FILE PHOTO - Football - Leaders in Football Conference 07/10/2010 - Stamford Bridge - 7/10/10 Oakland A's General Manager Billy Beane speaks during the Leaders in Football conference Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Paul Harding
LONDON (Reuters) - With "Moneyball" baseball executive Billy Beane joining a consortium to acquire English soccer club Barnsley, supporters of the second-tier side may soon find themselves asking what is the philosophy and how successful has it been?
Moneyball shot to attention in 2003 with Michael Lewis's book "Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game", telling the tale of Oakland Athletics baseball team and their incredible success against the odds, spearheaded by general manager Beane, before becoming the inspiration for the 2011 film starring Brad Pitt.
