.............., just like Barnsley and Ipswich did exactly 17 years ago to the day in the final club game at the old Wembley stadium.
Kevin Miller Barnsley career: Appearances: 134 Goals: 0 Clean Sheets: 32
After making his debut in a 6-0 thumping of Portsmouth in August 1999 he usurped Tony Bullock as Reds No.1 making 49 appearances that season. He continued to be the main man between the sticks right the way up to February 2002 but after conceding four goals in back to back games against Portsmouth and Crystal Palace he was replaced by Andy Marriott and left the club at the end of that season following the club’s relegation to the third tier.
Post Barnsley: Exeter (August 2002 – July 2003), Bristol Rovers (July 2003 – May 2005), Derby loan (March 2005 – May 2005), Southampton (February 2006 – June 2007), Torquay loan (January 2007 – February 2007)
Chris Morgan Barnsley career: Appearances: 215 Goals: 8
The Barnsley born centre half who came through the club’s youth ranks in July 1996 and made his debut in the Premier League in 1998 would spend seven years with his home town club and ended up suffering two relegations with them following their drop into the third tier in 2002. He would make 38 appearances in Division Two before being released at the end of the season with the club needing to make financial savings. His bond with the fans became, to say the least, soured in November 2008 when his elbow left Reds striker Iain Hume with a fractured skull.
Post Barnsley: Sheffield United (July 2003 – July 2012)
Steve Chettle Barnsley career: Appearances: 105 Goals: 2
Arrived at Oakwell in arguably the twilight of his career aged 31, initially on loan from Nottingham Forest in November 1999 and this was made permanent on a free a month later. Chettle went on to make over 100 appearances for Barnsley however before leaving in the summer of 2002.
Post Barnsley: Grimsby (August 2002 – August 2003), Burton (August 2003 – July 2004)
Keith Brown Barnsley career: Appearances: 14 Goals: 2
Despite being at the club for two and a half years Brown managed only 14 appearances, 13 of which were in the 1999-2000 play-off campaign. Following defeat to Ipswich at Wembley Brown featured once more in a 4-1 defeat at Birmingham in August 2000 before being shipped out to Oxford on loan. He eventually left Oakwell for good in March 2002.
Post Barnsley: Falkirk (March 2002 – October 2002), Berwick (October 2002 – May 2004)
John Curtis Barnsley career: Appearances: 32 Goals: 2
A key player after arriving on loan from Manchester United in November 1999 and there was a £1.5m deal in place to make the move permanent if the Reds secured promotion… they did not and he moved to Blackburn for that fee instead.
Post Barnsley: Blackburn (June 2000 – August 2003), Sheffield United loan (March 2003 – May 2003), Leicester (August 2003 – February 2004), Portsmouth (February 2004 – February 2005), Preston loan (September 2004 – November 2004), Nottingham Forest (February 2005 – June 2007), QPR (June 2007 – December 2007), Hull (February 2008), Worcester City (January 2009 – February 2009), Wrexham (February 2009 – June 2009), Northampton (July 2009 – June 2010)
Darren Barnard Barnsley career: Appearances: 204 Goals: 36
The wing wizard with a cracker of a left foot spent five years at Oakwell between 1997 and 2002, taking in Premier League football and a Wembley play-off final. The Wembley showpiece will forever be a low point for the Welsh international as his missed penalty when the scores were level at 1-1 right on the stroke of half-time proved costly as after the break Ipswich forged 3-1 ahead, a lead they never relinquished.
Post Barnsley: Grimsby (August 2002 – June 2004), Aldershot (August 2004 – June 2007)
Matty Appleby Barnsley career: Appearances: 166 Goals: 7
Had a six-year career with Barnsley that took in promotion to the Premier League (he made 41 appearances in that historic 1996-1997 campaign) the Premier League itself and a Wembley play-off final. The ever reliable midfielder was a regular for the club for five successive seasons but lost his place for 2001-2002, departing the club in February 2002.
Post Barnsley: Oldham (January 2002 – March 2005), Darlington (March 2005 – July 2006)
Eric Tinkler Barnsley career: Appearances: 121 Goals: 9
The flamboyant South African joined Barnsley from Italian football for £650,000 for their Premier League adventure and would remain in South Yorkshire until the summer of 2002 however his last match for the club was a 4-1 defeat at Wolves in November 2001. He was released following relegation.
Craig Hignett Barnsley career: Appearances: 80 Goals: 37
The talisman of the 1999-2000 season who netted 21 goals that season, a season tally that was not bettered until Winnall’s haul in 2015-2016.
His sixth minute effort at Wembley cannoned off the bar and in off Ipswich goalkeeper Richard Wright to give Barnsley the lead and he also netted a penalty to give The Reds hope at 3-2. However failing to go up saw much interest in “Higgie” and he was bought by Blackburn for £2.25m that summer.
Post Barnsley: Blackburn (July 2000 – July 2003), Coventry loan (November 2002 – December 2002), Leicester (July 2003 – August 2004), Crewe loan (February 2004 – May 2004), Leeds (August 2004 – September 2004), Darlington (September 2004 – April 2005) Hartlepool (March 2007 – May 2007)
Bruce Dyer Barnsley career: Appearances: 206 Goals: 70
Another whose goals were crucial in getting Barnsley to Wembley as he netted in both semi-final legs against Birmingham but it was in future seasons that Dyer really became vital for The Reds, netting 15 times in 2000-2001 and 18 in 2001-2002, although he could not stop the side from suffering relegation. Dyer ensured Barnsley did not suffer back-to-back relegations by scoring 17 times in the club’s first season in the third tier for 21 years and netted another 17 in 2002-2003 before departing that summer. He is now an ambassador for the club and runs soccer schools in the community.
Post Barnsley: Watford (July 2003 – August 2005), Stoke (August 2005 – January 2006), Millwall loan (November 2005 – January 2006), Sheffield United (January 2006 – June 2006), Doncaster (June 2006 – January 2008), Bradford loan (January 2007 – March 2007), Rotherham loan (September 2007), Chesterfield (March 2008 – November 2008) York (November 2008 – May 2009)
Neil Shipperley Barnsley career: Appearances: 91 Goals: 32
A perfect foil for players like Hignett and Dyer who used to occupy defenders and scored crucial goals. “Shipps” netted 15 times in 1999-2000 including six in the final ten matches. He went even better by netting 16 times in 2000-2001 as Barnsley finished 16th, again having a strong finish with six in the final 10 and this earned him a £750,000 back down south to Wimbledon.
Post Barnsley: Wimbledon (July 2001 – July 2003), Crystal Palace (July 2003 – July 2005), Sheffield United (July 2005 – January 2007) Brentford (January 2007 – May 2007)
Scott Jones Barnsley career: Appearances: 97 Goals: 6
The player who shot to national prominence with the goals that knocked Manchester United out of the FA Cup in 1998 made 25 appearances in 1999-2000 but did not feature in the play-offs and was an unused substitute at Wembley before leaving for Bristol Rovers in September 2000 following a loan spell there.
Post Barnsley: Bristol Rovers (September 2000 – August 2002), York (March 2002 – May 2004)
Nicky Eaden Barnsley career: Appearances: 342 Goals: 13
Forever a Barnsley legend, Eaden graduated through the club’s academy and remained at Oakwell for nine years from 1991. He was an ever present in the club’s historic promotion campaign of 1996-1997 and played in 32 of the club’s 38 Premier League matches. He was again prominent in 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 but surprisingly lost his place for the play-off final, only coming off the bench in the 71st minute for the man who replaced him in the starting 11, John Curtis. That summer then saw the end of his long association with the club.
Post Barnsley: Birmingham (July 2000 – October 2002), Wigan (September 2002 – July 2005), Nottingham Forest (July 2005 – May 2007), Lincoln loan (August 2006 – May 2007), Kettering (October 2007 – October 2010)
Geoff Thomas Barnsley career: Appearances: 47 Goals: 4
Arrived at Oakwell at the age of 35 to guide the club’s younger players through their play-off campaign. The former England international made more substitute appearances (30) than he did starts (17) in his two years with the club.
Post Barnsley: Notts County (March 2001 – May 2001), Crewe (August 2001 – July 2002)
Georgi Hristov Barnsley career: Appearances: 57 Goals: 11
Still the club’s joint record £1.5m signing who struggled to adapt in England by and large. He was denied by Ipswich goalkeeper Richard Wright with a superb save at 3-2 at Wembley and he left that summer after three fruitless years.
Post Barnsley: NEC Nijmegen (June 2000 – July 2003), FC Zwolle (July 2003 – January 2005), Dunfermline (January 2005 – May 2005)
Mike Sheron Barnsley career: Appearances: 172 Goals: 40
Despite being often much maligned by Reds fans Sheron still contributed a decent tally of 40 goals in four years at the club after arriving for £1.5m. He bagged 11 times in the play-off campaign but was an unused sub at Wembley as eight of his strikes came before the end of October. Only managed six goals the following season – again all before October was finished. His best season was 2001-2002 when he scored 12 times but couldn’t keep Barnsley up and he left in the summer of 2003 after contributing nine goals in the third tier.
Sheron was a player whose goals often came in bursts. He scored 40 times in total which included nine braces.
Post Barnsley: Blackpool (July 2003 – August 2004), Macclesfield (August 2004 – March 2005), Shrewsbury (March 2005 – May 2005)