There has been a takeover at Oakwell for the second time this season after Barnsley FC Ladies were bought by a new owner who aims to take them into the Women's Super League in five years.
Steve Maddock, the secretary of South Yorkshire Schools FA, bought the club from the previous committee for £1. He is hoping to set up a Regional Training Centre – a youth academy – in Barnsley to stop what he believes is a 'talent drain' of the town's best young girls moving to other clubs.
At first team level, the aim is to avoid relegation from the fourth tier this season and then begin to move up the pyramid while negotiating a deal to play on the Oakwell first team pitch. Maddock played for England schoolboys and Leeds United youth teams before a 30-year career with the police. He now runs a Last Man Stands cricket business as well as his work with schools football.
He said: "I have an eight-year-old daughter and I want her to have the same opportunities as any young boy would in this town. I also want to see a Barnsley FC Ladies team competing at the top level in this country and I believe we have the talent available in this town to do that. There are lots of talented girls in Barnsley, some of them playing for England youth teams, but most of them are moving away to other clubs.
"We need to stop that and make sure they have the facilities and opportunities in Barnsley to achieve their aims. It's a labour of love. I can't see myself making any money out of it. That couldn't be further from my thoughts. I have sponsors who want to come on board and help financially because it is a really good project to be involved with. We would welcome anyone else within the town who wants to support us too."
Steve Gates, the secretary of Barnsley Schools FA, is working with Maddock on the project. He said: "We want to offer an inclusive programme for every single girl in Barnsley to play football in a safe, welcoming environment with qualified coaches. We want to ensure opportunities for girls to progress to the highest level of women's football and compete against the best in the country, but also to provide somewhere where girls of any ability can come to play recreational football and make friends."
This takeover follows the purchase of Barnsley Football Club by a consortium headed by Chinese billionaire Chien Lee and also containing Americans Paul Conway and Billy Beane, the baseball legend. Maddock said: "We would love to work with Barnsley FC. Hopefully we can negotiate with the owners and get a package which allows us to play on the first team pitch on Sunday afternoons as well as getting some help with the kit and a few other things. The new owners are from China and the USA where women's football is massive so hopefully they will appreciate what we are doing."
The Ladies will be working with Manchester United sport scientist Dave Kelly, who is from Worsbrough and worked at Oakwell under Simon Davey, to improve the fitness and nutrition of the teams. Rachel Jardine and John Jeffels, who were members of the original committee, have been made honourary vice presidents.
The Reds are currently ninth out of 12 in the Premier League Division One North, with the number of relegation places unknown as yet. Maddock is hoping for survival this season then promotion next followed by another promotion within five years into Women's Super League Two, one division below the top tier Women's Super League One. Maddock said: "To get to Super League Two is the plan, and if we are in Super League One we have overachieved which would be great. We have a solid development plan which we have put a lot of time into and we are very confident."
Barnsley Ladies drew 1-1 at home to Crewe Alexandra Ladies on Sunday. Kristie Ward put the hosts ahead with a penalty but the mid-table visitors levelled. They are a point clear of the bottom two but the sides below them all have at least four games in hand.
Barnsley have three league matches left – a home game against Leeds United, who are a point above them, on April 22, then a trip to fifth-placed Bolton Wanderers a week later before they complete their season at home to Newcastle United, currently second-bottom, on May 20. The Reds are also in the final of the Sheffield Senior Cup against Huddersfield Town on May 15.
