SUPPORTERS’ Trust officials are hoping Barnsley fans will flock to the town hall to view the play-off trophy lifted by captain Paul Reid at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium last month. The trophy is on view with a number of other football-related items in two glass cases which form part of a town history exhibition on show until August. The aim is to help the council’s bid to get lottery funding for a heritage museum in the town hall. If that is successful, it is hoped the club will have a decent sized area to show off some of the many items of memorabilia.

As a result of their support of the council’s project, it has meant the Trust’s own search for a suitable venue has been put on hold. Their plans for a museum will be dealt a severe blow if the council are unsuccessful in their bid but Andy Fyfe, chairman of the Supporters Trust Museum Committee, believes that if that is the case, it won’t signal the end of their attempts to get a Barnsley FC museum up and running.

“Our efforts to form a museum have been put on the back burner because we have put our weight behind the town hall bid. “Our main problem at the moment is that we don’t have a venue for it. “Ideally, Oakwell will be the best place but there is nowhere feasible for us at the ground so the town hall would be ideal.” The Supporters Trust have met with officials from Sheffield United and Bradford City, who both have their own museums. Fyfe admits the Supporters Trust would like something similar: “Both their museums are at the ground,” he added. “If we were to want something like that it would cost money so the issue of fund raising would come into question. “The problem is, we have plenty of items but no visible way of displaying them. “For example, a museum room would have to be secure, safe and accessible so we can get insurance on the items. The room also needs to be in a prominent position so that it gets noticed and there is nowhere at Oakwell where there is the space for that to happen. “One of the options is to open up a room behind the club shop so fans could access it by going through the shop and through a door, leading to the museum. But again, that would mean a lot of work and refurbishment and again that will cost a lot of money. “What we would like to see is fans turning up to the town hall to see what is there so we get some feedback and then we would be able to see if a project such as this will be supported by the fans. “We have got to get people tuned into what’s available. “Sheffield United have some of our items, which should be on show in our museum. We would also be able to loan items for a period of time and I am sure old players and families will donate or lend memorabilia which will really help us take off. “However, if there is nowhere for us to show these items they are not going to lend them to us just to keep in a cupboard.”

The memorabilia dates back to the club’s FA Cup final triumph in 1912 and charts the Reds’ progress right through to the present day. Those items include two large framed photographs, one of the 1890-91 side, the founding team and one of the 1912 FA Cup winning team; a large copper commemorative plaque from the Sheffield Morning Telegraph celebrating the club’s promotion from Division Four in 1978/79; more pictures on the various promotion winning sides, including a framed photo of the team lining up for the 2000 Wembley Play-Off Final; a number of books on the history of the club and more recent objects.

Arthur Bower, the club’s historian, is adament that even if the council are unsuccessful in their bid, the museum plan will not die a death. He said: “It will be very encouraging for us if a lot of fans were to come and view the two cases. “It would certainly help and would act as a stepping stone towards getting a museum. “The only problem is the venue. I am often inundated with calls from people saying they have this and that to give so filling the museum will not be a problem. “Sheffield United and Bradford were fortunate because they had the facility at the ground to be able to build one. Unfortunately, there isn’t the room at Oakwell so we have to look at other alternatives. Whatever happens, we will not let it die.” The idea for a museum first originated from former Chronicle Sports Editor Benny Hill. He is one of several people who have played a key part in the Trust’s efforts. Other major players include Peter and Janine Jones, Ray Brammer, Jay Fyfe and assistant director of culture, sport and tourism for Barnsley, Graham Noble. Anybody with items of interest to the museum can contact Arthur on 01226 289962.