Hammill made sure JPT pledge was realised

Barnsley's Adam Hammill (Picture: Tony Johnson).

Hammill etched his place into Oakwell folklore with a magnificent solo goal to guild a 3-2 success over Oxford United and crown his footballing rehabilitation.

He has been a catalyst for their new year renaissance and Hammill’s highs in his second spell at Barnsley have massively outweighed the lows, although one did arrive on February 23 when he was sent off in a league game at Bury, which prompted him to make a vow to chief executive Mansford.

He said: “Adam made me a promise in the tunnel when he got sent off at Bury – in front of another Scouser in Ryan Lowe – that he was going to make sure we pushed up the table and won the JPT. He has come good on his promise, so I will be thanking him for that. He is a wonderful person and sometimes in sport, and in life, it is all about timing and when things come together, and we were looking for that guile and quality and we got it.

“It was a good fit for us and Adam. I am delighted for him and his family as he had some tough times before he came back to us this season and I am really pleased for someone who loves his football that he got through it.”

Mansford dedicated Sunday’s cup success – the club’s first in over a century since 1912 and a maiden triumph at Wembley – to the Reds’ loyal supporters who stuck by the club in some grim times back in the autumn.

The club’s campaign has completely turned around since with a Barnsley lad and lifelong fan in Paul Heckingbottom latterly at the helm. The tantalising prospect remains that there could be a re-run if the club reaches the end-of-season play-offs.

Mansford said: “I know Paul will not let them go without giving everything between now and the end of the season.

“If we enjoyed winning this, we would enjoy winning at the end of May and becoming Championship players far more.”

On Sunday’s memorable victory, Mansford added: “It was about the town and the supporters who stick with the club through thick and thin and I am just so pleased we could do it led by one of the town’s own.”