Was it so long ago? That marvellous FA Cup run when thousands flocked to Holker St. to see the games against Nuneaton Borough and Wigan Athletic? It already seems like an another age, and I suppose that it many ways, it was. Anyway, to remind you what one of the highlights of recent seasons was really like, we present our FA Cup retrospective in four parts...
FA CUP RETROSPECTIVE 1995 How we got to the second round
The strangest of the strange. The lamest of the lame. The strongest of the strong. The dumbest of the dumb (So you were there as well? Ed.). Yes, they all came to Holker St. Not just once, but twice around 3,000 people packed onto what's left of the terraces to cheer the lads on in the FA Cup. We won't forget these games in a hurry. November 11 - Nuneaton Borough; December 2 - Wigan Athletic. They're already engraved onto our hearts. When Barrow came out onto the pitch for the Wigan game, they'd already played seven games in the competition. Yes, count them, seven. If we'd started in the First Round Proper we'd have been in the semi-finals. Unfortunately, we didn't and we weren't. Our first outing was way back in sultry September, at home to Consett, Ken Clarke's favourite steelmaking town, in the First Qualifying Round. And the lads won at a canter, albeit after a shaky first half. But when the goals started just before half time, there was no doubt about the result. Brown and Dobie made it 2-0 in the three minutes before the break, and John Kennedy got the third before Morton had a penalty saved. But it made no difference. We were through. For a game away at Gateshead. Strange as it may seem, in 1995 they were hovering around the top six of the Conference. So a stern test of Barrow's abilities was expected. Plus the end of our FA Cup interest. And that's the way it seemed at half time. 2-0 down and Speak off the field with a face wound. Worse was to come. Just after the hour, John Kennedy, the other full back, limped off and Barrow looked out of it. But with fifteen minutes to go, Parker got his head to a corner and the ball was scrambled into the net. And eight minutes later, Dobie volleyed home the equaliser from six yards. Deegan and Harold prevented Gateshead from snatching the winner at the last breath by clearing off the line. And so we survived for the replay. Almost 2,000 came to Holker St., a remarkable crowd for a Tuesday night match. And they witnessed a game which could have gone either way until Hoskin broke the deadlock in the first period of extra time to put Barrow into the Third Qualifying Round. So another North Eastern team made the long journey across country. This time it was Durham City. But Barrow had one of their frequent Holker St. off days. Dobie opened the scoring, but Durham equalised just before half time, and but for their profligate finishing, would have put Barrow out of the competition. So another trip to Geordieland for the replay saw most of the supporters miss the kick off and Todhunter's second minute goal which was good enough to get us through. An away tie at Winsford was next. And this time Barrow rewarded the large band of travelling supporters with an authoritative display which left no room for doubt. There was only ever one team in it. By the time Brown, Parker and Hoskin had made it 3-0 before the hour was up, Winsford might as well not have been on the pitch, so weak was the challenge from their midfield and attack. Eleven dustbins would have represented more of a challenge. That is until Billy Kenny came on as substitute. Winsford had him marked, and after one particularly late tackle, Billy found himself staring at the ref's red card when he'd really not done anything wrong. The game was safe, but it was sad to see his departure from the field. But that disappointment was tempered by the thought that we'd made it to the First Round Proper. Who would we get? Hereford? No, wrong half of the draw. Wrexham? No, not them either. Altrincham? No, that would be next year. We settled down for the draw on Sky at 6pm on the Sunday evening. We didn't have long to wait. Third name out of the hat. So it's a home draw. "Barrow... will play... Nuneaton Borough!" Nun who? What league are they in? Turns out it's the Beazer Homes Division One. A level below us in the pyramid. But they're top and they clearly fancy their chances. It's an all ticket game. Holker St's capacity is set at 3,500. But it's a lousy day. Torrential rain. Nonetheless 2,900 turn up and it's like the good old days are back again. Evening Mail special, singing at the Holker End, no room to move on the Popular Side. Great atmosphere. It turns out to be a rough old game. Two mass punch ups, eight bookings, two sent off, three great goals (and these on 'Match of the Day' too. I've still got 'em on tape. Online Ed.), and a win for Barrow to put us into the Second Round for the first time in five years. Morton put us one up in the first half, only for Barrow's defence to go to sleep two minutes later to let Nuneaton in for the equaliser. But Dobie restored the lead before the break, and that was the way it stayed. Once Nuneaton had had their two players sent off after the mass brawl in the second half, they knew it was all over. So it was back in front of Sky for the Second Round draw. Once again we didn't have long to wait. First out of the hat. "Barrow... will play... Runcorn or Wigan Athletic!" So a League team at last. Actually, I wouldn't have minded another non-League side to give us a better chance of getting in amongst the big boys in the Third Round. Well, at the time the draw was made, it still might have been, as Wigan had to dispose of Runcorn in a replay. And as everyone expected, they did, atoning for the 2-2 draw at Canal St. by beating them 4-2 in the replay. But no reason not to feel optimistic. Wigan were only halfway up Division Three, which is Division Four in all but name. And on the day, Barrow had every chance to make a name for themselves. And so the scene was set... Issue 024 - January 1996