Danny Wilson picked his first Barnsley side in 16 years. When he last stood on the touchline as Reds manager, Jack Butland was just four years old!
Bobby Hassell was handed his first start since April and only his second appearance of the season. Lewin Nyatanga finally made his long awaited second Barnsley debut, and The Reds went on to earn only their second clean sheet of the season.
This was the nineth time Barnsley have gone in at the break with the score-line at 0-0 but was only the second time it has finished that way.
Unfortunately Danny’s return could not bring a win so the record now stands at two wins from 23 matches and eight from 35.
Wilson also becomes the fourth Barnsley boss out of the last five to fail to win his first match in charge. Like Keith Hill, he starts with a goal-less away draw.
The Reds have failed to score from open play in six of their last seven matches, and they have failed to score at all in five of those.
They have gone seven matches since they last netted a second half goal and have managed just ONE in the last 11 games.
Great news though as The Reds kept a clean sheet for only the second time this season. This was also their first clean sheet on the road in 2013-2014.
This was also Leeds’ second goal-less draw of the season and only the second time in 12 matches they have failed to score. It was only the second time this season they have failed to net at Elland Road.
Today was the third goal-less draw between the two sides. The others came in the first ever meeting in 1921 and in 1983.
Marcus Tudgay became the third Barnsley player to be shown a red card this season. His three game ban means he will not play for the club again under his current loan deal. It was the fifth red card referee Keith Stroud has shown this season and his second in successive games.
A crowd of 31,031 saw the game, Elland Road’s biggest attendance of the season and the largest crowd Barnsley have played in front of since the 46,728 who attended the FA Cup tie at Manchester City in March.
Today’s result confirms Barnsley will be bottom on Christmas Day. It is the first time they have propped up a division on the festive day since 1997-1998 when they were relegated from the Premier League at the end of that season, when Danny Wilson was last in charge.
The Reds were also bottom of the Second Division on Christmas Day 1952 when they went on to be relegated.
In the last 14 seasons only ONE side has been bottom of this division on Christmas Day and gone on to survive. That was Doncaster Rovers in 2008-2009 who recovered fantastically to finish 14th. Before and since then you have to go all the back to 1998-1999 (exactly 10 years previously) when Crewe recovered from bottom to finish 18th.
Barnsley Team:
Jack Butland (YC)
Scott Wiseman
Martin Cranie
Peter Ramage
Lewin Nyatanga
Bobby Hassell
Jacob Mellis (YC)
David Perkins
Tomasz Cywka
Jim O’Brien (YC)
Marcus Tudgay (RC)
Substitutes:
Stephen Dawson (for Hassell 63)
Kelvin Etuhu (for Cywka 67)
Jason Scotland (O’Brien 83)
Unused Substitutes:
Tom Kennedy, Jean-Yves Mvoto, David Fox, Marcus Pedersen.
Match Reports:
FootyMad
Official Website
BBC
Sky Sports
Sky Bet Championship results Saturday 21st December 2013:
QPR 0-1 Leicester
Birmingham 0-0 Nottingham Forest
Bolton 1-1 Charlton
Brighton 0-0 Huddersfield
Burnley 2-1 Blackpool
Derby 3-1 Doncaster
Ipswich 1-1 Watford
Leeds 0-0 BARNSLEY
Reading 1-2 Wigan
Sheffield Wednesday 1-2 Bournemouth
Yeovil 0-1 Blackburn
Millwall 0-2 Middlesbrough
Barnsley lie in 24th place in the Sky Bet Npower Championship with 16 points from 21 games.
We are 18 points off the Play-Offs 26 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 27 points off First place and 3 points inside the Relegation Zone.
Up to 22/12/13
Next Up:
At Oakwell:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Twenty Two Barnsley v Bolton Wanderers Thursday 26th December 2013 Kick-Off: 3pm
Tickets:
Adults £23.00
Over 65's £16.00
Students (aged 18-20) £16.00
Under 18's £16.00
Under 12's £5.00*
*Must be purchased with an adult or over 65's ticket
On The Road:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Twenty Four: Birmingham City v Barnsley Wednesday 1st January 2014: Kick-Off: 3pm
Tickets:
Adults £25.00
Senior £15.00
Student £15.00
Juv 13-18 £10.00
Under 13 £ 5.00