PU PREVIEW 54: BARNSLEY

Barnsley FC was established in 1887 by a clergyman called Tiverton Preedy. The club played in the Sheffield and District League from 1890 and in the Midland League from 1895. They joined the Football League in 1898 and reached the FA Cup final in 1910, losing to Newcastle United in a replay. Two years later, in 1912, Barnsley won the trophy when they defeated West Bromwich Albion 1-0. Two famous players, Danny Blanchflower (1949-51) and Tommy Taylor (1951-53), played for Barnsley in the post-World War Two period. Taylor became a prolific goalscorer for the famous Busby Babes of Manchester United before losing his life in the Munich air disaster in 1958. Barnsley finally gained promotion to the top flight of English football in 1997 when they finished as runners-up in Division One. They were relegated after one season. In April 2016, Barnsley won the Football League Trophy when they defeated Oxford United 3-2. Weeks later, they won promotion to the Championship by defeating Millwall 3-1. In December 2017, the club was taken over by a consortium including baseball legend Billy Beane. The Cryne family holds the other 20%.

Barnsley are known as The Tykes and are managed by Gerhard Struber (appointed November 2019). The club finished in 2nd place in League One in 2018-19 and was promoted. Barnsley play their home matches at the Oakwell Stadium, which was purchased by the local council in 2003 when the club fell into administration.

Pompey and Barnsley have played on fifty-three occasions. The first match was in the FA Cup in February 1907, which Barnsley won 1-0. The first League meeting was in October 1924, with Pompey winning 4-1. The clubs have met on fifty-two occasions in the League, with Pompey winning twenty-one times, Barnsley seventeen and the other fourteen games being drawn. The last League meeting in February 2019 finished in a 0-0 draw.

(Information via Wikipedia and www.11v11.com)