Sheffield Star, 8 May 2009

WHAT is happening at Barnsley?

No-one knows whether boss Simon Davey will stay or go - and now there's a possibility owner Patrick Cryne might even step down from his position.

And all this comes less than a week after the club celebrated success by avoiding relegation from the Championship for a third successive season.

Four players have already been shown the Oakwell exit door after a season to forget, with Davey and Cryne expected to meet soon to discuss whether they can take the club forward.

Cryne is rumoured to be under mounting pressure by his closest family to step down because of ill health.

And earlier this week he rocked the managerial boat by admitting Davey's future at the club was from certain unless he built a better rapport with the Reds fans.

Cryne said: "I'm extraordinarily unhappy in the role that I occupy within the club.

"The only reason I hold that role is because nobody else wants to pick up the baton.

"There hasn't been a season without me wanting to say 'enough'; the pressure is just too great.

"These years in the position of owner have been the most miserable despite the fact we've had a promotion and been to Wembley.

"If there's someone there who wants to take the responsibility then I'm happy to sit back."

And reflecting on Davey's future, Cryne insisted: "I want to sit down with him (Davey) and really go through the season and look at it in a calm rational manner.

"I think there are many things which Simon has achieved within the club which are subordinated to our success on the field, and that's always the way it's going to be.

"What we want to do is ask ourselves in the clear light of day, are we positioned to do better? Or are we pinned to the bottom reaches of the division? And that wouldn't be an acceptable position for our club at this stage of its development.

"While we might not have got the results, at no stage did he lose the loyalty of his players.

"And during the course of the season when things weren't going well, the big question to be asked was if we change our manager, if we decide that's the barrier to us going forward, then what impact will it have on the team.?

"I was convinced, on the basis of the relationship he has with his players, to change the manager mid-course would have been a detrimental thing to do.

"So now I need to sit down with Simon and say 'look, can we do better? Can you convince me we can do better?' I'm open to be convinced.

"You always have to be in that position. Football is not a game where you can always have certainties.

"You have to hear a persuasive argument that says we're going to go forward from the position we're in.

"I think there are certain things in his favour and what will be important in terms of our progress will be some measure of consistency.

"There will be certain things I'll be asking Simon Davey to give me assurances about. I'd like a persuasive case behind those assurances."

Davey is now believed to be on holiday in Florida, but before he jetted off said: "We've had some low times this season, but Patrick has been a rock for me this season.

He added: "If we parted company it would be a fantastic handshake."
So when Davey returns, will he have a job to go back to?

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Ian Wilkinson

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