Spilling the beans in our tenth birthday issue was one of our most recent heroes...
EDDIE JOHNSTON The one and only 'Steady Eddie'
Eddie Johnston joined Barrow from Knowsley United in August 1997 and soon established himself as a fans' favourite with his toothy grin and lolloping gait. Following Barrow's promotion to the Conference in 1998, he remained in the first team and when the club went into liquidation in early 1999, he was one of only four regulars who didn't head for the exit. For that reason, and for the 90th minute header against Northwich that set up two epic FA Trophy quarter final games against Dover, he'll always be guaranteed a special place in the fans' affections. However, Eddie left Barrow during the 1999 close season and joined Stalybridge Celtic. Chris Armstrong caught up with him after Stalybridge had drawn 2-2 at Guiseley. You scored a corking goal in the first half today, congratulations on that one, and you were also awarded man of the match. How do you feel about today's game? Mixed feelings. I enjoyed scoring the goal, obviously, but a bit sick at the result because I thought we deserved the three points. In the second half it did look like you were going to go on and take control of the game and maybe score three or four. Yeah, we created chances. Probably more chances than we've created for a while. Unfortunately they didn't go in. The lad up front for them [Simon Parkes] had two shots and scored two great goals. You've had an exciting season so far, with a good run in the FA Cup and you're still in the Trophy. What's been the highlight? Winning the FA Cup replay against Merthyr and the two games against Altrincham. It's been a really hectic season. I enjoyed going back up to Barrow and saying hello to everyone. I had two exciting seasons at Barrow and its carried on here. So you enjoyed your time at Barrow? Oh yeah. I loved my time with Barrow. It was just a pity that it had to end in the way that it did. When Barrow went into liquidation, you could have walked out, as almost all the other players did. But you stayed until the end of last season. Why? I really enjoyed playing there. The fans took to me and I took to the club and I think we both fed off each other. Anytime I get the chance to go back up there I relish it and look forward to it. Do you keep in contact with anyone at the club? Yes I speak to Keefo and Morty. I know Morty's no longer involved with Barrow but he still lives up there and I keep in touch with him. And of course there's the Stalybridge lads who played at Barrow [Jones, Higgins and Bauress]. We all talk about the old days. We tell the other Stalybridge players what it's like to win a championship! One of the abiding memories Barrow fans have of you is when you were standing on the roof of the old dugout with the other players after Barrow had defeated Boston United to win the UniBond championship in April 1998. What sticks out for me are the two FA Trophy quarter-final games against Dover, earlier on that season. For the first game at Dover, to get one thousand people down from Barrow to the other end of the country was just absolutely phenomenal. I'll never, ever forget that. I remember you in the first half of that game. You were defending a corner when Barrow were 1-0 up and it looked like you were puffing on an imaginary cigar. I wasn't smoking it five minutes into the game, though. I thought we were in for a right chasing. They started off so fast. That was the day Steve Farrelly, in the Barrow goal, picked up an ankle injury very early on in the game and was hobbling about quite badly and you were taking all the goal kicks. That's right. I still keep in touch with Faz. In fact most of the Barrow lads. I spoke to Jimmy Brown not so long ago. So all the lads who were at Barrow, and are based in Liverpool, they still keep in touch, have a chat and go out for a drink. I'm still friends with Carl McAuley. I saw him last night. He's at Telford now, isn't he? Yeah, and Ian Foster. I went out and had a drink with him last week. The Barrow spirit still lives on in Liverpool! Last season Barrow avoided relegation on the last day of the season by winning at Kidderminster. That was the last game you played for Barrow. How did it feel to win on the pitch only to find that the Conference was going to expel Barrow anyway? To be honest the lads suspected that something underhand was going to go on. And I think it was underhand. I thought that the way Barrow were treated was very shabby. We could only do what we could do on the pitch. Politics is what got Barrow relegated, not what happened on the pitch and that has got to be wrong. You left Barrow for Stalybridge in the close season when it looked like Barrow wouldn't be playing at all this season. If Barrow had been allowed to keep their Conference place would you have stayed on? Yes I would have stayed. But up to two or three weeks before the beginning of the season and even into the start of the season, Barrow were not in any league. And I'm not getting any younger! I needed to know what I was going to be doing this season. Stalybridge then made me an offer. Barrow couldn't make me any promises. I had to go against my heart but I'm enjoying it at Stalybridge and it's a good set of lads here. But I'll always be fond of, and have good memories of Barrow. Thanks Eddie. And next time you're in Barrow, we're buying the drinks. Good luck for the rest of the season. Chris Armstrong Issue 043 - January 2000