Matchday 92 marked the conclusion of our journey through League One, meaning we have now completed three out of the four leagues, with only two League Two grounds remaining. With a 12:30 kick-off and a pre-arranged meeting with a representative from Barnsley FC at 10:00, it meant an extremely early start—much to Liam’s dismay. He was certainly not impressed when the alarm went off at an ungodly hour, but we had no choice if we were to make it on time.
We set off for Sandwell and Dudley, where we boarded the 06:16 train to Birmingham New Street. Upon arrival, Liam decided he needed to fill his belly, and we opted for a visit to Tim Hortons—something we hadn’t done for a long time. What used to be a great value breakfast option now feels like an overpriced treat, with our meal costing over £12 for just the two of us. It was certainly not worth the price, and I won’t be rushing back any time soon. With food in hand, we quickly made our way back to Birmingham New Street in time to board the 07:03 CrossCountry Trains service towards Sheffield.
Once on board, the Train Manager kindly allowed us to sit in First Class, which made for a much more comfortable journey as we tucked into our breakfast. The train ran smoothly with no issues, although it did start to get quite busy. Luckily, we were getting off before it became too crowded. Upon arrival at Sheffield, we had a short 15-minute wait before boarding a Northern Rail service to Barnsley, arriving just after 09:00.
With some time to spare, we took a short 10-minute walk to tick off my 62nd Wetherspoons pub, “The Joseph Bramah.” From the outside, the pub appeared quite small, and inside, it was just as compact. We only had time for a very quick hot chocolate before making another brisk 10-minute walk to Oakwell.
Upon arrival, we headed straight to the club shop to purchase our customary matchday scarf and a programme, which we bought from a vendor outside the shop. With our souvenirs in hand, we proceeded to our meeting point at Gate 40, where we were scheduled to meet Barnsley’s Chief of Staff, Penelope.
I had contacted Barnsley FC in advance, and John, the Head of Ticketing, kindly responded with an incredible offer—allowing us to go pitchside for photos, with Penelope looking after us for the day. When we met Penelope, we were introduced to a truly wonderful gentleman named Laurie, Barnsley’s Matchday Co-ordinator. From the moment we met him, it was clear he was one of the nicest people we had come across throughout our entire challenge.
Laurie took us to a building that serves as the club’s press conference area, sharing the history behind it—including the surprising fact that it was once a toilet block! While waiting for the matchday mascots to arrive, Laurie introduced us to those present, explaining our 92-ground challenge. We then embarked on a guided tour, taking in the directors’ room where pre-match meals are held and admiring the various trophies on display. We also had the opportunity to take photos in the directors’ seating area within the stand.
The next stop on our tour was the dressing room, where for the second consecutive week, Liam was lucky enough to meet the players and collect as many signatures as possible. He was even introduced to club captain Luca Connell, a fellow Scouser—although an Evertonian! This led to some friendly banter, with Liam showing him a recent photo taken outside Goodison Park, proudly displaying his Liverpool scarf. Luca was brilliant with Liam, making it a fantastic moment—thank you, Luca!
As we were about to leave the dressing room, Laurie asked if we had eaten and then mentioned that the mascots were about to head to the players’ canteen for some food and kindly invited us to join them. This was such a thoughtful gesture, and Liam was absolutely thrilled.
Once inside the canteen, Liam queued with the mascots and was served at a buffet-style counter, opting for pasta, scrambled eggs, and rice. Meanwhile, I had an interesting chat with a friendly staff member who was originally from Birmingham but had since relocated to Barnsley. Another genuinely lovely person!
While we were in the canteen, Laurie approached Liam and handed him a special gift from the kit man as a souvenir of our visit to Oakwell—yet another amazing gesture.
After eating, we were once again invited to join the mascots, this time for a football session in an indoor training area. Liam eagerly joined in for 30 minutes of football, absolutely loving every second of it. Surely, the day couldn’t get any better?
Well, it did! As we made our way back to the stadium, Liam was given the opportunity to have a kickabout on the actual pitch and take more photos with some of the players.
Then came the biggest surprise of all—Laurie offered Liam the chance to walk out onto the pitch with the players. He was absolutely buzzing with excitement and ended up walking out alongside Joe Gauci, Barnsley’s new goalkeeper, who had only signed from Aston Villa a couple of days earlier. Seeing Liam’s face light up was priceless, and I honestly can’t thank Laurie, Penelope, and John enough for making this happen.
Once Liam was off the pitch, we made our way to the East Stand and found our seats in the upper tier. Our view was fantastic, but unfortunately, the match itself didn’t quite match our incredible pre-game experience, ending in a 0-0 draw. That said, the game was almost secondary to everything that had happened before kick-off.
Our journey home turned into an absolute nightmare when Northern Rail cancelled all services from Barnsley to Sheffield due to a shortage of train crew. There was little information provided, and no replacement buses were arranged. This left us with no choice but to queue for a Stagecoach bus, which, to my surprise, only cost £4 in total for both of us. However, the journey took over an hour—far longer than the 20-minute train ride would have.
There have been a few occasions during this challenge when a club has left a lasting mark on our hearts, and Barnsley FC is most certainly one of them. The warmth, generosity, and kindness shown to us made this one of the most unforgettable days of our entire journey. From pitchside access and behind-the-scenes tours to the incredible hospitality, Barnsley FC went above and beyond, making us feel like part of their football family. Thank you for making this day so special—we will never forget it.
Five Facts About Barnsley FC:
- Barnsley FC was founded in 1887 and was originally known as Barnsley St. Peter’s.
- Oakwell Stadium has been the club’s home since 1888, making it one of the longest-serving football grounds in England.
- Barnsley won the FA Cup in 1912, defeating West Bromwich Albion in a replay at Bramall Lane.
- The club’s nickname, “The Tykes,” reflects Barnsley’s strong Yorkshire identity.
- Barnsley famously reached the Premier League for the first and only time in the 1997-98 season.