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

What’s confusing you?

 

Not undermining Pointon at all, but a good coach can make a big difference to bringing out the best in young players. Baldwin, is a good example - plays way better than he ever has done. Notts County fans would have laughed if we'd said he'll be the vital part of a promotion playing L1 team. Tilt is another example. Shepherd is another example, the other way, poor coach at Barnsley (that's my Barnsley friend's view) and he's now a shadow of the player he was last season.

It's also strange because my Barnsley mate was full of praise for Neufville today. Him and Ashby dominated that right hand side when they played. And even Neufville is not as scintillating as early season - we'd still get good money for him if we sold him at the end of the season. Apparently Clearyl has been very hit and miss this year. That's youngsters for you.

I also never said that you we glad that Parky went. I was just comparing the two overtly critical views of each manager, was both show a lack of appreciation for what those managers did for us.

Nobody's saying it wasn't poor. I've posted at least six times criticising the play up to their goal and our dozy defending.

13th in the form table, is where optimistic Bantams thought we would end up at the start of the season. We ALL now lack perspective, i.e. a draw at Barnsley is now a terrible result!! Fact is and I repeat, that our squad is not as good as at least ten of the teams in this division. So 13th placed form is no surprise. And that's why GA doesn't deserve criticism for occasional poor performances, that are down to poor play from a team that is punching way above it's weight. If it was L2 - I'd agree.

 

Why??? Because, correct me
If I’m wrong, I cat be arsed to check but I don’t think 4 points from 4 games will be enough.

 

I have to agree last season was a great achievement, however, there were games in the final stages of the season where had we had better game management we would have not had to rely on a 96th minute winner to win promotion.

 

Of course it's enough.
Bolton play Luton last match and Plymouth wouldn't catch us

 

I hate it when these get given. Glad the ref didn't buy it. Striker knocks ball ahead, buckles knees, let's contact happen, hits the deck. You can always tell when a player is looking to go down. It's a very hard one to decipher fr the ref which is why I have some sympathy when they don't book the player but they get given far too often.

 

Barnsley forum absolute livid about the ref kev.

 

Oh ok then, I’ll settle down safe in the knowledge the players knew what they were doing.

 

Spot on. I think a lot of people forget that misplaced passes, losing markers, missing chances, shanking crosses, mistiming tackles, spooning headers etc is the stock in trade of league 1 football. Expectations are wildly over the top.

 

I'm not knocking GA. I think he has done a fantastic job, not to say he couldn't have done an even better job though. But I am interested in 2 of your comments.

Exactly who has developed under GA's tutelage to be worth millions?

Do you really think Parkinson would be where he is in the Championship without having gazillions to spend to bring in whichever players he wants?

 

Today's thoughts.
Terrible first half. Better with the subs and should have won. Very naive in the closing minutes.
Mystified as I was by his signing, Powell is a player and may well have a big part to play in whatever remains of the season.
Given that the left side of our 3-4-3 is decimated either we play Humphrys out wide or we adapt our system. Perhaps one that incorporates Powell. Wouldn't be surprised if we don't see Bobby again this season. Maybe Tyreik too.
I'm as disappointed as anyone else by today but after 65 years watching I've seen time and again how the final games of a season produce numerous bizarre results and crazy ingame happenings.
If we make it and come up against either Stockport or Bolton at any stage it's worth bearing in mind that the former have only one fit centre back and the latter, if their forum is to be believed, scarcely a fullback worthy of the name. And one got sent off today.
So let's give the team as much support as we can in the remaining games. Don't get too downhearted when things go against us, and just keep going to the bitter end, wherever that might be.
It's a long summer.

One further thought. Power is a shadow of himself when he's trying to avoid a booking.

 

Chesterfield and Swindon, throw Doncaster in there as well
Our game management under GA is questionable at times
The form since January is very sketchy, the transfer window looks worse as every game passes
I fear Plymouth on Tuesday, they score goals and the last few games the defence has looked poor
Not that the rest of the team has been up to much
I personally feel the club as a whole have not grasped this opportunity with both hands, whether our league position has come as a shock to the management or not, I think this could be a missed opportunity

 

I’m sure they are . Two fictitious pens not given . I though 5-4-1 as their home formation says more about them aping Stevenage and winning on a break or set piece than any ambition of doing well.
Btw that tackle on Touray is pretty horrific in slo mo. Way over the top at speed and could have broke his ankle . Lucky boy he didn’t get a serious injury . Sending off all day long.

 

Sorry but a draw against a mid table team who were down to 10 men for 90% of the match IS a terrible result

 

Tuesday will either see us signing this season off with a place in the playoffs or yet more squeaky bum time if Plymouth get the win they desperately need as they have relegated Port Vale and Northampton as their last two games.
Id much rather be in our position but would prefer to be going into the playoffs in some sort of form.

 

No disagreements from me. Ref was fine. No shock to see a club forum talk utter boll*cks about a refereeing performance mind.

 

It’s great that the dog botherers coughed up the points for the god knows how many times
Playing so poorly and managing to get ahead and conceding an equaliser in the 96th minute, is bottling it in my eyes
Two points thrown away to go with the three at Reading. We have lots of very experienced players, who aren’t doing their jobs
Lose on Tuesday and the s—t could really hit the fan
GA has to earn his corn. We don’t want to be heading to Exeter needing a result, especially if they need one to stay up. They were a better team than us at VP and would have probably won if Wareham didn’t have such an awful day in front of goal

 

All you mentioned is part of the game at our level
It’s our performance in matches since the decorations came down after Christmas that’s the worry

 

Pointon and Metcalfe. In today's market where Dom Ballard will apparently go for £10m. Both these two are now worth more than £1m. For instance Plymouth's Tolaj cost them more than a million and had played just one month in L1. Bali Mumba, a full back, cost similar for Huddersfield. I'd think someone would pay >£1m for Neufville as well.

Whether any of these are worth it , is irrelevant.

No. But I always thought he could manage in the Championship. He'd now get a job at another Championship team. Some of our fans thinking we'd hit the jackpot when he went, were way off the mark.

 

Always play your situations. Bollocks to "we'd be happy with this form before the season" kinda stuff. We were given a golden opportunity for 3 points and never capitalised on it. I fear we have a mentality issue.

We dont switch on, go up the gears and really put the fear of god into a team. I hate the lucky to be here mentality, stand up tall and show up. We can beat any team when we commit, but it feels like we have halt things and wait until 20 to go.