The Voice - Match preview #43: Barnsley vs Bradford City Saturday 18th April 2026 12:30pm

Considering how clueless we were during the game, it certainly wasn't any surprise to me that we conceded their equaliser late on.

 

I'll explain "what Parky has to do with it". As discussed when he left in 2016 there were a small section of fans moaning about the football and how glad they were he'd gone as he wasn't good enough at the next level anyway.

As I said, that wonderful insight of fans, who don't think things through because they are pissed off after dropping points, often ends up with them looking foolish.

I know lots on here who didn't even think GA was a L2 "standard manager"!! He was hardly warmly received. I think you forget, that he's clearly improved as we all do during our careers.

Or do you think the thick end of 80 points a season, for two years isn't showing a sign of manager that's improved?

Frankly it's depressing to see the criticism he gets. The side / squad are average league 1 quality. I can name you around ten teams who have better ability in their squads. Can't you and others applaud what a great job he's done? And yes, still be pissed of with throwing away two points.

Answer to your question, I would have no problem with him been given the chance in the Championship. Who do you want an oven ready Championship manager like Gary Rowett, Lee Manning or Ryan Lowe?

Love the way you ignore players who have been developed to now be worth millions under his tutelage, but instead concentrate on loan players who are with us to contribute - where development for us is secondary. Leigh can't play in our system. GA doesn't have to alter the system so that every player's a success. What about Metcalfe? I assume he's also got so such natural talent that any manager would have benefited. No need to select them carefully when they're developing and nurture / educate them in your eyes. No need for coaching. They're natural talents, they don't need any of this boring coaching. You could manage such players and they'd be performing just as well

 

Scores again today. Just a natural goalscorer. Something we do not have

 

Have you forgotten the half a dozen years that preceded it. The fact we are where we are is brilliant in itself. We haven’t the best Squad in the league far from it so it only enhances the managers achievements. I would be offering him a new contract whatever happens between now and the summer

 

He's under contract until summer 2028. I don't think we should be thinking about another extension just yet.

 

sorry but people really need to stop thinking that AC would be the difference here, the two words you should be using to sum up that performance is Game Management, this season (and seasons before) we have have never been able to manage the game when we’ve been in the lead and see it out. That’s the difference between a ordinary team and a good solid team.

 

Yeah cookies cutting out that through ball to Cleary every day of the week

 

It's like he's become the latest player our fans love to hate. Replacing Baldwin, who (and remember what a big fan of his I am) has been far more culpable for goals been conceded.

The teams doing well. Often the lack of qualiy in some areas of the team, is glarine. Fully expected for a newly promoted club.

 

Yes. His prolific play and goal scoring is sadly missed. Oh sorry!! I've forgotten like you have, that we're now in L1.

 

Bloody garbage he is. The deflected shot at 1-0 that he pushed away. What was he doing? Should have caught it

 

That’s it to a tee we massively overachieved in the first part of the season but it’s catching us up now. But the play offs are like a cup tie situation and anything can happen we have done pretty well in cup ties this season

 

Looking at the final scores we've got off lightly.
Plymouth being the only team to make ground on us, after throwing 3 points away were still sitting nicely in the play offs.

 

You sure Park?

Cheltenham?

Don't tell me. It was a tough opponent.

 

The 3 forwards we brought in during January to score goals for us in L1 have got 1 goal between them. I'd have preferred to have taken our chances with a player that's got 8 goals since January thank you very much.

 

We were poor all around in game management given they had 10 players for 80+ mins. Players and management. Ga is poor at it. So many errors when we crawled in front. We need a new core - goalie, centre half and three L1 quality midfielders. No leadership or organisation at all on the pitch.

 

We did ok in the other cups this season and last

 

I believe Gary's comment was "for a seasoned pro he should not have belted it straight to their keeper" but I agree we should have dealt better with the second goal I believe it was Ashby who lost his man and Cleary put a very dangerous cross in from which none of our defenders read the danger.

 

lol

And Cook started that match, led the line and as I recollect had at least two golden chances to score - and didn’t… just saying….i was right behind the goal and one of them was an absolute sitter

 

Bringing Evans on was a huge mistake at the end of the game. Disrupted the team and he did nothing but give the ball away to them. He did the same at Reading and that cost us all three pointswhen we were coasting an easy win out up to then. Same today untill his constant poor display made us begin to panic.

 

If my maths is correct, a win on Tuesday and we are mathematically guaranteed play offs. Nothing less than a win will do for them so they will come at us. Its set up nicely, but a loss puts us under massive pressure.
Sarce obviously has to start and Im sure he will.