consider them my 2nd team.