Barrow A.F.C.

Association football club in Barrow-in-Furness, England

football clubhouse
Barrow Association Football Club is an English professional association football club which was founded in 1901 and is based in the town of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. The club participates in EFL League Two, the one-fourth grade of the English league organization. Since 1909, Barrow have played their home plate games at Holker Street, near the town center and about one-half mile ( 1 kilometer ) from the Barrow railroad track station.

Reading: Barrow A.F.C.

Having initially played in the Lancashire Combination, Barrow joined the Football League in 1921. They remained in the bottom degree of the competition until 1967, when they achieved promotion to the Third Division by finishing third gear in the Fourth Division. The golf club ‘s highest league rate was in 1967–68, when they finished eighth in the Third Division. They declined quickly, however, and at the end of the 1971–72 season Barrow were voted out of the Football League in the re-election process. They then spent 48 seasons in the crown two levels of non-league football, with five relegations from – and promotions to – the Alliance Premier League ( by and by the Football Conference and the National League ), of which they were a establish member in 1979. Barrow won the FA Trophy ( non-league football ‘s most esteemed cup competition ) in 1990 and 2010. They returned to the Football League as National League champions in 2020. Barrow ‘s promotion back to the Football League made them the first, and to date merely, golf club to have been promoted back to the Football League having previously lost their league place via the re-election work. The clubhouse colours are blue and ashen. Their combination has varied, and their nickname is “ The Bluebirds ”. The read attendance at Holker Street is 16,874, for a match against Swansea Town in the 1954 FA Cup third base round .

history [edit ]

early history [edit ]

Barrow were founded on 16 July 1901 at the old Drill Hall ( belated the Palais ) in the Strand, and played initially at the Strawberry Ground before moving to Ainslie Street [ 1 ] and Little Park in Roose. [ 2 ] The clubhouse was elected to Division Two of the Lancashire Combination [ citation needed ] in 1903, and in 1908 it was promoted to the beginning division. [ 2 ] Barrow moved to Holker Street the play along year, where they still play. The club remained in the Lancashire Combination until ( and after ) the first World War, winning the league backing in 1920–21. The victory preceded the formation of the Football League Third Division North in the 1921–22 season, and Barrow became one of the league ‘s establish members. [ 1 ]
In their early years as a league club, Barrow were luminary for their miss of success. [ 1 ] [ 3 ] Their highest stopping point before the second base World War was fifth in the 1931–32 season. In the 1933–34 temper, Barrow finished one-eighth. The baseball club remained in the lowest tier of the Football League when football resumed after the war, and were founding members of Football League Division Four in 1958–59. [ 4 ] The 1950s saw greater success in FA Cup rival, however ; the club ‘s criminal record crowd of 16,874 watch Barrow draw 2–2 with Swansea Town in the 1953–54 FA Cup. [ citation needed ] A few years later, it was followed by a third-round tie in the 1958–59 rival against Football League champions Wolverhampton Wanderers at Holker Street. The Wolves, captained by Billy Wright, won 4–2. The late 1960s finally saw Barrow win promotion, after a third-place end managed by Don McEvoy in the 1966–67 Fourth Division. [ 5 ] McEvoy ‘s successor, Colin Appleton, moderate Barrow to their highest final league position ( eighth station ) in the Football League Third Division the pursue season. The cabaret topped the Third Division league table for one day during the 1968-69 season, the highest position they have always held. During this period, defender Brian Arrowsmith made the most Football League appearances for Barrow. [ 5 ] Barrow remained in the third base flight of English football for three seasons, before returning to the basement in 1970. fiscal difficulties and poor performances saw Barrow doubly up for re-election in 1971 and 1972. On the second gear occasion, at the end of the 1971–72 season, they were voted out of the Football League and replaced by Hereford United. [ 5 ] The initial right to vote produced saw a tie between Barrow and Hereford for the last locate in the league, with each receiving 26 votes. however a second vote saw Hereford win with 29 votes to Barrow ‘s 20. [ 6 ] Three factors were highlighted : Barrow ‘s geographic isolation, Hereford United ‘s FA Cup victory against Newcastle United, and the decision of the Barrow board to introduce a speedway track around the Holker Street peddle to offset fiscal difficulties. [ 7 ] Barrow joined the Northern Premier League for the start of the 1972–73 temper, [ 8 ] and the club spent 51 years in the Football League, 44 play seasons due to the wartime closure. [ 5 ]

Return to non-league rival [edit ]

To gain access to the Northern Premier League, the clubhouse had to promise to remove the speedway path from Holker Street [ 9 ] ( although it remained until 1974 ). Barrow struggled in the league, with limit fiscal resources. [ 10 ] The golf club were invited to join the new Alliance Premier League in 1979, the first national part in non-league football. Barrow won the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy in 1981 ( their beginning success as a non-league club since winning the Lancashire Combination in 1921 ), but were relegated two years late. [ 11 ] They won the Northern Premier League title the following season under coach Vic Halom, but were relegated again by 1986. The golf club hired Ray Wilkie as a director equitable before delegating, and Wilkie led Barrow to their most successful period to date in non-league football. [ 12 ] After a number of near-misses, the club was promoted back to the renamed Vauxhall Conference in 1988–89 after their Northern Premier League championship. [ 12 ] Driven by Colin Cowperthwaite, holder of club records for appearances and goals, [ 13 ] Barrow had two estimable finishes in the conference : 10th in 1989–90 and 14th the succeed season. In addition to league success, Wilkie had a issue of successful cup runs. Barrow reached the 1988 FA Trophy semi-final, losing to Enfield after two replays : the beginning at Aggborough, Kidderminster and the second at Marston Road, Stafford. The first leg, at Holker Street, attracted 6,002 supporters ( a clubhouse non-league record ). Enfield won the beginning leg 2–1, and Barrow won the second 1–0. Enfield went on to win the trophy against Telford United in a replay at the Hawthorns in West Bromwich after a scoreless draw in the final examination at Wembley. Barrow reached the first attack of the FA Cup the follow season, losing 3–1 to Rotherham United. They won the 1990 FA Trophy, their beginning major trophy as a non-league golf club, defeating leek Town in the final at Wembley. Kenny Gordon, not normally a goal-scorer, scored the first and third goals in his final examination game for his hometown clubhouse before emigrating to Australia. [ 14 ] early luminary members of the police squad included Kenny Lowe, who was sold to Barnet for £40,000 ( a cabaret record at the time ) after the final. [ 15 ] The pursue season ( benefiting from direct entrance to the first gear round ), Barrow made the third orotund of the FA Cup for the beginning clock time as a non-league club before losing 1–0 aside to Third Division high-fliers Bolton Wanderers. [ citation needed ] Wilkie was forced to step down during the 1991–92 temper ascribable to health problems. Barrow were relegated back to the Northern Premier League and Cowperthwaite retired after fifteen seasons with the club, 704 appearances and 282 goals. [ 13 ] Wilkie died in December 1992 at historic period 56, [ 16 ] and the road outside the Holker Street ground was late named Wilkie Road in his honor. [ citation needed ]

1990s agitation [edit ]

After Wilkie ‘s passing and Barrow ‘s delegating, the club had three mediocre seasons in the Northern Premier League. In February 1995, Barrow were purchased by boxing showman and businessman Stephen Vaughan. [ 17 ] Vaughan invested in the club, building an all-seater grandstand and signing conference-standard players. [ 18 ] The Bluebirds were promoted to the Conference in 1997–98 under director Owen Brown. [ 17 ] [ 18 ] Vaughan ( who had connections with Liverpool drug-dealer Curtis Warren ) [ 17 ] was investigated for money launder, [ 17 ] [ 18 ] [ 19 ] [ 20 ] although no charges were brought. [ 19 ] [ 21 ] He left the club at the conclusion of 1998, withdrawing the fiscal support which had kept it adrift. [ 17 ] It was learned that the Holker Street grind ( Barrow ‘s main asset ) had been sold for £410,000 to Northern Improvements, a party in which Vaughan had a fiscal interest. [ 18 ] [ 22 ] In January 1999, the club were the subject of a compulsory winding-up order and a liquidator was appointed to run it while efforts were made to establish the grate ‘s legal owner. [ 17 ] [ 18 ] [ 22 ] A members ‘ company was formed to provide fiscal support for the club, with the long-run intention of taking it over. Although Barrow avoided relegation in the summer of 1999, they were expelled from the Football Conference for improper administration. [ 22 ] With accompaniment from the Football Association after a long dispute, the club were admitted to the Northern Premier League for the 1999–2000 season about a month after the season had begun. [ 18 ] Barrow survived in the league under coach Kenny Lowe, despite an almost-entirely-new squad. The team improved over the adjacent few years, remaining in administration. They narrowly missed promotion to the Conference twice, finishing second and third gear in 2003–04 and 2004–05. The legal disputes over the ownership of Holker Street were resolved in August 2002, and the members ‘ company bought the stadium from the murderer. In 2003, the Football Association allowed Barrow ‘s “ football membership ” to be transferred to the new company. [ 23 ] The club defeated local rivals Workington in a two-legged April 2004 final in the UniBond Presidents ( League ) Cup. The game finished 6–6 on aggregate, with Barrow winning on away goals. After their failure to gain promotion to the Conference in 2004–05, Barrow became founding members of another division : the Conference North, which replaced the Northern Premier League one floor below the Conference National .

render to the Conference National [edit ]

The golf club had inadequate phase over the take after two seasons, narrowly escaping relegation at the end of 2006–07. Manager Lee Turnbull, who succeeded Lowe when Lowe had solve commitments, was sacked in 2005 and replaced by Phil Wilson. Defender James Cotterill was jailed for an rape committed on the pitch. In a first round FA Cup crippled, Cotterill punched Bristol Rovers striker Sean Rigg. The incident was missed by the referee but was caught by the Match of the Day cameras, and Cotterill was the only English player in holocene history to be jailed for an offense on the pitch. [ 24 ] After two years as director, Wilson was dismissed on 12 November 2007. Although the sacking came two days after a good 1–1 draw in the FA Cup first round against AFC Bournemouth, the golf club ‘s continue inadequate form was the causal agent. Barrow ‘s team affairs were shifted to players Paul Jones, David Bayliss and Darren Sheridan. Following a properly run of results, Bayliss and Sheridan were appointed player-managers, and Jones became golf club captain. Bayliss and Sheridan led Barrow from 20th place in the league in December to fifth, ensuring a rate in the playoffs for promotion to the Conference National. They won the semi-final against Telford United 4–0 on aggregate before defeating Stalybridge Celtic in the playoff final examination at Pirelli Stadium in Burton upon Trent. [ 25 ] Barrow topped the Conference National table during the first few weeks of the following season before the golf club began to struggle, finding themselves barely above the relegation partition by January 2009. They defeated Brentford 2–1 with goals from David Brown and Matt Henney in round of golf two of the FA Cup, their inaugural victory over Football League enemy since their 1972 elimination from the league. Barrow drew an away equal against Middlesbrough ( a Premier League team ) in the third circle, losing 2–1. [ 26 ] More than 7,000 Barrow fans travelled to Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough, the highest away attendance in Riverside ‘s 14-year history to go steady. [ 26 ] The cup range earned Barrow about £250,000, allowing investing in playing resources. [ 27 ] The club retained their place in the Conference, finishing twentieth. Following alterations to the police squad during the summer, Barrow began its second season in the Conference National in August 2009. The baseball club had a dear ply after a inadequate start, losing once in 16 games and reaching the FA Cup one-third round. They were defeated 3–0 by Premier League side Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on 2 January 2010, watched by 7,500 travelling supporters. [ 28 ] [ 29 ] On 13 March 2010, a Gregg Blundell goal gave Barrow a 1–0 winnings at Salisbury City in the first Leg of the FA Trophy semifinal. One week later, a Jason Walker doubling secured a 2–1 victory in the second Leg to send the Bluebirds to Wembley. After securing their position in the Conference National in the last home match of the season, Barrow won the 2010 FA Trophy Final against Stevenage Borough 2–1 at Wembley Stadium with an extra-time goal by Walker ; this made Barrow the only baseball club to win the FA Trophy at the old and new Wembley Stadiums.

coup d’etat [edit ]

On 1 May 2014, it was announced that club members had voted to allow Dallas businessman Paul Casson to complete a coup d’etat. [ 33 ] Barrow were 2014–15 Conference North champions, with a 2–3 gain away at Lowestoft Town on the final day of the season. Casson aimed for promotion in the golf club ‘s first season back in the top flight of non-league football. [ 34 ] In November 2015, Barrow parted company with director Darren Edmondson after a poor scat left them mid-table and a 1–0 loss to AFC Fylde knocked them out of the FA Cup. [ 35 ] The cabaret appointed former Mansfield and Torquay foreman Paul Cox director the following day. [ 36 ] On 20 September 2017, Barrow appointed Micky Moore as first-team director. [ 37 ] Moore was sacked after the club ‘s FA Cup frustration in the one-fourth qualifying round away at Shaw Lane on 15 October of that class. Former Forest Green Rovers boss Ady Pennock was appointed coach on 27 October, accompanied by assistant director Jamie Day and player-coach Grant Holt. Barrow narrowly avoided delegating, finishing in twentieth place, and Pennock and the golf club parted company on 18 May 2018. [ 38 ] early Blackpool and Chesterfield defender Ian Evatt became the cabaret ‘s coach on 15 June. [ 39 ] On 24 October 2018, Casson announced that he was stepping down as president and selling the club ; film director Paul Hornby would take over as interim chair. [ 40 ] [ failed verification ] The 2018–19 season was a lot more successful under Evatt, finishing in tenth plaza this time. [ 41 ] The following 2019–20 season was even more successful. The Bluebirds were acme of the league for the huge majority of the season before the dislocation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The concluding league mesa was decided on a points per game basis, meaning Barrow returned to the EFL as champions for the first meter since 1972. [ 42 ]
During pre-season, director Ian Evatt departed for newly-relegated Bolton Wanderers and was replaced by David Dunn. [ 43 ] [ 44 ] Barrow ‘s first Football League game in 48 years resulted in a 1–1 disembowel with Stevenage at Holker Street. [ 45 ] The Bluebirds last won at their 9th attempt in the league, with a 4–2 winnings at Mansfield Town. [ 46 ] After 22 matches, the last 9 without a succeed, and with the team 21st in the table, Dunn was sacked on 13 December 2020. [ 47 ] Following Dunn ‘s dismissal, assistant director Rob Kelly was appointed as caretaker coach. [ 48 ] Michael Jolley was named as the newly coach on 23 December 2020. [ 49 ] however, on 21 February 2021, after 7 games in care, Barrow parted company with Jolley. [ 50 ] Following the passing of Jolley, assistant foreman Kelly was once again named as Barrow ‘s caretaker director, this time until the end of the season. [ 50 ] Kelly saw an upturn of shape and on 27 April 2021, with two matches remaining, Barrow secured their Football League status for the play along season with a 2–0 succeed at Forest Green Rovers. [ 51 ] At the end of the season, Kelly chose not to remain as coach on a permanent basis and left the baseball club. [ 52 ] On May 28, 2021, former Forest Green Rovers director Mark Cooper was appointed as director. [ 53 ] On the 24th August 2021, Barrow played Premier League opposition for the beginning prison term in their history – an EFL Cup 2nd-round tie, losing 0-6 to Aston Villa. [ 54 ]

Colours and badge [edit ]

Barrow ‘s colours are blue for the home kit and jaundiced and black for the aside kit this temper. A kit with amobarbital sodium shirts and flannel shorts was in use by 1912, [ 23 ] although Barrow ‘s original colours were black-and-white stripes. From 1939 to 1959, a blasphemous shirt with a white “ V ” was the design. [ 1 ] Barrow ‘s kit has varied from predominantly-blue to predominantly-white, with occasional stripes or hoops. [ 1 ] For the 2001–02 season, Barrow played in black-and-white stripes to celebrate the club ‘s centennial. [ 55 ] Although Barrow ‘s away colours have varied, the team wore a yellow kit with blue spare for the 2010 FA Trophy concluding. Barrow ‘s second gear kit out from 2011 to 2013 was sky blasphemous ; for the 2013–14 season, however, they opted for a yellow away kit out and a blue-and-white-hooped home kit. After a year, the club reverted to a white home kit with blue sleeves for the 2014–15 temper. The kits were manufactured by Puma, who had a four-year deal due to expire at the end of the 2015–16 season. The share was reduced by a class, since the club announced on 30 December 2014 that its kit out would be manufactured by PlayerLayer for 2015–16. [ 56 ] The clubhouse badge has a bee and arrow ( B-arrow ) as on the Barrow-in-Furness coat of arms. [ 1 ] It features an Astute-class submarine ( representing the town ‘s shipbuilding diligence ), a loss rose ( symbolising Lancashire ), and a football. The badge was created by Thomas Minnican, who at the time worked at Vickers ship thousand ( nowadays known as BAE systems ) as a painter. He won the competition to design the badge after it was advertised in the local wallpaper .

stadium [edit ]

Holker Street stadium at dusk Holker Street has been Barrow ‘s family ground since 1910. [ 2 ] It had previously hosted Hindpool Athletic Football Club, and had been a rubbish deck. [ 57 ] The first game at the stadium was a 5–2 winnings for Barrow against Eccles Borough. The land was gradually developed, so by the resumption of football after World War Two it had four fully-covered, terrace stands. [ 58 ] Its commemorate attendance was in 1954, when 16,784 fans watched an FA Cup third-round tie against Swansea Town. Floodlights were installed in 1963, [ 5 ] and the grind hosted speedway meetings during the 1970s which necessitated the destruction of the “ steel mill end ” ( previously damaged by open fire ), the re-positioning of the pitch and the removal of the front rows of terracing. [ 57 ] After the speedway track was removed, the pitch was moved back to its original predilection and a new leisure center with squash courts was built. [ 57 ] Under Stephen Vaughan ‘s possession, an all-seater main stand ( named the Brian Arrowsmith Stand in 2017 ) with a capability of about 1,000 was built on the Wilkie Road side ; [ 18 ] the entirely significant change since then was the removal of an insecure roof over the Holker Street-end terraces. Described as having “ a traditional, erstwhile fashioned feel ”, [ 57 ] the land has three sides of terracing. The Brian Arrowsmith Stand is raised above the center of the slope, with directly standing on either side. [ 58 ] The Popular Side, opposite the Brian Arrowsmith Stand, comprises an area of cover terrace. [ 59 ] [ 60 ] In the summer of 2020, a roof was added to the Holker Street End of the grind after the clubhouse had won promotion back to the Football League. [ 61 ]

Players [edit ]

current squad [edit ]

As of 24 September 2021[62]

eminence : Flags indicate home team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality .

Barrow A.F.C.

history [edit ]

early history [edit ]

Return to non-league rival [edit ]

1990s agitation [edit ]

render to the Conference National [edit ]

coup d’etat [edit ]

Colours and badge [edit ]

stadium [edit ]

Players [edit ]

current squad [edit ]

Management [edit ]

Managers [edit ]

Honours and achievements [edit ]

League history [edit ]

Records [edit ]

References [edit ]