Dale captain Gary Jones had a mixed spell at Barnsley. Despite impressing in his first few months after his £200,000 move to Oakwell, he suffered from injury and a fall out with the manager, before returning to Spotland initially on loan two years later. Contrary to media reports, this game tonight is not the 500th game of his career.
When Jonah headed to Oakwell, he did so following Dale boss Steve Parkin. With Dale sitting pretty at the top of the league, Parkin was an obvious candidate for the Tykes job following the dismissal of Nigel Spackman. Parkin failed to prevent Barnsley's relegation to the third tier of English football and was sacked when the club entered administration.
Barnsley legend Neil Redfearn had a spell at Spotland in his own personal battle to complete the 92 in his own unique way. Dale were one of the few very sides that Redfearn didn't get relegated with.
There has just been one League Cup encounter between the two sides before. That appeared very early in the Graham Barrow era. The League Cup was a two legged affair back in those days, and Dale won a thrilling game at Spotland coming from behind to win 2-1. However, the second leg saw the Tykes ease their way to a 3-2 aggregate victory.
Dale were the winners in our last League visit to Oakwell. Despite Barnsley's promotion in the 1978-79 season, they could do nothing about a rampant Dale who picked up a 3-0 win with goals coming from a Terry Owen brace and Bobby Hoy. That victory is our only ever win away at Barnsley.
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