Worrying news emerges as Barnsley are forced to cancel a pre-season friendly against Guiseley after being ‘unable to raise a team’.
The League One club had been set to begin their pre-season schedule with a journey to the Northern Premier League Premier Division side outfit next Tuesday night.
However, news of the cancellation surfaced, leaving the non league side looking for another opponent while left disappointed that they wouldn’t be hosting the game, especially after a big crowd would have been expected, and a boost financially.
Barnsley’s game against AFC Fylde also had to be played behind closed doors along with two other fixtures.
❌ | Our friendly with @BarnsleyFC on Tuesday night has been cancelled after our opponents informed us that they cannot raise a team.
News of an alternative fixture may follow should we be able to arrange at such short notice: https://t.co/HbRW9L0G5H#GAFC #GuiseleyTogether pic.twitter.com/vaeTdDf4Tu
— Guiseley AFC (@GuiseleyAFC) July 7, 2023
BARNSLEY STATEMENT:
Our friendly meeting with AFC Guiseley has now been cancelled.
The match-up, set to take place on Tuesday 11 July at Nethermoor Park will now no longer take place.
We take on AFC Fylde behind closed doors this Saturday in a 3pm kick-off, before taking on opposition behind closed doors the following Saturday on July 15.
Tuesday 18 July we travel to Hull City for a 7:45pm kick-off at the MKM Stadium. Tickets are now available for this clash via our Box Office.
A behind-the-closed-doors trip to Blackburn Rovers awaits on Saturday 22 July, then taking on Mansfield Town at the OneCall Stadium on Tuesday 25 July.
We complete our pre-season schedule on Saturday 29 July as we welcome Crewe Alexandra to Oakwell.
Understand cancelling friendly at Guiseley is due to amount of u21s training with first team.
Not a great look, obviously.Odd pre-season with at least three behind-closed doors friendlies for first team
— Doug O’Kane (@dougokane88) July 7, 2023
Our scheduled friendly with Guiseley AFC has now been cancelled.
— Barnsley FC (@BarnsleyFC) July 7, 2023
GUISELEY STATEMENT:
Barnsley have informed us that they cannot raise a team for Tuesday night’s fixture therefore the match has been cancelled with the potential for a new date to be set.
News on an alternative fixture may follow should we be able to arrange at such short notice.
If a new fixture cannot be found the Lions’ pre-season will start on the road at Thackley’s Dennyfield home on Tuesday 18th July in a 7:45pm kick-off.
Three home fixtures against Spennymoor on Saturday 22nd July (3pm kick-off), Scarborough on Tuesday 25th July (7:45pm kick-off) and Farsley Celtic on Saturday 29th July (3pm kick-off) will follow.
Pre-season then continues on the road with a trip to Avro on Monday 31st July (8pm kick-off) and Brighouse Town on Saturday 5th August (3pm kick-off).
The Real EFL gave their view on the matter, saying: “‘Can’t raise a team’ sounds dramatic, and it’s certainly prompted a response on social media, but there’s likely more than meets the eye to the decision. Neill Collins is fresh into the club, and it’s believed he wants their Under 18s and Under 23s, the players most likely to make up the team that visited Nethermoor Park, to train with the first team. That would mean they wouldn’t have a squad of 16 or so to put out against Guiseley.
“However, it is also incredibly irresponsible of Barnsley, who perhaps do not understand the importance of the fixture to Guiseley’s players and supporters. This writer is a Lincoln City fan, and I recall us having a friendly cancelled at short notice by Nottingham Forest – it was only meant to be their Under 23s, but at the time, we were in non-league, and there was a buzz at seeing a ‘proper’ professional club and the cream of their young players on display.
“Football League clubs have a responsibility to fulfil fixtures they commit to if there’s no valid reason for not doing. We’re not in Covid times anymore, and this is poor form from the Tykes.”
Fans reacted while worrying news emerges as Barnsley cancel the friendly after being ‘unable to raise a team’…
@LTFCShirts: Can we give Barnsley some of our players? Half of them are in our squad
@BFCDrinkers: Reminds me playing down Kendray asking everyone to ring around anyone cos only had three players for five a side
@rybu21: That is piss poor from @BarnsleyFC – Sunday League excuse.
@cudethred: apologies for my shambles of a club, good luck this season lads.
@Bikertyke1: What. We’ve under 18s under 23s and a first team. Very worrying 4 weeks from season starting
@Andy__Mac: I feel a little embarrassed. Sorry Guiseley
@White_Rose_Al: Deary me, that is poor
@Zack27595714: Fuck sake, the one time I’m off work
@Tobytyke941: Piss poor from us
@Varedero88: @BarnsleyFC … You have made our team and club a laughing stock!
@SamWild03893799: How tf can a league 1 club not raise a side
@meganfromtarn: Wtf is happening to our club
@Whiteybfc:
What a time to be alive
4 weeks until season starts is it
Still think Duff is a prick but did he see what was coming ?
I suspect so
and yet the happy clappy chaps and chappeses are saying dont believe everything you read on internet
Burn down the fanzone 😊👏
#BarnsleyFC
@JasonStevo11: Always been a Sunday league outfit have little old Barnsley
@Reds30082: Really poor. Letting down local clubs is not a good look. Not being able to field a team is embarrassing. @JulieAnneQuay what’s going on?
@Hank16537326909: 3 are in Ibiza, 2 are on the neets, 2 are going out for a meal wi their women 😂😂 #barnsleyfc #swfc
@JackHall7362: Surely we have enough between the first team, U18’s and U23’s?
@Dylan58750642: How does a league 1 club struggle to raise a team
@alexsmart1994: League one side can’t get 15 players to play a friendly 😂😂😂😂
@rjbrook76: Seriously! Fair play to the Barnsley fans who are having a go at there own club for doing this
@JamesArmo1994: Just what exactly is going on at @BarnsleyFC surely could have sent under 18s or 23s to play this lot
@TaitBill: Come on Barnsley you are better than this. Clubs like Guiseley need high profile friendlies like this for revenue. A lot of work by volunteers has gone into preparing for this including on the programme. 4 days notice is poor, very poor.
@Ikklestar: What is going on? Guiseley announced this with the news we can’t put a team out??????? Surely we haven’t lost that many players
@dannyg182pilt: Absolutely pathetic! Should be ashamed of yourselves 😡😡😡
@The_Mannster: So you’re saying throughout the entire squad of U-18s through to first team, we don’t have enough players to make a team for a non-competitive friendly…
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