"Concern" raised on Barnsley FC owners | OneFootball

FLW’s Tykes fan pundit is critical of Neerav Parekh’s impact at Oakwell so far

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Barnsley find themselves at a crossroads after another season of false dawns and disappointment.

The Tykes have languished well below pre-season expectations in the table, with managerial upheaval adding to the sense of instability around Oakwell.

Darrell Clarke's surprising March dismissal forced a rapid transition, with former club captain Conor Hourihane stepping into the dugout - a move now made permanent as the club seeks stability.

What started with hopes of challenging near the top has descended into a campaign of frustration and unfulfilled potential, with the managerial revolving door only compounding on-field struggles.

It's a stark reality for a club that was competing in the Championship play-offs just a few seasons ago, struggling to establish any meaningful momentum in League One.

With questions swirling about the club's direction both on and off the pitch, Football League World asked Barnsley fan pundit, Andy Symcox, whether fans still have faith in the ownership's commitment to the club's best interests.

Barnsley fan expresses cautious support for ownership despite recruitment concerns

The turbulent Tykes season has raised serious questions about the decision-making at board level, with supporter opinion divided on the ownership group's vision for the club.

Symcox offers a measured perspective: "I personally believe that our owners and the board have the club's best interests at heart. Although, I strongly suspect that many other fans don't agree with this."

“I think they have made a number of mistakes that have cost the club both on the field and off the field, and resulted in the owners having to dig deep and spend more money than realistically, they should have needed to do.”

“Our transfer and recruitment has been generally poor this season, for me, more of a scattergun approach rather than a targeted approach with the exception of Davis Keillor-Dunn.”

“The Chairman, Neerav Parekh, has already stated that there are likely to be sales this summer, to make up the shortfall as the current level of expenditure by our owners is unsustainable. That is obviously a cause for concern amongst the supporters.”

“The owners are not football people, and need people around them who know about football and transfers to get the best possible return on the money they spend. At present, I don’t believe that this is the case.”

Financial reality signals challenging road ahead for Barnsley

The situation at Oakwell extends well beyond this season's disappointing league position. With their League One stint now likely to stretch into a fourth consecutive season in 2025-26, Barnsley find themselves at a critical juncture.

Chairman Parekh's stance on financial prudence has created tension with a fanbase growing increasingly disillusioned, watching promotion rivals strengthen while the Tykes remained relatively inactive.

The club's leadership faces the difficult task of balancing competitive ambition against fiscal responsibility in an EFL landscape that remains difficult for many.

For Hourihane, the transition from club captain to permanent manager represents both opportunity and enormous challenge. The club legend inherits not just a team underperforming on the pitch but a financial reality that will likely see key assets sold this summer.

Parekh's admission that Barnsley will need to "balance the books" signals a potentially difficult transfer window ahead, though he has promised reinvestment of a "good chunk" of any sales back into the squad.

The appointment of Hourihane brings goodwill, but Barnsley's problems reflect a club caught in the challenging middle ground between ambition and sustainability - a delicate balancing act that will define their immediate future as they look to finally escape League One football.