- Other names
None.
- How long have you supported Barrow?
My father started to take me to Holker St. as soon as my
mother trusted him not to lose me in the crowd, so that
would be in the mid-fifties, if you can count a babe in
arms as a supporter.
- Earliest memory of Barrow
AFC
I can't actually remember my first match - I was too
young. But I do recall that it cost ninepence (4p) to get
in, and the threepence change from the shilling my Dad
gave went into a collection box just inside the
turnstiles - Barrow were having one of their periodic
financial crises at the time. When I was seven I started
going with the lads from my back street, and it was then
I graduated to the Holker End.
- Worst memory of Barrow AFC
When we failed to get re-elected to the League in
1972. No-one thought it would happen. We weren't bottom;
we had five points more than Stockport, eight more than
Crewe and it was only a couple of seasons since we had
been in Division Three. Perhaps with hindsight we were
too complacent, too reliant on the League's closed shop.
That Friday night I couldn't face going out in Barrow so
a few of us went up to Kendal just to try and get away
from it. People in Kendal were subdued, too. 'It
shouldn't have happened' was their view.
- What has been your most horrendous journey to a
Barrow match?
Our first game as a non-League side was away to
Ellesmere Port and we drove down there thinking it would
be an easy victory. But by twenty to five a 4-0 defeat
had taught us the hard reality of what was in store.
- Favourite players, past and present
From the Football League days: Jim Mulholland, Brian
Arrowsmith, Dave Storf and Jim Mulvaney. In non-League:
Ken Gordon, Steve Brooks, Danny Wheatley, Kenny Lowe,
Colin Cowperthwaite and Peter McDonnell.
- Worst player
Awful players fall into two categories - those who just
aren't good enough for the team and those who are, but
don't give their best. You can't really blame a player
who gives his best but hasn't got the basic ability to
make the grade, but over the years we have had a number
of players who have come to Holker St. thinking they are
in for an easy ride, and haven't contributed as much as
they should have.
- What is the best ever Barrow game you have
seen?
The home match against Brentford back in 1967, when we
won promotion to Division Three was probably the best
game from an emotional point of view. It was the first
time since I had started supporting Barrow that we had
achieved any success. We still needed to win that match
on the last day of the season to make sure of promotion
and the atmosphere was very tense until Tony Field scored
the vital goal down at the Steelworks End. As soon as the
final whistle blew, it was over the wall and onto the
pitch to celebrate. It was muddy, but who cared? We were
promoted!
- What is the worst ever Barrow game you have
seen?
The NPL Cup final against Goole at Maine Road in 1988.
Wembley had been snatched from our sights in the epic
duel against Enfield in the Trophy semi-final and the NPL
Cup was our last chance of a consolation prize. When we
lost the penalty shoot-out, everyone was shattered -
players, fans, everyone. The team had given everything in
a hectic final spell, something like fourteen games in
seventeen days and had ended up with nothing. They
deserved better.
- Who are the best team you have seen in
non-League?
Wycombe Wanderers circa 1992. They were unlucky to be
pipped at the post in 1991-92 and should have been
promoted along with Colchester to make up for the loss of
Aldershot.
- What is the best Barrow side you have
seen?
The team that played in Division Three in the 1967-68
season under Colin Appleton. The playing record from that
year speaks for itself - eighth in the table and just a
few points away from a promotion place, the third round
of both the FA and Football League Cups and the final of
the Lancashire Senior Trophy.
- What are your predictions for the future?
I'm always optimistic - you have to be supporting
Barrow!
- When did you start contributing to
G'EB!?
Aside from this interview, with 'A Day at Diagoras' in
issue 018.
Abridged from interview in issue 016 - April
1993
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