Let’s toast the positive Tykes fans

FOOTBALL fans are sometimes labelled fickle for turning against a manager when there’s a poor run of results.

However, you can’t accuse Barnsley supporters of falling into that trap. After the shock sacking of boss Daniel Stendel in midweek, the popular German was invited to share a few drinks with Tykes fans at a pub in the town centre.

It says a lot for Stendel, too, that he was happy to mingle with the fans after the disappointment of seeing his time at Oakwell brought to an end so abruptly.

While the club’s board may have quickly forgotten Stendel’s achievements at the Yorkshire club – he led them to promotion from the third tier at the first attempt last season – the fans clearly did not.

As our resident expert Chris Dunlavy says on the facing page, Stendel was clearly hamstrung by seeing a number of his key men depart in the summer.

Yes, they have only won one of their first 11 games – an opening day victory at home against Fulham – but the rug was virtually pulled from under his feet in the close season.

Of course, the board have the full picture, and there may be other factors at play, but sacking Stendel now seems incredibly harsh.

It’s no great surprise that he has been heavily linked with the vacant Sunderland job since his Tykes exit. He has proved he can win promotion from League One – and that is what the Black Cats are desperate to do.

Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth is another leading candidate for the Sunderland post, having been given permission to speak to the north-east club.

He has done a fabulous job at Adams Park over the last seven years and Chairboys fans would not want to lose him given they are challenging at the top end of League One right now.

But you would like to think those same supporters would wish him well if he does make the move to Sunderland, or elsewhere, in the coming weeks. We reckon they would.