Barnsley: From Fairytale to Freefall

Upon the conclusion of the 2020/21 season, despite an instant hint of bitterness among Barnsley fans, there was a feeling of overriding joy and optimism that the following campaign could take them one step further.

Valerien Ismael was the man who took them within a sniff of the top flight in his maiden season in the EFL Championship, guiding them to a play-off semi-final, only to be edged out by Steve Cooper’s Swansea City. His first season as Tykes manager brought the town together in a campaign marred by the global pandemic.

The ‘gung-ho’ pressing style employed by the former LASK, VFL Wolfsburg and Apoel Smyrnis boss was effective to say the least, their physicality overpowering most sides in the second tier.

This was quickly noted by recently relegated West Bromwich Albion who opted to trigger the Frenchman’s £2,000,000 release clause and bring him to The Hawthorns.