Holker Street Newsletter 1254 - 12th February 2004

FUNDRAISING
Statement from Barrow AFC, thanks to Russell Dodd for this.

Barrow AFC will be holding a follow up meeting aimed at revitalising the fundraising activities in the Crossbar on Friday evening at 8pm. All supporters are welcome to attend with new ideas.


LOOKING AHEAD
John Dale has been in touch with some interesting details from www.footballwebpages.co.uk the table shows the Premier League’s current form over the last six matches (as at Saturday 7 February), and Hucknall are still the team to beat

HOME AWAY
P W D L F A W D L F A GD PD PTS
1 Hucknall Town 6 2 1 0 8 4 3 0 0 11 3 12 0 16
2 BARROW AFC 6 4 0 0 13 4 1 0 1 5 4 10 0 15
3 Southport 6 2 1 0 4 2 2 0 1 9 3 8 0 13
4 Harrogate Town 6 2 0 1 5 4 2 1 0 10 5 6 0 13
5 Stalybridge Celtic 6 2 1 0 6 3 1 2 0 6 4 5 0 12
6 Worksop Town 6 2 1 0 5 1 1 2 0 4 3 5 0 12
7 Altrincham 6 1 2 0 7 3 2 0 1 3 1 6 0 11
8 Droylsden 6 1 0 1 3 2 2 1 1 9 6 4 0 10
9 Burscough 6 2 1 1 7 5 0 1 1 3 4 1 0 8
10 Ashton United 6 1 2 1 7 8 1 0 1 3 3 -1 0 8
11 Radcliffe Borough 6 2 1 0 7 3 0 1 2 6 13 -3 0 8
12 Whitby Town 6 2 0 1 3 6 0 2 1 3 7 -7 0 8
13 Vauxhall Motors 6 1 1 1 5 5 1 0 2 5 6 -1 0 7
14 Alfreton Town 6 2 0 3 7 9 0 1 0 3 3 -2 0 7
15 Lancaster City 6 1 1 1 4 4 1 0 2 4 7 -3 0 7
16 Marine 6 1 1 1 4 3 1 0 2 3 8 -4 0 7
17 Runcorn FC Halton 6 0 0 3 3 6 2 0 1 5 3 -1 0 6
18 Bradford PA 6 0 0 1 2 3 2 0 3 2 8 -7 0 6
19 Blyth Spartans 6 1 1 0 6 1 0 1 3 2 5 2 0 5
20 Gainsborough Trinity 6 1 2 0 8 4 0 0 3 2 8 -2 0 5
21 Frickley Athletic 6 1 0 1 4 4 0 1 3 6 11 -5 0 4
22 Spennymoor United 6 1 0 2 3 8 0 1 2 1 4 -8 0 4
23 Wakefield Emley 6 0 1 2 3 7 0 2 1 4 7 -7 0 3

John adds that it is interesting to see Wakefield & Emley's position, pointing out Barrow’s game this weekend is another must win one for Barrow. Also Southport look to be improving - they play Alfreton at home on Saturday.

This weekend’s fixtures: Ashton United v Hucknall Town, Blyth Spartans v Runcorn FC Halton, Bradford Park Avenue v Burscough, Droylsden v Marine, Frickley Athletic v Harrogate Town, Lancaster City v Spennymoor United, Southport v Alfreton Town, Wakefield Emley v Barrow AFC.


FANS’ MATCH
From David Ingham

On February 21 a team of Barrow supporters will take on their Radcliffe counterparts at Barrow Wanderers FC, kick off 11am (weather permitting). As well as it being a potential extravaganza of flowing football, we're also trying to raise a few quid out of our match. To that end, we're going to hold a raffle with proceeds to go to a good cause (probably the Survival Fund or the Footy in the Community Scheme etc).

How can you help? So far, for prizes, we have: a mini beer fridge, bottles of wine, whisky etc. Do you have a spare bottle or box of chocolates left over from Christmas that you could donate to the cause? Do you work in a shop that could donate a voucher or some other little item? Everything gratefully received.

Ticket sales: I don't want to step on the toes of those magnificent people who run the Survival Fund/Raise the Roof draws. Therefore I won't be traipsing round the ground bothering people for money. If you would like to support the fans’ match raffle by buying a strip of tickets for a UKP1 then they'll be on sale at the game or you can email me on: david_ingham@btinternet.com or pm me via the forum on www.barrowfc.com. For exiles I can arrange postage of tickets etc. The raffle draw will be held after the Radcliffe game. Any comments, offers, suggestions etc, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Phil Kirby and David Ingham have provided us with the following update

We have the pitch sorted out, and as long as the sun keeps on shining then there won’t be any problems, Barrow Wanderers will be inspecting the pitch on Friday night and then again on Saturday morning before the game. So there is still a long way before we have the thumbs up. Phil Cowing from Barrow AFC has kindly arranged for those involved in the game to receive a hot-pot lunch after the supporters’ game, and this will be served at 2 pm before the start of the Barrow v Radcliffe game.

Dave Shepherd and Phizzer are sorting out a kit for us to wear. We will holding a raffle after the game, and after the club’s raffle, and whilst we have a number of items for the raffle, we would always appreciate more items, and if you can help, please email David Ingham on: david_ingham@btinternet.com

The plan is that everyone who plays and watches the friendly will donate a quid or so, and we can raise money not only for BAFC but Barrow Wanderers as well, as Barrow Wanderers have kindly made their facilities available free of charge. The Mail have been approached and it’s likely they will have a photographer at the game and an article in the paper.


ALFRETON’S TOWEL?
From John Dale

This is from the NPL daily. It indicates that Alfreton have all but thrown in the Championship towel and also the point that I’ve been making - there is going to be one almighty battle for the top 13 and that every game is soon going to be like a Cup Final. Hucknall currently have points in the bag which is important, but there are no easy games to come and there is still all to play for, as any sort of run is going to be difficult :

Wayne Bradley, chairman of UniBond League Premier Division club Alfreton Town, reflected on a 2-0 home defeat against Runcorn FC Halton last Saturday by saying that the final points total to qualify for Conference North may not be as high as first thought. "It doesn't matter who you speak to, managers, club administrators, etc, they are all saying the same, that it is an extraordinary season," said Bradley. "The general feeling now is that it may not take a target of around 62 points to guarantee a top 13 spot, it may come down to between 56 and 58, that is because nearly every team is win one, lose one, such is the intensity, hardly anybody is able to put a run together. The optimist might say as low as two more wins would see us ok, and even the pessimist would say five wins out of the last 17 games to guarantee us our place. Such is the magnitude and complexity of the campaign, most clubs who would have cut their losses and budgets by now having attained mid-table safety or written off their title hopes can't afford to do so and I know of at least half-a-dozen clubs who have shelved plans to do that. You can go right down to the foot of the table and everyone is still in with a chance, and yet there is very little player movement of any substance. With regards to last Saturday's defeat, we fell to another hard working side who refused to accept nothing from the game and we are going to have to match that attitude. We have a dearth of midweek games coming up and while I acknowledge that the club has come on in the last three years with promotion after promotion, these will test our ability in terms of organisation. We need to keep a cool head, and not get drawn into the danger of over-analysing defeats. We will return to forward thinking and accept we will have battle our way out of this mini barren spell" ended Bradley.


UNIBOND PREMIER DIVISION
Whitby Town 2 Wakefield Emley 1.

1 Hucknall Town 27 19 3 5 57 26 60
2 Droylsden 29 18 5 6 65 46 59
3 Harrogate Town 28 17 4 7 51 33 55
4 BARROW 29 14 11 4 55 35 53
5 Alfreton Town 27 14 5 8 52 33 47
6 Worksop Town 27 13 8 6 41 27 47
7 Gainsborough Trinity 29 12 9 8 51 33 45
8 Southport 30 12 6 12 45 38 42
9 Altrincham 27 8 13 6 40 28 37
10 Stalybridge Celtic 27 10 7 10 38 39 37
11 Radcliffe Borough 31 11 4 16 63 73 37
12 Ashton United 27 11 4 12 36 51 37
13 Marine 27 10 5 12 46 49 35
14 Lancaster City 27 10 5 12 35 41 35
15 Spennymoor United 29 10 4 15 38 61 34
16 Runcorn FC Halton 27 8 8 11 36 40 32
17 Whitby Town 25 9 5 11 33 45 32
18 Blyth Spartans 26 8 6 12 38 39 30
19 Vauxhall Motors 27 8 6 13 51 59 30
20 Frickley Athletic 30 9 3 18 41 61 30
21 Bradford Park Ave. 25 7 7 11 35 42 28
22 Burscough 30 5 10 15 34 54 25
23 Wakefield & Emley 29 5 6 18 28 56 21

FA CUP FOURTH ROUND
Telford United 0-2 Millwall [5589]

FA TROPHY FOURTH ROUND
Margate 2 Worksop Town 0 (at Ashford).


SUPPORTERS DIRECT WELCOMES PARLIAMENTARY BACKING
From John Boocock and the Leeds United mailing list

Supporters Direct, the government-backed initiative that has now helped 106 supporters' trusts make a difference to their clubs, today welcomed the report by the All Party Parliamentary Football Group. Speaking about the recommendations, managing director, Dave Boyle, said: "Supporters Direct are in talks with the Treasury to give our trusts tax breaks, and we welcome the groups' support for these proposals. We have pioneered having fan representation on the board of clubs, of which there are now 34, and we are delighted that the group recognise that this is an entirely positive development in the game, and call for every club to have formal supporter involvement at board level through their trust. With three Football League clubs already owned by their trusts, we are delighted that the group supports our call for a rule-change within football to allow clubs to be mutual, democratic, community based organisations.

Supporters Direct also welcomes the groups' recommendations to look at ways of preventing clubs from being asset-stripped, and also congratulates the group for recognising that fans, through their trust, should have the final say on what happens to their ground. Supporters Direct warmly welcomes the group's support for the introduction of a 'fit and proper person test' for club directors, and a beefed-up finance unit at the FA, echoing the recommendations from the Independent Football Commission in their Annual Report yesterday. Boyle also said, "This report came about because of the financial problems affecting clubs, and despite those problems, we still have 92 professional clubs. This is in no small way down to the work of Supporters Direct and its member trusts, who have been pivotal in saving their clubs from extinction.

"The All Party Group has done the game a great service with this report. They have consulted widely throughout the game, and their recommendations are serious and credible. We urge everyone in the game to begin a dialogue as to how to take these recommendations forward."

Editor's notes: Supporters Direct is a democratic, Industrial and Provident Society, funded by public money and with 106 member trusts. With a combined membership of over 65000 people, supporters trusts have now put more than UKP4 million into the game and own or control eight clubs in England and Scotland. All models used and recommended will be based on democratic, mutual and not-for-profit principles. For further information, including a guide to supporters’ trusts, please contact:

Kevin Rye (press and communications) on 020 7608 7254 (direct line), 07932 067425 (mobile) or Dave Boyle (managing director): 020 7608 7253 or 07779 711264.

The House of Commons All Party Football Group’s website is at www.allpartyfootballgroup.org.uk


LOOK BACK AT SEASON 1980-81: ALLIANCE PREMIER LEAGUE
From Terry Kendall.

August 23 1980, Barrow 4 Maidstone United 1
Sheer delight as Barrow put four away
Barrow: Thomas, Richmond, Mulgrove, Brooks, McDonald, Taylor, Cowperthwaite, Jackson (Eatough 71), Pearson, Moore, Worswick.
Maidstone. Guy, Kinnear, Shields, Wilshire, Hutton, Aitken, Fusco, Ovard, Woon, Hunt, Newson. Sub: Holmes.
Goals. Colin Cowperthwaite 10, Jimmy Pearson 43, 63 Micky Worswick 53, Peter Hunt 86 (penalty).
Ref. Pat Partridge (Co Durham). H/t: 2-0. Att: 798.


ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY - 12 February
1927 D3N Lincoln City H L 0-3
1938 D3N Crewe Alexandra A L 0-4
1949 D3N Chester H D 1-1
1955 D3N Bradford City A L 1-2
1971 DIV4 Newport County A L 2-3
1972 DIV4 Scunthorpe United A L 1-2
1994 NPL Boston United H L 0-2