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Since then trips to Oakwell have done little to erase the memory of that infamous night which I am sure I will take with me to my grave.
But tonight I, and the handful of familiar faces in the Oakwell crowd, will be raising a glass to another official. Step forward Mr D I Storrie of West Yorkshire who, in a wonderful reversal of that previous occasion, with his strict but correct interpretation of FA rules, dismissed two Barnsley goalkeepers, incensed the crowd, alarmed the stewards, unnerved the police, and made this Burnley fan, sitting in almost the same seat as those eight long years ago, a very happy Burnley fan indeed.
Watching the game unfold in the first quarter of an hour, with Barnsley’s 3-5-2 dominating our 4-5-1, who could have possibly predicted what delights lay in store?
Barnsley should have scored in the first minute, when unmarked defender O’Callaghan headed wide from a free kick with Nico rooted obligingly to his line. The Clarets then survived a couple of half chances, with Rankin’s pace in particular causing problems. Hindle was a willing runner up front, but the Clarets’ midfield was struggling to get forward in support.
But in the 17th minute all this changed. Dutch midfielder Dean Gorre, playing tonight in central defence, under pressure from Hindle sent a looping header over his outrushing goalie, academy débutant Marc Shackleton. Cue end of début, as the agile 18 year-old caught the ball outside the area with Damo poised to latch onto the mistake. Cue also the first of many fits of apoplexy of Tyke-like rage amongst the Reds’ faithful who believed the youngster had not crossed the line.
Shackleton was replaced by Scott Flinders, an even-younger academy débutant, who lasted precisely eight minutes. Richard Chaplow surged through the centre of Barnsley’s defence only to be chopped down by a crude challenge from the goalie as he was about to score. To those two certainties of life, death and taxes, should be added a third: that such a challenge will result in a red card and expulsion. And so it was that the philosophical Mr Storrie dismissed the flummoxed Flinders.
Bedlam ensued. The hapless custodian, having been shown the red card, promptly took up his position in goal for the penalty. Mr Storrie, now rapidly losing patience, pointed young Scott in the direction of the dugout. Scott stormed off, but not before hurling his pristine jersey to the turf, where it lay for what seemed like an eternity before O’Callaghan stepped tentatively forward to become the Reds’ third débutant goalie in less than half an hour.
By now the crowd wanted blood. Mr Storrie’s blood to be exact. But failing that any blood that was not of Barnsley red. Nervous glances began to be exchanged amongst the scattered Claret following, as gargantuan-sized stewards glared menacingly around as if they too would quite like to dine out tonight on Mr Storrie’s vitals, ripped by their own bare hands from the living flesh.
In stark contrast however to this unpleasantly escalating pandemonium, an almost serene, uplifting moment occurred. As the torrents of abuse were being hurled at the ref, a young Barnsley fan sitting behind me was patiently trying to explain to her foul-mouthed parents that the ref had had no option but to send both players off. I have no idea who that girl was, but it’s moments like that that can help restore a shattered faith.
Eventually Damo, keeping his nerve admirably after waiting for several minutes for some sort of order to be restored, converted the penalty expertly for 1-0.
The rest of the game then followed its inevitable course. Perhaps with memories of the first-team’s shameful showboating at Valley Parade still fresh in their minds, the young Clarets took every opportunity to get forward and attack.
Barnsley, now in 3-3-2, bravely stuck to their task and kept Burnley at bay until the 66th minute when Andrew Waine burst past Gorre to hit a powerful shot home via an upright. Indeed, in true "Boys Own" style O’Callaghan had previously made excellent saves from Hindle, O’Neill and Pilkington before this strike.
It now became a question of how many we would score, and in the last minute of "normal" time the move of the match produced the third. A Claret débutant this time, schoolboy Marc Pugh, combined beautifully with Andrew Leeson for the latter to hit an inch perfect pass into the path of Joel Pilkington. Joel advanced on goal before slotting the ball home beneath the dive of the brave O’Callaghan.
After four minutes of added time the ref blew for the end of this amazing, but thoroughly rewarding, game. All right, it wasn’t three first team points, but it was the closest to revenge for that dreadful night of eight years ago that we’ve come to yet.
As expected Mr Storrie left the field to a torrent of abuse, but for those few Clarets present tonight a quietly-mouthed "thank you" would have to suffice as they contentedly made their respective ways home.
As they say, what goes around, comes around.
The teams:
Barnsley: Marc Shackleton, Adam Oldham, Robbie Williams, Nicholas Wroe, Brian O'Callaghan, Dean Gorre, Leo Bertos, Isaiah Rankin, Joynes (Scott Flinders 18), Steve Hayward (Kevin Dixon 80), Richard Carrington (Tom Baker 70). Subs not used: Harban, Laight.
Burnley: Nik Michopoulos, Andrew Leeson, Gordon Armstrong, Liam Eves, Mark McGregor, Joel Pilkington, Mark Rasmussen (Marc Pugh 77), Andrew Waine, Damien Hindle (Robert Grimes 84), Richard Chaplow (Sean Blakey 88), Matthew O'Neill. Subs not used: Paul Scott, Rhys Carpenter.