Clint Wags
Issue 006 - March 1991
RESERVE JUDGEMENTAn exclusive report from our
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Rather than waste valuable resources on running a reserve team from Holker St., the directors of Barrow AFC have invited clubs in the North West to challenge for the right to become their official reserve team. As expected the response was phenomenal. No fewer than 419 clubs contacted Holker St. literally begging to change their name to Barrow AFC Reserves. Many junior clubs were dismissed outright and two Football League clubs who replied, Rochdale and Doncaster Rovers, didn't receive serious consideration as they are basically crap. Barnet's Chairman, Stan Flashman, was reportedly a broken man, refusing to give press interviews after hearing his club had been turned down because the geographical distances are unrealistic. After much heated debate, two serious contenders remain. Both Workington and Morecambe are desperate to become associated with the region's premier non-League football club. The prize could not be higher. For one the glory of changing their name to Barrow AFC Reserves, for the other anonymity in the lowest reaches of the HFS Loans League. Give 'Em Beans! has invited both clubs to put forward the reasons why they feel they should be chosen as Barrow Reserves. You can judge who you think deserves that honour below: |
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by Club Secretary, Tommy Robinson It is common knowledge we are effectively Barrow's reserve team anyway. All we ask is for official recognition. Look at our playing staff last season: Andy Forbes, Mark Arrowsmith and Peter Harbach were all former Barrow players. And Gary Messenger and Lee Copeland, now in Barrow's first team squad, both started last season with us. They could be getting match practice on a Saturday if they can't get a first team place at Barrow. At the end of the day we have to be realistic. Workington FC have been going for over a hundred years and we have won nothing. We could be going for another hundred and still win nothing. Far better to be associated with a winning team, albeit as their reserves, than to struggle on as no-hopers. The basic problem is lack of identity. Workington has no claim to fame. Nobody famous has ever come from Workington. Nothing happens in Workington. Nobody knows where Workington is. When we look down the coast to Barrow and see a successful football team, a cultural centre and people with a never say die attitude we are quite frankly green with envy. Just look at the way Barrow responded to being expelled from the Football League, compared to us. They battled against all the odds and established themselves as a numero uno football outfit. Workington people don't have Barrovians' backbone. We just gave up and look at us now. HFS Loans League Division One. We've found our level playing such soccer giants as Radcliffe Borough, Curzon Ashton and Harrogate Town. This doesn't even begin to compare with being Barrow AFC's official reserve team. What have we got to offer? Admittedly our ground is failing to bits and we have almost no support. Our current capacity of 2,500 obviously won't be enough if say, Colin Cowperthwaite made an appearance as preparation following an injury, but the town is buzzing with anticipation at the chance of becoming Barrow's reserve team. Nothing else is discussed in the pubs and clubs. Workington people have the chance of an identity and they know it. Three thousand volunteers turned up last Wednesday to paint the ground blue and white. In fact, blue and white can be seen everywhere in the town and shop windows and houses are festooned with pictures of our Holker St. heroes. Please Barrow AFC, choose us as your reserve team, we are ready to be your faithful servants. The Mayor's wife will personally clean your boots and wash your kit after matches. |
by Club Chairman, Eddie Welduck Our club's nickname is The Shrimps, and nothing brings this home more than gazing across the bay towards Barrow, true giants of Northern football. Seeing Glen Skivington raise the FA Trophy at Wembley on Sky TV, coupled with the way Barrow played their football was the greatest thing I have seen in over fifty years associated with the game. I know Morecambe FC could never aspire to such heights in a million years. Admittedly we won this Trophy ourselves in 1974, but this was back in the days when non-League football wasn't taken seriously. The FA Trophy then was a joke; a Mickey Mouse cup we called it. Two sides we played in the early rounds sent their reserve teams and in the final against Dartford only nine of their players turned up and two lads from out of the crowd made up the numbers. It doesn't begin to compare with Barrow's achievement. The 45,000 signature petition, raised in just two days by the townsfolk of Morecambe and sent to Barrow's directors to influence their decision shows the depth of feeling on this matter. Morecambe derives its income from entertainment and tourism. Being associated with Barrow AFC would have a marvellous effect on the town. We commissioned a MORI poll to look into this and the results were staggering. Ten thousand people in London, Paris, New York, Sydney and Tokyo were asked two questions: 'Where is Barrow?' and 'Where is Morecambe?' 98% knew the precise location of Barrow (79% could name the FA Trophy winning side, the remaining 21% confusing Ferris with Farrell). Not one knew the exact location of Morecambe. Considering our proximity to Barrow, it would be financial suicide not to become Barrow AFC's reserve team and put ourselves back on the map. Imagine a mid week game at Christie Park one September evening: Morecambe/Barrow Reserves featuring, dare I say it, Kenny Lowe v. Fleetwood Town. Could our 10,000 capacity ground cope? How many people travelling to Blackpool's illuminations wouldn't just carry on up the M6 to Morecambe? Ten thousand people staying in our hotels, eating chips on the prom, filling our pubs and bingo balls and visiting Frontierland (well, maybe I'm exaggerating now!). Only the directors of Barrow AFC can make this dream come true. So please go for us: a whole town's future depends on your decision. We've spoken to the Mayor and he says he'll personally clean your boots and wash your kit after every match. |
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Clint Wags
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