Griffin Park has played host to many, many memorable moments over the years – could it be about to stage its biggest in modern times on Wednesday night?
The stakes could not be higher as Barnsley come to west London. A win or a draw for Brentford could see us promoted to the Premier League for the first time in our history. The Tykes need a win to have any chance of avoiding relegation, and even then would need other results to go in their favour in order to survive.
Add into all this the fact that this is scheduled to be the final-ever game in Griffin Park’s 116-year history and an emotional and highly-charged night is on the cards.
Of course, should things go against the Bees, then there will be one more match played at GP – the second leg of the play-off semi-finals on either Wednesday or Thursday evening next week.
Barnsley arrive full of confidence after scoring in injury-time to beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 on Sunday to keep alive their survival hopes.
The Tykes have had a difficult season after winning promotion at the first time of asking last season by finishing second in League One. The heart of their successful side – goalkeeper Adam Davies, central defenders Ethan Pinnock (now with us of course) and Liam Lindsay, and centre-forward Kieffer Moore were all sold in the close season and the new-look side struggled back in the Championship.
Although they beat Fulham 1-0 in their opening game, it was another 18 matches until they won again by beating Hull 3-1 at the end of November.
That was Gerhard Struber’s third match in charge and was the start of a run of four wins and three draws in nine games which lifted them to 22nd in the table and to within a point of safety.
Their form has been mixed since then – with a run of four defeats in five, for example, followed by three straight wins.
While they have the 18th best home record in the Championship – better than relegation rivals Hull, Luton and Middlesbrough – they have the division’s worst away record, with four wins and four draws from their 22 matches on the road.
It definitely hasn’t been dull being a Barnsley fan in recent years.
They have been either promoted or relegated in four of the last six seasons and also won the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in 2016. That was the first of two trips to Wembley that season as they also won the League One play-off final.
GRIFFIN PARK MEMORIES
Some of the Beesotted crew have given me their thoughts and memories of this season and overall at Griffin Park.
Ollie Watkins’ last-minute winner against Millwall. We had huge expectations for the season. We looked down and out at 2-0 down and 82 mins gone. We got one back. Suddenly the atmosphere went up a few notches. Then a second. More pottiness. Then that goal. Pandemonium. The Ealing Road went bonkers. Quality Griffin Park atmosphere. It pretty much turned our season around. A great afternoon. Billy Grant
This season will always be memorable. It’s the last-ever at the hallowed ground of GP, and there can be absolutely no doubt that the manager, the players and everyone around them have worked tirelessly to make it the send-off it deserves. Regardless of what happens on the last game, we will finish in our highest position in decades. That’s a great last hurrah in my book. This season, the turning point has to be Millwall at home and THAT Ollie Watkins 94th minute goal. It turned the players to believing they were never beaten and that every game was winnable. The blue kit. The limbs. I was actually so speechless with delight that Edward the Headward’s rugby tackle in celebration didn’t even register. What a game. Robin Hood
The world seemed to be shutting down. We were looking forward to going to Fulham, but would the game happen? Somehow I think we all, or at least a large number of us, thought that this might be it for the old lady. Nights under lights, shining bright as we approached the ground along Brook Road . Afternoons spent shielding our eyes against the sun on the Ealing Road terrace. Trudging back to the Great West Road in the rain after a defeat to a team we should have beaten. And so we beat Wednesday 5-0. A fitting and memorable way to leave GP. Happy days. Liberal Nick
This season? I’d guessed the Wednesday game would be our last there, so I went and spent the first half over by the corner flag at the front of ER where I used to stand when I first went with my friend from school. I found that really profound somehow. Then I went for the second half back in my spot behind the goal. I took some videos as well – just of nothing, so I’d have the sounds to remember, not the goals, the other bits. I’m so glad I did that. It made me feel like I’d had MY last game at GP even if it wasn’t THE last game. The amazing Gem
The feeling of anticipation and excitement every time I see the floodlights from my car as I drive down South Ealing Road. Griffin Park is my home from home and every part of it, every nook and cranny is seared into my very being and consciousness. Greville Waterman
The penalty shoot-out with Richard Lee’s heroics against Everton in 2010, the atmosphere was buzzing and it was the plucky spirit of the Bees at its finest. Liberal Tom
WHO’S IN CHARGE?
Gerhard Struber took charge of Barnsley in mid-November – succeeding Daniel Stendel as head coach at Oakwell.
Struber had been managing Austrian side Wolfsberger AC, who he had guided to third in their league last year – earning a place in the Europa League.
The 43-year-old used to work in both the software and insurance industries before deciding to move into football coaching in 2014.
He worked in Red Bull Salzburg’s academy before becoming manager of FC Liefering.
Struber spent his career playing in Austria.
WE’VE MET BEFORE
Brentford don’t have a great record against Barnsley in the Championship with our win in September our first in five meetings. The Tykes have won two of the other four.
Barnsley proved to be party-poopers on their visit in October 2016 – as they spoiled celebrations of our 4,000th league game with a 2-0 win.
A goal in each half from Adam Armstrong and Sam Winnall stretched our winless run to four matches.
Florian Jozefzoon scored his first Bees goal in the return on Easter Monday, but it wasn’t enough to earn us all three points as we had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
FloJo equalised Marley Watkins’ opener just before half-time and we missed a chance to win it in the second half when Jota’s penalty was saved by Adam Davies.
The Tykes’ next visit to TW8 came on the Saturday before Christmas in 2017 and the two sides provided little festive cheer as they played out a goalless draw.
The point stretched our unbeaten Championship run at Griffin Park to 10 matches and ended a run of five league defeats for Barnsley. It left the Bees 13th in the table – seven places ahead of the visitors.
The return in April ended our slim play-off hopes and boosted Barnsley’s bid to avoid the drop as the Tykes won 2-0.
Goals from Kieffer Moore and Oli McBurnie early in each half ended our seven-game unbeaten run and dropped us down to ninth – four points adrift of the top six with one match remaining.
The result also took Barnsley out of the relegation zone on goal difference, but they ended up being relegated.
Last September, a hat-trick of headers from Ollie Watkins earned us a 3-1 televised Sunday lunchtime win at Oakwell.
Cauley Woodrow put Barnsley ahead with a curling 25-yard shot in the first minute, but Watkins headed in Mathias Jensen’s cross to equalise 10 minutes before half-time.
Sergi Canos created Watkins’ two second half efforts – 60 seconds after the restart and in the 68th minute to end a run of three successive away defeats.
We moved up to 14th in the table, while Barnsley stayed 22nd.
OPPOSITION VIEW
BBC Radio Sheffield’s Barnsley reporter and commentator Adam Oxley discusses whether Barnsley can escape relegation, how important Ethan Pinnock was to the Tykes during his time at Oakwell, and looks back on a very personal memory of a visit to Griffin Park.
Q – How much optimism is there around the club that Barnsley can win and pull off a great escape on Wednesday, other results permitting?
A – With the EFL disciplinary matters regarding Wigan and Sheffield Wednesday still not resolved, the battle for Championship survival is unnecessarily complicated. For a long time in Sunday’s game against Nottingham Forest it seemed that Barnsley may be reliant on any points deductions to survive, but super-sub Patrick Schmidt’s added-time goal has given the Reds a fighting chance. And bearing in mind Barnsley were nine points off safety at one point, that’s all they could have asked for.
There is definitely hope and at least some optimism that the Reds can cause an upset at Griffin Park, especially with how well they played against Leeds and Forest, but everyone at Oakwell is aware that Brentford are clear favourites to win the game.
Q – How would you assess the Tykes’ season and where has it gone wrong?
A – Barnsley’s season went wrong in the first few months. Daniel Stendel – who did so brilliantly to get the Reds promoted from League One in his first season – tried to continue with the same attacking brand of football, and it backfired as they only won one of their opening 18 games, a run in which Stendel was sacked.
Losing Kieffer Moore, Adam Davies, Liam Lindsay and Ethan Pinnock – a player the Bees now know well – was a big blow last summer and Barnsley’s transfer policy of recruiting young, hungry players left them without much-needed experience, particularly in the Championship.
Q – What sort of job has Gerhard Struber done since arriving at Oakwell?
A – If Barnsley go down this season, it won’t be Gerhard Struber’s fault. The Reds form since he took over sees them clear of the drop zone and they’ve performed well against the best teams in the division, doing the double over Fulham and beating Forest at the weekend. Struber brought in the experienced Michael Sollbauer in January from his former club Wolfsberger in Austria, and Sollbauer has been a key factor in Barnsley’s defensive improvement – they’ve now kept eight clean sheets in their last 13 games.
The story of the season – as coach Adam Murray put it last week – has been missed chances in front of goal. The goals have dried up for Cauley Woodrow and Conor Chaplin – who are both in double figures for the season – and this has meant that some of the team’s good performances have gone unrewarded.
Q – How key a player was Ethan Pinnock during his time at Barnsley?
A – Ethan was a huge part of Barnsley’s promotion to the Championship. He struck a great partnership with Liam Lindsay and together they formed the foundation of a team that was solid at the back and exciting to watch going forward.
Having interviewed Ethan a few times in his two-year spell at Oakwell, I really like the guy. Very easy to get on with, very measured and it’s been great to see him become a key part of the Bees push for the Premier League – just a shame Barnsley couldn’t hang on to him!
Q – Who are the main Tykes players to watch out for on Wednesday?
A – One of the keys post-lockdown has been the emergence of some of the younger (even younger!) fringe players in the Barnsley squad. Callum Styles has really impressed over the last two games, looking confident from wide left and offering excitement whenever he gets on the ball.
Young forward Elliot Simoes has also shown real promise over recent weeks – scoring the winner at QPR – before getting injured. We thought he was out for the season, but Simoes has had a miraculous recovery and is now set to feature at Griffin Park. Look out for academy goalkeeper Jack Walton as well. He was given his chance post-lockdown and has taken it with both hands, starting every game, and keeping five clean sheets in eight games.
Q – You won’t be at Griffin Park, but what memories do you have of previous visits?
A – It’s such a shame that it’s the end for Griffin Park. I’m a big fan of “proper football grounds” and that’s how I’d describe Griffin Park, with history, tradition and character in abundance.
My best memory of trips to Griffin Park was Barnsley’s 2-0 win in October 2016. The result of course was brilliant but it was one of the games my Dad managed to attend with me before he sadly passed away last year. My Dad loved my job nearly as much as I do and it was incredible whenever he could share in my away days. He didn’t like the thought of me doing long trips alone so offered to come whenever he could, and on that trip he managed to get a ticket in the away end while I did full-match commentary for Radio Sheffield.
My Dad found it a real experience (!) sitting with the Barnsley fans, especially with the Reds winning! It’s the anniversary of my Dad’s passing this Saturday and this has been a lovely memory to recall.
Q – How did you get your football fix during lockdown – reading football books, watching old matches, or did you switch off from the sport for a while?
A – It’s fair to say that sport, and football in particular, is a huge part of my life, so with sport on hold for a few months, it left a big gap! I largely switched off from it, as I was lucky to be able to keep working at the BBC, albeit performing a variety of different roles to my usual sports role.
Professionally it’s been a really useful few months. I’ve been able to present Radio Sheffield’s afternoon show and weekend breakfast show, as well as producing several other shows. What I’ve really missed is playing five-a-side, which “normally” I would do twice a week, and thankfully I’ve got a first friendly this Thursday after a four-month absence.
Q – Finally, can you give me a likely Barnsley line-up and formation please?
A – Barnsley have been playing three at the back recently so potentially it could be Walton in goal; Sollbauer, Anderson & Jordan Williams at the back; Ludewig on the right, Styles on the left; Mowatt and Ritzmaier in the centre; with Woodrow behind Brown and Chaplin up front.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE GAME
The match is being played behind closed doors, but is being shown live on Sky Sports Mix – broadcast details here.
Bees season ticket holders can watch for free on iFollow if you have redeemed your code – other Bees fans can watch on iFollow for £10 per game – full details here.
IAN WESTBROOK
@ianwestbrook
@ianwestbrook Well, no. Probably not…