Barnsley sure to be viewed in new light by rivals after takeover

Such is the prolific nature of this derogatory phrase – uttered by countless followers of supposedly well-heeled second-tier rivals at regular interludes over the years – that club fanzine West Stand Boys have made a great parody of the fact.

More especially when the Reds have taken points from ‘loftier’ Championship counterparts.

Given the events of this week, perhaps the ‘teams like Barnsley’ mantra might soon be consigned to history following the club’s much-publicised takeover led by Chinese-American billionaire investor Chien Lee and US film financier Paul Conway.

Perceptions from the outside are already starting to change when talk turns to Barnsley. Not just among football followers, but players at rival teams too.

Head coach and lifelong Reds fan Paul Heckingbottom is acutely aware that it should also strengthen his hand considerably when it comes not just to recruiting new players and keeping existing ones, but also building something lasting.

For all his sterling renaissance work, this has been something denied him in his tenure so far.

Having seen the heart of his successful line-up from 12 months ago ripped apart in the first half of this year, Heckingbottom’s devout hope is that Barnsley’s status of being a ‘transit’ club, where talented players simply pass through before securing big-money moves, is at an end.

Thousands of fellow Reds fans will say ahem to that with Heckingbottom’s ability to sell a longer-term ‘vision’ looking to have been substantially enhanced following this week’s takeover.

On the changing of players’ perceptions of Barnsley, Heckingbottom said: “That is what we have got to change. Now when people are going to be signing for Barnsley, they will be doing so to get success here. I would have questioned that before.

“This summer we had players pitched at us with people thinking, ‘Barnsley, what a great place for a young player, they are going to get an opportunity – great’.

“Then the odd ones talk about a stepping stone to the next level. But then, all of a sudden, you start questioning people’s reasons for coming here. Are they coming here to get the next move straightaway and are they coming in the door and cannot wait to then get out? That is no good at all. We have tried to do our best not to sign those sort of players.

“Likewise, you get phone calls in every window and before when clubs are expecting to take who they want. Now, it will be nice answering those phone calls.”

While this week’s takeover has boosted Heckingbottom’s hopes of building a squad and seeing its potential fulfilled at Oakwell and not elsewhere, another utterance from his new bosses will have gone down particularly well too.

Namely the promise that Heckingbottom will be backed with ‘extra resources’ with the Reds’ head coach having regularly bemoaned the club’s lack of support staff compared to others.

Heckingbottom added: “I know on occasions I am spreading myself too thin and it is tough and frustrating. (But) it is an easy thing to put right.

“I look around at lots of clubs in this league and see the number of staff they have got. Four, five and six (more). I know players at clubs who do not even know (certain) staff members’ names as there are that many of them.

“It is the backwards way around. The clubs who do not work with players and try and develop them have all the staff sitting there doing nothing. The ones who try and have to develop and enjoy developing a team and players have not got any staff.”

Heckingbottom held transfer discussions with the new owners yesterday, with Conway confirming that the club will be “active” in the January market without spending “crazy” money.

The prospect of some squad players from Nice – in which Lee and Conway own an eighty per cent share – heading to Oakwell is something that Heckingbottom is not oblivious too either.

But while he is not ruling out the notion of selected players heading across the Channel to aid their footballing development, he does adds a note of caution.

Heckingbottom commented: “We have to be careful. We have a spirit here among the players that makes up for a lack of funds. We have to make sure we keep that and anyone who comes in adds to that and does not take away.

“We are not just going to become a team with ten English and ten French lads. No way, that would not work. It is about expanding everything we do across the wider continent, not just France.”

“One is not going to be a feeder club to the other and vice-versa. Decisions have to be made independently and it is about what is best for Nice and what is best for Barnsley. But you would be silly to not use resources which would be of (mutual) benefit – whether that is for recruitment or player trading.”