Supporters Trust Urge Supporters to Back the Museum Project
We hope that as many supporters as possible will register their support for the Council's bid for a lottery grant for a heritage museum in the Town Hall.  As a result of this bid, which the Supporters Trust are supporting, our own search for a suitable site has been put on the back burner.

Andy Fyfe the chairman of the Supporters Trust Museum Group said “Our efforts to form a museum have been put on the back burner, because we have put our support behind the Town Hall bid”.

The main problem the Trust has encountered is that we have been unable to identify a suitable site for a museum.  Ideally the location would be at Oakwell, but there is nowhere feasible at the ground.  Various suggestions have been made, but they would involve a substantial cash outlay, and we would then need to investigate fundraising options. 

Andy says that “the problem is we have plenty of items to display, but no visible way of displaying them”.  “For example, a museum room, must be secure, safe and accessible so we can get insurance on the items.  The room also needs to be in a prominent position so that it gets noticed and there is no where at Oakwell where there is space for that”. 

The Museum Group have met with officials from both Bradford City and Sheffield United, both of whom have a museum located at their respective grounds.  Andy admits that it would be good if we could have something similar at Oakwell.  Sheffield United have some of Barnsley's items on display and these should be shown at our own museum.  We are also confident that we could loan items from former players and their families to help the museum take off. 

The memorabilia the Trust hold include a framed photograph of the founding team of 1890-91, items from the 1912 Cup final and may more.  Much of this has been collected and catalogued by the clubs former historian and Trust member Arthur Bowers.  Arthur says “it would be encouraging to see the Barnsley supporters flocking to see the displays and show their support for the museum project”.  “It would certainly help and could act as a stepping stone towards getting a museum”.

Anyone with any items of interest can contact Arthur on 01226 289962