Shaw Lane AFC are considering a move out of Barnsley, due to 'dislike' for them in the town, with Wakefield a possible destination.
The Ducks won the Sheffield Senior Cup with a 4-3 extra-time success over Penistone Church, who led three times, at Bramall Lane on Tuesday. It was their second successive win of that cup to add to their five promotions in seven seasons, but they are still averaging crowds of less than 200 and a recent application to become AFC Barnsley was rejected by the FA. Owner Craig Wood admits he has doubts about how long the club can continue in its current form and says they are 'not wanted in Barnsley.'
He signed a ten-year lease with Athersley Rec last summer but is now looking at several other options, including a potential groundshare with Wakefield Trinity. The rugby league club play at the 9,000-seat Belle Vue and are hoping to build a new stadium.
Wood told the Chronicle: "I don't think there is an appetite for a successful non-league club in Barnsley. There are too many obstacles. Our future may not be in Barnsley.
"I am in discussions with various people about the possibility of moving away. We have got a city not far away that has not got a football club. There has been talk of Wakefield Trinity building a new stadium and there are some other options as well.
"I doubt it will be for next season but we will see. There should be developments in the next few weeks."
Wood is still hoping to take the Ducks into the National League, formerly the Conference. But he recognises that there is negativity surrounding the club following their rapid rise since being formed in 2011, his support of Sheffield Wednesday and the frosty relationship with Barnsley FC who objected to the name change.
"We're not really wanted in Barnsley. I am a Barnsley lad, I have a Barnsley business and I wanted this so much in Barnsley but there seems to be so much dislike towards us. We have a good team and club and we have achieved so much so quickly that it would be a shame to lose all of that.
"But we need to take it to the next level and build a fanbase and I don't think we can do that in Barnsley. I can't take the club any further on attendances of 150. We have been to the first round of the FA Cup and been live on TV this season, but we have got no more fans than we had five years ago."
