Cup Exit Was Blessing In Disguise

How great might it have been to see our beloved Barnsley grace the Wembley turf in an FA Cup final? But how bad would it have been to follow our team all the way down to the likes of Yeovil, Peterborough and Hereford? (No disrespect intended).

Barnsley`s exit from the FA Cup may well have been a blessing in disguise, and a big one at that!

If the reds had got through to the final, would the players have committed themselves in the remaining league games as much as they should have done? Backing out of tackles and half heartedly making clearances so to avoid the risk of missing the final through injury? That would almost definitely have been the case. Although many of us would have wanted to do the same, playing in a Cup final is miles bigger than any league game.

However, it`s just difficult to imagine the likes of Diego Leon and Anderson de Silva battling away against Southend and Colchester on a windswept Tuesday night. Yes it would have been great to play in a cup final, but the fact of the matter is; Barnsley will be playing Championship football next season.

Things may be looking up at Oakwell, if the reds can bring in a striker that will bag 15-20 goals a season; the situation will definitely be improving for the Tykes.

Although what remains the most important factor of all is not who Barnsley can bring in, but who they can keep. Captain Brian Howard may have signalled his intention to stay at Oakwell but what people say and do are two different things.

Don`t get me wrong, I wouldn`t have swapped Barnsley`s season for anyone else`s, and if anyone deserved to lift the trophy then it`s Barnsley. Knocking out both Liverpool and Chelsea will live long in the memories of not only everyone connected with the reds but football fans all over the world.