Barnsley will 'fight by all means necessary' to reform the Football League

The club's owners have said they will assess their mistakes in 2019-20 and have demanded the League do the same after hitting out at “the blatant disregard for sporting/competitive integrity and the lack of governance”.

A dramatic 2-1 win at Brentford saw the Reds finish outside the Championship's bottom three.

That ought to secure their place for next season, but they could still drop into the relegation zone if Wigan Athletic successfully appeal their 12-point deduction for entering into administration when their case is heard on July 31.

Sheffield Wednesday could also receive a points deduction over a misconduct charge which could relegate them.

Throughout the season Barnsley's owners have been very critical of the way the Championship is run, and they returned to the theme in a statement on Friday, whilst acknowledging they too need to improve after taking the fight against relegation to the final game.

A club statement thanked “our squad, led by Gerhard (Struber, the coach) and his staff for your desire and passion to battle to the bitter end.

“Not enough can be said about the commitment of club personnel and those key workers that allowed us to return to play. Barnsley Football Club is indebted to your service. Most importantly, to our supporters and the Barnsley community, your steadfast care for this club should never be forgotten. In the toughest of times, in a world unseen, our supporters were there for their club.”

It admitted: “There are a host of reasons why Barnsley Football Club took the fight for safety to the last day. Mistakes made internally and on the field; a bad bounce or run of luck. We must subjectively assess our performance.”

But their assessment of the Football League (EFL)'s performance was scathing.

“Clubs were charged with breaching rules surrounding financial fair play and harming the EFL and its members,” it noted. “One ownership group, (which was approved by the EFL (a reference to Wigan)), failed in their duty to provide the requisite support to their respective Championship organisation. One other ownership group completed a takeover and provided funding to a club without ever being approved by the EFL to become owners of that club (Bury).

“Another competitor has yet to pay a transfer fee to Barnsley Football Club that was due in August of 2019. Several clubs have been delinquent in payment to contracted players.

“We ask, where is the competitive balance?

“Our club, on a substantially smaller budget, has paid every professional player under contract 100 per cent of their wages this season, one of the few Sky Bet Championship clubs to do so.

“It is clear that there has to be a change to the system. Just as our coaching staff, players, club employees, and supporters have fought this season, so too will your club continue the fight by all means necessary.”

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