WHILE Leam Richardson is due to manage Reading against Barnsley FC on Saturday, his brother Craige is set to take charge of Barnsley Women’s FC on Sunday as usual.
After a playing career with the likes of Blackpool and Accrington Stanley, Leam was Paul Cook’s assistant at various clubs including Chesterfield before leading Wigan to promotion from League One in 2022 as manager.
Following a short and unsuccessful stint with Rotherham in 2024, he joined the Royals earlier this season.
His older brother Craige is a director at Leeds Teaching Hospitals as well as manager of Barnsley WFC.
Craige said: “We’re a footballing family from my dad. I am one of three and we all played at a local level but Leam was the youngest and always destined to have a footballing career.
“He’s been in the game a long time so these things come along, whether it’s him against Leeds United, who we support as a family, or Barnsley because I happen to be there.
“I want Barnsley football to succeed, whether it is our women’s team or the men’s team, but blood is thicker than water and I will be cheering my brother on. I hope both teams do well and he comes out on the positive side of it.
“Put Rotherham aside, because they were struggling anyway when he took over, when you look back at his time at Wigan and Chesterfield, he has nothing to prove.
“It’s nice to see him take to Reading and do well and I am sure he will continue to do so.”
Barnsley Women are fifth, with 23 points from 13 games in National League Division One Midlands – the fourth tier of women’s football in England.
They have only won one of six since October, when they were second, with their most recent game a 5-1 home loss to leaders Boldmere St Michael’s.
Craige said: “December was a difficult month. We have suffered from injuries and had some long journeys.
“We missed two penalties against Northampton at home and lost which was a freakish result we didn’t expect or deserve. We went to Worcester and dominated but lost again and it wobbled us.
“When you are on a crest of a wave and second in the league, then lose two games you expect to win – football can do that to you.
“Then against Boldmere who are top, we more than matched them and were really confident going into the second half but we had 16 minutes of an absolute nightmare and conceded four goals.
“The scoreline didn’t reflect the game but it’s one we need to forget.
“We have players returning from injury. We have to dust ourselves down and put those freak results behind us.”
The Reds are ten points off Boldmere and eight behind second-placed Peterborough United who have two games in hand.
One team goes up automatically and the second-placed side goes into the play-offs.
Richardson said: “We’ve gone from a position where it was in our hands to now being reliant on others.
“We can’t hide from that.
“It was always going to be tough with a new-look squad this season.
“We hit December with a few injuries and it’s really knocked our chances, we can’t shy away from that.
“We’re certainly not out of it. We know we are strong at this level.
“With a full squad, I would like to think we could compete again. It’s just the reality is we’re dependant on others.
“Teams will take points off each other so we have to be prepared to step in.”
Barnsley are due to host third-placed Leafield Athletic on Sunday from 2pm at the Olympic Legacy Park in Sheffield.
“We’re looking for a big response.
“If we can get people from Barnsley to get behind us, we could get a big result and turn it around for 2026.
“Leafield are above us in league and always compete well.”
Barnsley WFC are not affiliated with the Oakwell club and currently play in Sheffield but are hoping to return to Barnsley where they train and where their youth teams are based.
They are the highest-placed women’s side in the town by far after the shutting down of Barnsley FC Women last summer. Richardson said: “We have gone from being a two-club town in the fourth tier to one and the board is really committed to getting a Barnsley club into the third tier. It’s a long-term project.
“You can get promoted too soon sometimes. But we’re not disheartened about this season, we still think we’re in with a shout.”
Meanwhile, Barnsley Ladies won 8-0 at Brodsworth in Division Two of the Sheffield and District League.
Charli Hayward scored a hat-trick and Fern Thompson struck twice. There were also goals for Molly Waite and Kriz Firth plus an own goal from the home side.
They are six points clear at the top.
Penistone Church drew 0-0 at Sheffield Wednesday reserves.
Wombwell Town won 7-1 at Rotherham Town in Division Four. Sharndelle Glover scored five and Jenna-Lea Portess two. Town are fifth, four points off top with three games in hand on the leaders.
Brampton club Courage won 3-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw at home to Stapenhill in the Shield.
Sunday fixtures: Penistone Church v Brodsworth; Barnsley Ladies v Huddersfield Town under 23s; Courage v Barlborough; Staveley v Dearne and District.
