How about looking at the stats that Wayne so kindly provided. They show that Barry’s scoring record isn’t as bad as some would have you believe. They show that the very players that the boo boys would have us believe have sun shining from their proverbials have not in fact done any better. On the messageboards these contradictory folk will say in response to comments regarding Barry’s excellent holding play and good ball skills (Yes, my eyes weren’t deceiving me last season in every game I saw him play - He did actually ping around defence splitting pin point passes over 30 yards on a regular basis), ‘that’s all very well but the guy can’t score and that’s what a striker is there to do isn’t it?’ Then in the next breath they suggest that the man should be replaced by Willy Topp - A player not just searching for his first goal in Claret and Amber, but the first of his 5 year career.

To summise I would say that Barry is more than just a ‘nice bloke.’ He’s a man who’s always given 100% in a Bradford shirt, a man who snubbed an offer for regular first team football in the January transfer window of last season, despite being dropped from the firsts, because he wanted to fight for his place back here. A man who’s loyalty and willingness were confirmed further as again despite offers from elsewhere he stayed to prove his worth on a contract which could see him out of a job come January, where he might well have been safe elsewhere. A man who was ‘told’ to slim down and get fitter and did exactly that. A man who is actually a much better footballer than some would have you believe. Then after all that, and given the countless mercenary footballers we have had at this club in the last 7 years who have been and gone during this time, this man who has proven his loyalty and willingness to the cause of Bradford City gets routinely booed every home game as he enters the field of play before he’s even kicked a ball. Quite frankly I find it embarrassing.

Disgraceful. How do you apply logic to those who have none? Short sighted, and reflective of the current state of our society and the ‘I want the best, and I want it now’ culture. Has anybody ever heard of the expression ‘The best things come to those who wait?’

Like Stuart McCall himself, I celebrated the goal on Saturday with extra gusto as even though the Conlon Out Brigade would have you believe it wasn’t, it was well and truly one in the eye for them.

Again this is only my opinion but I genuinely do not see where people have this 100% effort view from either. The amount of times per game the ball is lost by Barry appealing to the ref or rolling round on the floor is obscene.

I do not, or would not boo any City player but I feel some people go overboard trying to defend poor performances by Barry when say, Omar last year, was not afforded the same support.

The comparison to Heskey is a telling one. You are right that Emile does not score a lot of goals however, that is part of the reason he is playing for a club at the bottom end of the division. City are aiming to get to the top and I am not sure a 2nd striker who is likely to score 7 or 8 goals per season is what we need.

Emile Heskey has scored 1 goal this season yet by having a good work ethic and winning balls in the air and providing support to another Striker who is scoring goals, he’s earned himself an England call up!

This includes the penalties he took.

What I don’t get is that his record isn’t that bad. Admittedly, he doesn’t suit playing as a target man up front on his own (as seen in the games against Huddersfield & Shrewsbury). However, if chances are made, he will score some goals. He isn’t prolific, but neither is Heskey and how many games does he get booed in?

For the record, here are some stats I posted on the T&A website to back up my argument that Conlon isn’t a poor striker:

“This week, Bazza scored his 100th career goal. He has just gone 30 years old. Whilst, Michael Boulding has only scored 85 career goals (and 22 of them came last season). He is 32 years old.”

CONLON’s record (this season)

League - Played 2(4) Goals 1
Cup - Played 2(0) Goals 1
Totals - Played 4(4) Goals 2
Goals per appearance ratio 0.25

BOULDING’s record (this season)

League - Played 7(2) Goals 3
Cup - Played 1(1) Goals 0
Total - Played 8(3) Goals 3
Goals per appearance ratio 0.27

Dont know if you can dig out the old article?

Regards,

David.