Man United and Sir Alex Ferguson will shudder at the mention of Barnsley: View | OneFootball

Barnsley take on Manchester United in the 3rd Round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, we throwback 26 years when the Tykes took on and beat United

As Barnsley head to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United in the Third Round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening, we throw back 26 years when the Tykes took on Sir Alex Ferguson's side and dumped them out of the FA Cup.

A quarter of a century is a long time, even more so in football. How times have changed for the South Yorkshire club from those heady days in the late 1990s playing at the highest level in English football for what so far has been their only occasion.

During the 1997/98 season, Barnsley were going toe-to-toe with sides in the then called Premiership. That season would end in disappointment and relegation, with Barnsley so far never returning to the top flight and in recent years looking extremely unlikely to do so for sometime to come.

Despite spending the majority of seasons since relegation from the Premier League in England's second tier, the Championship, Barnsley have slowly regressed and have now become a regular League One side. Third division football is a long way away from the 5th Round of the FA Cup in February 1998 when Barnsley knocked the Red Devils out.

Danny Wilson's squad was full of quality

During the 1997/98 season, manager Danny Wilson had a host of talented players within his Barnsley squad. Players like Nicky Eaden, Adie Moses, Arjan De Zeeuw, Chris Morgan, Neil Redfearn, John Hendrie and Ashley Ward all played in the first game at Old Trafford that ended in a 1-1 draw. Those players wore the Barnsley shirt with distinction and didn't look out of place against a top United side.

Whilst not being disrespectful to the current Barnsley squad, the Oakwell outfit have for far too long shopped for players in the bargain-basement for free signings and loan players. Recent signing Davis Keillor-Dunn represents one of the few occasions recently that Barnsley have paid a significant fee for a player. Year after year, Barnsley have sold off their prized possessions and not reinvested in the squad wisely enough.

Back in the late 1990s, striker Ashley Ward left Oakwell, moving to Blackburn Rovers for a reported fee of £4.5m, which was a huge fee back then. No doubt a striker of the ilk of Ward would fetch a significantly higher fee in today's transfer market, showing the gap between the squad of yesteryear and today.

There have not been too many players in a red shirt in recent times that would be considered worthy of lacing Neil Redfearn`s boots. An absolute warrior and leader who is still held in high esteem among Barnsley supporters, Redfearn was the beating heart of many a Barnsley side.

Referee controversy at Old Trafford

As Barnsley head to Old Trafford to face Manchester United, the Tykes can draw some inspiration from the performance of manager Danny Wilson's team back in February 1998.

Despite Sir Alex Ferguson making some changes to his starting line up, the United team that day still contained David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Peter Schmeichel, Teddy Sheringham, Gary and Phil Neville, all players that would go on to win a treble of trophies the following season.

Schmeichel would have an uncharacteristically bad couple of games against Barnsley in the FA Cup. At fault for the Tykes' goal at Old Trafford, slicing a back pass across his penalty area allowing John Hendrie to race through and score into an empty net in front of thousands of jubilant Barnsley fans.

Despite Sheringham equalising and taking the cup tie to a replay at Oakwell, this game should have been decided at Old Trafford after referee Mike Riley made a terrible decision not to award Barnsley a penalty in the second half.

Replays showed, with Sky Television commentator Andy Gray agreeing that Gary Neville had clearly brought substitute Andy Liddle down in the penalty area deep in the second half. Barnsley felt hard done by but dusted themselves down and went again in the replay at Oakwell.

An unlikely hero saw off Manchester United

With Oakwell stadium filled to capacity under the lights, there was a crackling atmosphere that awaited Manchester United.

An unlikely hero emerged from the Barnsley team in the form of defender Scott Jones, who scored two goals to knock United out of the competition.

Once again, John Hendrie was the scourge of United, scoring with the outside of his right foot past the Great Danish goalkeeper, who could do nothing about the emphatic strike.

The home crowd were in ecstasy when a floating Neil Redfearn cross was fired home by an unmarked Jones, making it 2-0. Schmeichel again was at fault, waiting for the cross to fall into his hands only for Jones to pounce ahead of anyone in the penalty area.

Despite a deflected Sheringham goal halving the arrears for the visitors, another inviting Redfearn cross was emphatically headed home by Jones for his second and Barnsley's third goal of the night.

Andy Cole pulled United back into the tie in the second half, but the momentum was with the hosts, who triumphed in a pulsating five-goal thriller.

Famous win could not change Barnsley's season

Unfortunately, Barnsley could not repeat their heroics in the next round, being knocked out by Newcastle United. The season would unravel with relegation to the now-Championship confirmed a few months later.

Despite Barnsley going in the wrong direction on and off the pitch since 1998, Darrell Clarke's side can take a lot of encouragement from the efforts and achievements of Danny Wilson's side and hopefully put a smile back on those Barnsley supporters' faces on Tuesday evening with another famous victory. It is a huge ask, but like in February 1998, anything can happen in football, just as Man United and Ferguson know.