Barnsley v Horsham Change of date ?

[SBRed48]

Not sure how genuine it is but the Official Horsham Twitter Account posted at 12-00 today (Sunday) says that the date for their FA Cup game at Oakwell is now Friday 3 November 2023 7-45 pm KO., changed from the Saturday date still published on some fixture lists such as Sky

Tough on Horsham fans.

(If true) our Media Dept will no doubt get round to informing Barnsley fans before too many make arrangements

Edit Now on Official Barnsley Twitter as from 1-55pm

[SBRed48]

Now confirmed on Official Website.

Agreed to request from South Yorkshire Police. There were four South Yorkshire games on Saturday and Ahmad has agreed that our game should be the one to switch.

Bugger the Horsham fans down near the south coast. A switch to Sunday would have been better.

The magic of the FA Cup in action.

[POGGYWELL]

Absolute disgrace !

[animallittle3]

Feel for the Hosham fans I really do , massive occasion for them and what the FA cup is meant to be about .

Football has gone and it ain't coming back .

[Jules88]

This club has lost its balls

[pass_and_move]

This club has lost its balls

It never had any in the first place pal. I suppose a 4/5 thousand gate would be really tough to police. The Horsham fans would've run riot

[POGGYWELL]

Update from BFCST on Horsham FA Cup Tie

Barnsley FC Supporters’ Trust has been actively involved throughout this week trying to find out what led to the decision to move our FA Cup tie against Horsham to Friday 3rd November 2023.

Following our enquiries, we can establish the below reasons and timeline leading up to the decision to move this game to a Friday night:

Barnsley Football Club published an update to the official website, stating ‘The police had requested to move the match and that the Friday was their preference which would help with their resourcing over the weekend.”
South Yorkshire Police experience high levels of demand over Bonfire Night Weekend, combined with increased anti-social behaviour, a busy set of football fixtures, and current political protests
The FA notified SYP on w/c 16th October stating additional fixtures were to be added for Friday 3rd November to Sunday 5th November (subject to TV selection)
On reviewing demand across the force and the country, Barnsley FC and Doncaster Rovers were asked to consider moving fixtures to the evening of Friday 3rd November or Sunday 5th November
We’re led to believe Doncaster were reluctant to move to the Sunday due to their Football League Trophy game on Tuesday 7th November
We also believe moving to the Sunday was a challenge for Barnsley Football Club due to the Ladies game already being planned
SYP were then contacted directly by the FA to confirm that the Barnsley vs. Horsham game would be moved to Friday 3rd November. SYP can only request for a change to be considered, but the decisions are made by other authorities
In our conversations with SYP they were keen to highlight that policing football does not incur a charge for club, regardless of the day the match takes place, unless a specialist policing request is made by the club themselves. Their primary focus is, and always will be, the safety of supporters attending football games.

You can read their full statement in today’s Sus*** Express article here.

BFCST are extremely disappointed that this game appears to have been moved in the manner it was, and the fact that supporters were not consulted, or more importantly kept informed, before the decision was made and publicised.

The FA, SYP and all the relevant football clubs should have seen possible problems with playing these games over what was obviously going to be a busy Bonfire weekend, and planned appropriately for the challenge on resources.

We stand with our fellow Supporters at Horsham and record our disgust at how they have been treated for one of the biggest games in their history. Their players, club employees, and supporters, should have been afforded the opportunity to play, watch and enjoy, their FA Cup First Round game at a far more convenient date and time.

Again, as happens all too often, it would appear Supporters travelling to the game were not considered at all.

[SBRed48]

It is strange logic that Doncaster were reluctant to move to Sunday due to having a game the following Tuesday. Surely a move to Friday would have given them more recovery time

It is a shame the Women's fixture is being used as a shield. The decision to play it on Oakwell came as a surprise to Spennymoor, on their Twitter Account and maybe also to the Barnsley team and Oakwell groundsman. The late announcement of the venue being Oakwell is strangely timed. Sunday could have been a great opportunity for a double header for fans--Women KO at 12-00 pm on Training Pitch, Cup tie at 3-00pm on Oakwell

Once again "Where is Khaled?". A comment clarifying matters, any comment on anything really, would be helpful.

Above all it is the Horsham fans and club I feel for.
Their "big day out" ruined. The fans at bottom of the list of priorities of things to consider. No consultation with BFC or Horsham fans.

Barnsley fans are used to a sh1tshow in off the field organisation and communication but Horsham fans must wonder WTF is going on at a "professional" Third Division club. It's a disgrace, it really is.

[SBRed48]

Just as an aside the still not revised published Barnsley FC Official Site of Women's fixtures has us away to Spennymoor Town this Sunday 29th October and at home to Sunderland West End on Sunday 5th November.

This is the second game running the fixture list has been wrong.

Please publish a revised Official Fixture List.

[POGGYWELL]

Jeremy Quin, MP for Horsham, has written to the South Yorkshire Police Chief Constable and the CEO of the Football Association to express the widespread disappointment felt in the town with the decision to reschedule Horsham FC's game against Barnsley FC in the first round of the FA Cup.
Matt PolePublished 30th Oct 2023, 10:40 GMT

The tie at Oakwell was moved from Saturday, November 4 to Friday, November 3 due to local policing concerns over other matches in the area on the Saturday and Guy Fawkes Night.
The decision to move the fixture has been widely criticised by both Horsham and Barnsley supporters, Hornets committee vice-chairman Mark Barrett, and Horsham manager Dominic Di Paola.

Mr Quin said: “I join so many locally in wishing the Horsham team well. It is very disappointing that the decision was taken to move this match to a Friday evening. Travelling from Suss ex to Barnsley on a working and school day clearly poses logistical challenges for players as well as supporters.

Horsham line-up before Saturday's FA Trophy win at Larkhall Athletic. Picture by John Lines
“While sadly I do not expect the timing to change, I didn’t want the rescheduling to pass without comment. I have written to the local police chief constable and the FA directly to share the club and community’s frustration.
“The club does a great job in engaging with the local community - in particular schools - and it's a great pity that because of scheduling fewer supporters will be able to attend what will be an exciting match."