Word association^*
Bassett (x2 - "Hate Him"), Anonymous, Bear, Great Accent, Toby Tyke, Weekend in Leeds, Yorkshire

Previous encounters
Our most recent encounter with the Tykes came at the end of our promotion season when they came very close to upsetting our steamroller finish at Oakwell. I seem to remember their 'keeper being flattened by Michel as we scored one of our goals...which sort of made up for the red card that the same keeper should have received at Vicarage Road in December. Earlier encounters are memorable for Tommy Mooney having a set to with Gary Penrice, Peter Beadle being wound up by Gerry Taggart and Paul Furlong provoking mayhem on the away terrace with a relegation-defying run and shot in 1994.

Last season
Close, but no Nicky Wright. The Tykes had a good, if ultimately disappointing, season, running in fourth and losing out to Ipswich in the play-off final. Their 4-0 win at St.Andrews was one of the results of the year.

Next season
The sadistic streak in each of us was rooting for a Barnsley win at Wembley at the end of May to deny Ipswich yet again. It didn't happen, and Barnsley spend another season in Division One, their nineteenth at this level in the last twenty years.

Barnsley will be one of many strong sides in Division One this season... but it would appear that Wembley in May was a chance that the Tykes could ill afford to allow to go begging. Craig Hignett's departure is, obviously, significant; the prolific midfielder will be hard to replace...and without that trump card it's hard to see the Tykes coming out on the top of the morass of pretty good First Division sides. Top half though, with an outside chance of the playoffs.

How to annoy a Barnsley fan
Phone them up in the middle of the night and ask them whether they want to buy any double glazing.

^* A unique experiment, featuring instant reactions from BSaD pundits to the mention of the club's name.