Barnsley FC Weekly Round-Up: Humphrys Gone, Flinders Back, Fan Zone Approved, and Fixtures to Fret Over
Well, if you thought things were going quiet at Oakwell this summer, think again. In the space of seven days, we’ve binned off a striker, welcomed back a familiar face, added a couple of new names, got council approval for a glorified beer garden, and been handed a fixture list that’ll have us racking up miles before the clocks go back. Buckle up, Reds—2025/26 is already looking peak Barnsley.
Humphrys Out, Finally
Stephen Humphrys has officially left the building. Nine goals in 41 appearances later, the club confirmed what most fans suspected—his chapter at Oakwell is done. He’s since joined Bradford City, which means two things: 1) He’ll probably look like Erling Haaland against us in any future fixture, and 2) he’ll still be described as “a handful on his day” for the next five years. Best of luck, Humps—genuinely.
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Flinders Returns – This Time with a Clipboard
Scott Flinders is back at Oakwell—no gloves this time, but a whistle and some coaching cones. The veteran stopper has been appointed as our new goalkeeping coach, adding a bit of know-how and, crucially, local understanding. Let’s hope he can teach the lads when to catch, when to punch, and when to just scream convincingly at their defenders.
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Fan Park Plans Get Green Light
After years of half-baked ideas and budget beer tents, Barnsley Council has given the go-ahead for a permanent fan zone at Oakwell. It'll cater for 650 fans and be open for up to five matchdays per season. Expect warm lager, questionable sound systems, and fans arguing about formations three pints deep. Still, it’s progress—and we’ll take it.
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Cooper Signs – Keeper In, Panic Out?
The first signing of the summer came in the shape of goalkeeper Murphy Cooper, who joins on a season-long loan from QPR. He impressed at Stevenage last term and arrives with decent reviews. With Sormaz calling it “a great addition,” fans can now breathe slightly easier knowing we’ve at least got someone to stand between the sticks.
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Ogbeta Joins the Reds
Next through the door is Nathanael Ogbeta—a 24-year-old left-back arriving on loan from Plymouth Argyle. With Championship and League One experience, he’s been brought in to add pace, width, and hopefully prevent us conceding from our left flank every other week. Solid addition? Fingers crossed.
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Fixtures Are Out – Argyle Away to Kick Things Off
The 2025/26 League One fixtures have landed, and we’re hitting the road early—Barnsley start the campaign away at Plymouth Argyle on Saturday 2 August. Nothing like a 600-mile round trip to test those new signings straight out of the box.
After that, it’s Carlisle (a), Wrexham (h), and Huddersfield (h) in a jam-packed August that’ll either launch the Connor Hourihane era with a bang or have us clinging to the prospect of knocking Fleetwood Town out of the Carabao Cup. That first-round tie is scheduled for the week commencing 11 August—and hey, Fleetwood at least gives us a chance to progress… on paper, anyway.
Boxing Day brings a trip to The Valley to face Charlton—because nothing says festive cheer like South London public transport—and we wrap the season at home to Bolton Wanderers on Saturday 2 May. Hopefully, with something still to play for.
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Russell Rumblings – Championship Clubs Sniffing
Jon Russell, our lanky midfield metronome, is apparently on several Championship radars—including Derby, Stoke, Blackburn and Oxford. He’s only got a year left on his deal, so you don’t need a crystal ball to predict how this story ends. We either cash in, cling on, or let him walk next summer while everyone pretends we "offered a contract."
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Final Whistle: The Engine’s Running, But We’re Still in Neutral
So that’s the week: one striker out, a coach in, two new faces through the door, a fan zone finally approved, and the fixture list revealed in all its brutal glory. It’s been busy, and we haven’t even got to July yet. If this is the calm before the storm, make sure you’re stocked up on paracetamol and patience—this season’s going to be a proper rollercoaster.