Barnsley FC Weekly Round-Up: Women's Team Controversy, Fixture List Grit, and a Club Walking a Tightrope

We’re only a few weeks into the off-season and already the club’s throwing curveballs harder than a Friday night press conference. Just when we thought we could quietly mutter about left-backs and training tops, we’re met with a sledgehammer decision to axe the women’s team and a pre-season schedule that reads like a guided tour of every half-decent carvery north of Sheffield. Here’s your weekly dose of Reds reality.

Women's Team Axed – A “Devastating” Blow

In a move that has stirred both disappointment and understanding among fans, Barnsley FC has announced the withdrawal of its senior women's team from the FA Women's National League ahead of the 2025–26 season. Chairman Neerav Parekh cited "financial constraints" as the primary reason, emphasising the club's need to maintain overall financial stability.

The decision stems from the FA's assessment that the club's current facilities, including the Showcase and 4G pitches at the Oakwell training ground, do not meet the criteria for the fourth tier of the women's game. Upgrading to compliant venues, such as Oakwell Stadium or local grassroots grounds, was deemed financially and logistically unfeasible. Parekh acknowledged that while temporary dispensation might have been possible, it would only delay the inevitable financial burden.

It's undeniably a massive blow to the aspirations of local lasses who’ve dreamed of pulling on a red shirt and playing for their town at the highest possible level. For many, this feels like the door being slammed shut just as it was starting to open. That said, it's important to acknowledge the difficult position the club finds itself in – trying to balance ambition with sustainability in a post-COVID landscape where every penny is being pinched.

Thankfully, Barnsley Women’s Football Club continues to operate independently, offering an alternative route for local talent to shine. Their ongoing commitment to developing women’s and girls’ football in the town provides a much-needed silver lining, even if the badge is slightly different.

This decision doesn’t sit well with everyone – nor should it. But amid the understandable frustration, it’s also worth remembering that the club is trying to survive, not just compete. And sometimes, that means making decisions that don’t make the highlight reel.

???? Source: Yorkshire Post

Pre-Season Fixtures Land: Familiar Foes and Lower League Scrap

With the drama off the pitch in full swing, at least the players will get to stretch their legs – assuming they’re still here by July. The club’s revealed our 2025 pre-season plans, and they’re as romantic and gritty as a Greggs steak bake left on a radiator.

We’ll be dusting off the boots for clashes with Gainsborough Trinity, Harrogate Town, and York City. No glamour ties, no international training camps, and definitely no Ibiza bonding sessions. Just a roll-call of clubs who will absolutely love the chance to kick lumps out of us before August.

But let’s be fair – these games serve a purpose. It’s not about razzle-dazzle, it’s about match fitness, tactical tweaks, and giving new signings a chance to spray one out for a throw-in. Pre-season is where half the fanbase decides we’re going up and the other half starts crafting Twitter threads about why we should’ve kept George Miller.

We’ll no doubt see trialists with names no one can pronounce, a few players tried out in “new roles,” and perhaps even some teenager who bangs in a 25-yarder and ends up on loan at Worksop Town by September.

So get the sat nav fired up, stock up on service station snacks, and prepare yourself for some football that may or may not resemble the game we all used to love.

???? Source: Barnsley Chronicle

Final Whistle

So, what have we learned this week? The club can pull a team faster than a manager after a 3–0 loss, and our pre-season travels are taking us on the scenic route through Northern grit.

Supporters aren’t stupid. They can sniff spin a mile off, and the reaction to the women’s team decision shows just how tuned in Barnsley fans are. Passion isn’t something this club needs to earn – it already has it. But respect? That’s a two-way street.

As for the friendlies, we’ll watch them, moan about them, and overanalyse them as if they’re Champions League knockouts. Because we’re Reds. And no matter what, we turn up.