Barnsley FC Supporters Trust | A Voice For All Barnsley Supporters

Update from BFCST on Horsham FA Cup Tie

Barnsley FC Supporters’ Trust has been actively involved throughout this week trying to find out what led to the decision to move our FA Cup tie against Horsham to Friday 3rd November 2023.

Following our enquiries, we can establish the below reasons and timeline leading up to the decision to move this game to a Friday night:

Barnsley Football Club published an update to the official website, stating ‘The police had requested to move the match and that the Friday was their preference which would help with their resourcing over the weekend.”

South Yorkshire Police experience high levels of demand over Bonfire Night Weekend, combined with increased anti-social behaviour, a busy set of football fixtures, and current political protests

The FA notified SYP on w/c 16^th October stating additional fixtures were to be added for Friday 3^rd November to Sunday 5^th November (subject to TV selection)

On reviewing demand across the force and the country, Barnsley FC and Doncaster Rovers were asked to consider moving fixtures to the evening of Friday 3^rd November or Sunday 5^th November

We’re led to believe Doncaster were reluctant to move to the Sunday due to their Football League Trophy game on Tuesday 7^th November

We also believe moving to the Sunday was a challenge for Barnsley Football Club due to the Ladies game already being planned

SYP were then contacted directly by the FA to confirm that the Barnsley vs. Horsham game would be moved to Friday 3^rd November. SYP can only request for a change to be considered, but the decisions are made by other authorities

In our conversations with SYP they were keen to highlight that policing football does not incur a charge for club, regardless of the day the match takes place, unless a specialist policing request is made by the club themselves. Their primary focus is, and always will be, the safety of supporters attending football games.

You can read their full statement in today’s Sussex Express article here.

BFCST are extremely disappointed that this game appears to have been moved in the manner it was, and the fact that supporters were not consulted, or more importantly kept informed, before the decision was made and publicised.

The FA, SYP and all the relevant football clubs should have seen possible problems with playing these games over what was obviously going to be a busy Bonfire weekend, and planned appropriately for the challenge on resources.

We stand with our fellow Supporters at Horsham and record our disgust at how they have been treated for one of the biggest games in their history. Their players, club employees, and supporters, should have been afforded the opportunity to play, watch and enjoy, their FA Cup First Round game at a far more convenient date and time.

Again, as happens all too often, it would appear Supporters travelling to the game were not considered at all.