The news that Patrick Cryne's cancer is terminal has 'deeply saddened' head coach Paul Heckingbottom but also strengthened his desire to be successful for the owner.
Barnsley businessman Cryne, who rescued the club from potential closure more than a decade ago, revealed in November that he was battling cancer and would reduce his role at the club. He posted on Facebook on Tuesday: "I learned today that, despite radiology and chemotherapy, the tumour in my bowel had spread and is inoperable. I am now officially terminally ill."
Head coach Heckingbottom is shocked by the news but insists it should increase the focus from everyone else at the club on rebuilding the side for next season and finding a replacement for chief executive Linton Brown who left in January.
Heckingbottom told the Chronicle: "It's horrible and nasty and makes you think about your own family a lot. It puts everything in perspective and you realise how fragile life is.
"But, instead of making me think all the other issues at the club are less important, I am thinking the opposite. It makes them more important because we need to carry on the fantastic work Patrick has done for the club and never let it slip. He's been a driving force behind us getting back into the Championship and being in mid-table and we don't want that progress to stop. That is what I will be working towards and I will make sure everyone else does as well.
"We need to keep pushing on with the search for the new CEO and for new players and look to make this club better."
Although Cryne had previously said that he would like to leave his role by the summer of 2019, his worsening health has plunged the future ownership of the club into further doubt. Heckingbottom said: "It is not the time to talk about that yet. It is up to Patrick and his family to decide what they want to do with the club in the future."
Heckingbottom is expecting to maintain their strong relationship and have regular conversations with the club's owner. He said: "I speak to Patrick twice a week if not more often and I am sure that will continue. I have a very close relationship with Patrick and his family and my thoughts are with him, his wife Jean and especially their son James.
"We have been through good times, bad times, disagreements and celebrations and, when you share all that with someone, you can't help but be very close, so I am hurting about this news. I spoke to Patrick on Wednesday then passed on his messages to the rest of the staff.
"It is very sombre at Oakwell because we don't have a lot of staff so we are a small, tight group and this has taken everybody by surprise. I had spoken to him and Jean on Sunday about other things and then it came as a big shock to us all. It will be a very difficult time for their family and for our club. "It's very sad."
