Exclusive: How Barnsley plan to cash in on Wembley

BARNSLEY chief executive Ben Mansford has revealed that booking a Wembley berth in tonight's pivotal Johnstone's Paint Trophy northern section final second leg at Fleetwood would be worth around £500,000 to the club.
Barnsley chief Executive Ben Mansford.Barnsley chief Executive Ben Mansford.
Barnsley chief Executive Ben Mansford.

The tie is delicately poised at 1-1 heading into this evening’s decisive televised encounter, when the Reds will be roared on by a travelling army of 1,300 expectant fans at the Highbury Stadium.

Securing a final spot against Michael Appleton’s Oxford United on April 3 – and rubber-stamping a first appearance at the home of football in seven years – would not only boost the Reds’ profile, but provide a “huge windfall” in financial terms, according to Mansford.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Oakwell chief says that progression, financially, would also take some of the pressure off Patrick Cryne, who has bankrolled the club in recent years.

The club’s accounts for the year ending May 31, 2014 revealed last January that the club were more than £3m in debt to Cryne, who donated £840,000 during the 2013-14 season, while guaranteeing an overdraft of just under £2m.

The Reds’ owner has continued to support the club financially since their drop into the third tier and Mansford admits that clinching a JPT final place for the first time would provide some welcome respite.

On what reaching the showpiece would mean, Mansford told The Yorkshire Post: “I think, all in all, that it would be worth several hundred thousand. I am not quite sure you would get north of half a million. But I think with the TV fee and everything that it would be worth up to half a million.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“For any League One club, that is absolutely incredible finances.

“For a club like ours, which continues to run a Category Two Academy and given that we are in a town where it can be a little bit tough sometimes to generate that type of finance commercially, it takes some pressure off Patrick, our owner.

“Obviously, the huge driver is your share of the gate and if we were to get there, we will be up against a fairly big crowd.

“I’d be surprised if Oxford, under the resurgence of Michael Appleton, didn’t take over 20,000 and we would take 20,000-plus as well.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The gate share would be the biggest part of it. The prize money would be lovely if we could get there and go on and win it, with the TV fee as well; we’d be delighted.

“There would obviously also be the connected merchandise and the excitement you would get connected to the club. It means an incredible amount.

“The money is incredibly important and it would be a huge windfall for the club.”

The run has also provided the catalyst to a renaissance in pitchfortunes following some desperate autumnal days.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mansford acknowledges that clinching a Wembley spot would provide just reward for the backing of those fans who stuck with the club during some seriously tough times – the Reds lost eight league games in a row and were within one loss of equalling an unwanted club record and were knocked out of the FA Cup by non-league Altrincham.

The club’s playing fortunes have turned around in remarkable fashion since with the in-form Reds heading into tonight’s game on the back of a seven-match unbeaten run.

Six successive league victories have arrived, with Barnsley’s upturn duly noted in the shape of head coach Lee Johnson and striker Sam Winnall being nominated for the respective League One manager and player-of-the-month accolades for January.

On the club’s desire to reward fans further, Mansford added: “Taking these fantastically loyal and proud set of fans to Wembley would be very humbling.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We could also be part of something that could see the club go to Wembley as it is a little while since we have been there.

“It has been such a journey. The (JP Trophy) games against York and Bradford did feel like respite and without that who knows what would have happened? We might not have turned the corner.”

Despite the high stakes ahead of tonight’s tie, Johnson is conscious of the need for players to keep calm and focused and even if his side do triumph, he has pledged that his celebrations will not be excessive.

Johnson, who does battle with Fleetwood counterpart Steven Pressley, a former team-mate from their time together at Hearts, said: “The players have been fantastic of late and are in confident mood, which is good.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“But it is my job to ensure that doesn’t tip the scales into complacency. It is such a fine line between confidence and complacency.

“If you start dreaming too early and thinking you have arrived when you haven’t, you can get caught unstuck.

“It is not just about winning this game as no one wants to go to Wembley and lose.

“For me, there won’t be ridiculously celebrating if we do win as I have been to Wembley and lost a final and, trust me, it does hurt.”

Josh Scowen interview: Page 18.