Ipswich Town v Barnsley 
Tuesday 10th April 2018 – 19:45
Portman Road
Pre-Match Thoughts - Mike
As the weeks go by I am finding it harder and harder to say anything different from the previous week, it seems to be groundhog day week after week and until Mick departs I can see nothing but more of the same over the remaining games. Saturday at Brentford was oh so simliar to many games that have gone before it, a less than inspiring Line up, a punchless display lacking in any real attacking threat and once again we lose a game by the narrowest of margins having seen our goal rarely threatened, some would day we are suffering some bad luck with tough decisions going against us but I would suggest we now have a really soft look about us at times, confidence is obviously at an all time low and the whole manager scenario is having nothing but a detrimental effect on the situation, we would be much better off with an interim boss in charge to see us through the final Five games of the season but that looks very unlikely to happen even though the spat between manager and fans shows no signs of letting up given how a section of the support vented their anger at Griffin park, as somebody else said all it is doing now is dividng the club and fans even more, players are apparently now even showing their disdain for what is going on. We all hope to see some new faces come in next season, I just hope players will still want to come and play for us given how uncomfortable it is at times.
The game itself was pretty dire really, Brentford looking the more likely throughout while Town struggled to create much at all, god how often do I write that !!! The link up play from Midfield to attack was virtually non existent while the defence again is so negative in most of what it does, our backward and sideways passing must be miles ahead of anyone else in this division, it shows players suffering from a real lack of confidence and almost scared to go out and express themselves, May 6th really cannot come quickly enough for me now, I had hoped we would at least win the battle to finish above the scum but that looks a forlorn hope once more as they clawed themselves above us. A top half finish also now looks highly unlikely too and if we arent careful Five more defeats could very well be on the cards which would see us much nearer the bottom than we really deserve to be given how well we did over the first half of the season.
Next up is Barnsley who are fighting for their lives to retain their Championship status, also returninfg to town is a certain Keiffer Moore who has found it tough as many thought he would. The takeover has failed to improve Barnsley's chances either, in fact they have fallen lower than before the takeover happened. The Tykes did pick up a crucial win over Sheffield United at the wekend to at least give themselves a chance but there is still a few wins needed if they aren't going to fall through the trap door. I think this is the one remaining fixture that Town can look to gain Three points from as the rest look anything but easy and while we have little to play for compared to our opponents I think Town will finally record another home victory, maybe just maybe we will be entertained like we were against Millwall too.....although on the other hand !!!
The Opposition – Barnsley FC
Barnsley have spent more seasons in the second tier of English football than any other club in history.
Barnsley FC was established in 1887 by a clergyman, Tiverton Preedy, and played in the Sheffield and District League from 1890 and then in the Midland League from 1895.
They joined the Football League in 1898, and struggled in the Second Division for the first decade, due in part to ongoing financial difficulties.
In 1910 the club reached the FA Cup final, where they lost out to Newcastle United in a replay match. However, they would then reach the 1912 FA Cup Final where they would defeat West Bromwich Albion 1–0 in a replay to win the trophy for the first and only time in their history.
When the league restarted after World War I, the 1919–20 season brought some significant changes to the league. The principal difference was that the First Division would be increased from 20 teams to 22. The bottom team from the previous season was Tottenham Hotspur and they were duly relegated. The first extra place in the First Division went to Chelsea, who retained their place despite finishing 2nd bottom and therefore in the relegation places. Derby County and Preston North End were rightly promoted from the Second Division which left one place to be filled. Having finished the previous season's Second Division in 3rd place (1914–15), Barnsley expected to achieve First Division status for the first time, but The Football League instead chose to call a ballot of the clubs. Henry Norris, the then Arsenal chairman, had recently moved Woolwich Arsenal north of the River Thames to Highbury, and needed First Division football to attract fans to their new home. He was later to admit some underhand dealings, allegedly including the bribing of some member clubs to vote for Arsenal's inclusion. They duly won the vote and Barnsley were consigned to the second tier of English football for another 8 decades.
During the years preceding and following World War II, the club found themselves sliding between the Second and Third Division.
When the Northern and Southern sections of the Third Division were replaced by national Third and Fourth Divisions for the 1958–59 season, Barnsley were still in the Second Division, but went down to the Third Division at the end of that season.
In 1965, Barnsley were relegated to the Football League Fourth Division for the first time, winning promotion three years later. They went down to the Fourth Division again in 1972, and this time stayed down for seven seasons, finally returning to the Third Division in 1979.
Two years later, they went up again and quickly established themselves as a decent Second Division side throughout the 1980s, although they still failed to clinch that elusive First Division place.
At the time of the creation of the FA Premier League in 1992, Barnsley had been Football League members for 94 years, before finally clinching runners-up spot and automatic promotion and gaining the top flight place that they had spent 99 years trying to win.
Barnsley lasted just one season in the Premier League but did not go down without a brave fight.
In the following years Barnsley were not as successful, with relegation to Division Two in 2002 and administration both threatening the existence of the club.
Barnsley had the distinction of playing in the last play-off final at Wembley before the stadium was closed for redevelopment, and in 2006 won in a play-off final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, to earn promotion to the Championship.
The team struggled in their first season back in the Championship and in the 2013/14 season were relegated back to League 1.
On Sunday 3 April 2016, Barnsley won the Football League Trophy after a win over Oxford United at Wembley.
On 29 May, Barnsley gained promotion back to the Championship with a win over Millwall at Wembley Stadium in the League 1 playoff Final.
Barnsley performed well last season finishing in 14th place with 58 points.
The Manager – José Morais
Past Match - Video Highlights - Trev
Form Guide
Ipswich Last 5 Matches – Currently in 14 place with 53 points
13 Mar Ipswich Town 0 - 3 Hull City
17 Mar Bristol City 1 - 0 Ipswich Town
31 Mar Birmingham City 1 - 0 Ipswich Town
2 Apr Ipswich Town 2 - 2 Millwall
7 Apr Brentford 1 - 0 Ipswich Town
Barnsley Last 5 Matches – Currently in 22nd place with 37 points
10 Mar Middlesbrough 3 - 1 Barnsley
13 Mar Barnsley 1 - 1 Norwich City
17 Mar Barnsley 0 - 2 Millwall
30 Mar Barnsley 2 - 2 Bristol City
7 Apr Barnsley 3 - 2 Sheffield Utd
Fixtures of Interest
SUNDERLAND VS NORWICH CITY
PRESTON N.E. VS LEEDS UTD
QUEENS PARK RANGERS VS SHEFFIELD WED.
Match referee – James Linington
IPSWICH TOWN 2 BARNSLEY FC 1
