TYKES SO LUCKY TO HAVE LEADER LIKE PAT
IN AN age when oil barons, oligarchs and faceless consortiums rule the game, Patrick Cryne is a welcome throwback.
A local boy made good. A fan with a fat wallet. A “reluctant custodian” who used his personal fortune to save Barnsley from closure.
News that the terminally ill 66-year-old is nearing the end of his battle with cancer is a tragedy for his family, but also a sad day for football.
It is 13 years since Cryne, who made his fortune selling computer software, teamed up with Peter Ridsdale to rescue the Tykes.
Since then he has struck out alone and made plenty of mistakes. Many times over the last decade, fans have called for him to either invest or sell up. To show more ambition.
But whilst his riskaverse nature was a source of frustration, nobody at Oakwell ever doubted his motives.
They all knew that every decision Cryne took was for the benefit of Barnsley, not the bank balance of his shareholders. They knew he’d never sell the stadium to some shady developer, sign players for kickbacks.
How many supporters can honestly feel that depth of trust? The man loved his football club and two victorious visits to Wembley in recent years proved he knew a thing or two about running one as well.
Barnsley are lucky to have had him. In football’s altered landscape, they will be luckier still to ever have such a dedicated owner again.