Holker Street Newsletter 17 - 19th November 1997

This one goes out to 62 subscribers.

'BUSINESS AS USUAL' NO CHANGE AT AFC CLAIMS BOSS OWEN.
Evening Mail, 17 November

BAFC boss Owen Brown said today he believes former Chairman Stephen Vaughan will continue to back the club, at least for the time being. Vaughan shocked AFC on Sunday when he announced he had quit as a Director and Chairman at Holker Street due to the pressure of an investigation by the Custom and Excise. However, Brown, who is also a Director at Holker Street, said this morning that it was ' business as usual' as far as he is concerned with BAFC.

Brown said "I've been told nothing has changed and it's business as usual. Te financial backing of Stephen Vaughan is to remain until I’m told any different." Vaughan was unavailable for comment this morning to confirm if he was going to continue to financially back the club, a question every Barrow fan want to know the answer to. It is thought that a Board meeting will be held sometime later on this week to appoint a new Chairman and to decide the way forward for the Holker Street club. Barrow's remaining Directors are hosting a meeting at Holker Street on Thursday afternoon when they will meet some local business people to see if they want to join the club.

Boss Brown is travelling up from Liverpool to attend alongside other remaining Directors Ged Rule and Phil Cowing. Brian Vause will also attend but he said yesterday he has not been on the club's Board for three months and he is only helping AFC out. Vaughan, who is still the owner of the ground and major share holder, is not expected to attend the meeting at the Sports and Leisure Club.


CHILTS GIVEN REDS JOB
Former BAFC player Tony Chilton has had his role as caretaker manager of Workington made permanent. Holker Street favourite Chilton has been in charge of the Reds for fourteen games and only managed to record one win and three draws. However, the Borough Park Board met this week and decided to back Chilton and hand him the manager’s job on a permanent basis. Chilton admitted his record didn't merit being given the job. He said "With that sort of record I was hardly a banker to land the job on a permanent basis even though there were signs coming through that we were getting better."


CHORLEY CUP TEST FOR HOLKER
Holker boss Neil McDonald hopes his struggling North West Counties side turn into giant killers tonight when they visit UniBond Premier Division side Chorley in the Lancashire ATS Trophy. Both sides lie one off the bottom of their respective divisions and Old Boys will travel to Victory Park with a glint of hope, knowing the side they face have the worst defensive record in the UniBond Premier. Barrow AFC have already inflicted a League double over the Magpies this season, and although Holker are two Leagues below, McDonald isn't ruling out an upset."It's our cup final tonight," he said . "You never know what will happen in cup matches, it is eleven against eleven. The lads are all looking forward to it. It's not often they get a chance to play at grounds like this."

Ian Leeming, a new signing from Barrow AFC, could play, but first choice goalkeeper Darren Hoyland (suspended) and defenders Danny Neep (suspended) and Ryan Tyson (injured), are all missing.

Holker from: Slater, Griffiths, Porter, Keen, Willis, Leeming, Dixon, Holmes, Brown, Clarke, Dawson, Mahon, Curtis, Hill, Seal.

Thanks to for Paul Darragh for sending these three snippets, much appreciated.


ANOTHER MATCH REPORT
Thanks to Graham Murphy for this match report.

I went to the game on Saturday to try to sell Give 'Em Beans! and it looks like the curse of Beans struck again. We never win when Beans is on sale and so it proved again with Guiseley inflicting upon us our first defeat in eight games and scoring the first goal against us in ten hours of football.

There was an air of apathy and lethargy about the team and supporters that was difficult to explain. Perhaps it was the weather that made everyone feel depressed, with overcast, slate grey skies casting an unnatural gloom over the proceedings, but when a coachload of schoolboys from Yorkshire, the Rascals, who had played a football match in Ulverston that morning, are able to out-shout the home supporters, something is very wrong. Instead of it being a celebration of seven straight wins and being fourteen points clear at the top of the League it was more like a wake.

The tactics which serve Barrow so well in away games were nowhere in evidence. McAuley and Robertson couldn't fulfil their attacking wing back roles because they were tied down with defensive duties trying to contain Guiseley's lively forwards.

Robertson, in particular, had his hands full with their number 7. Perhaps that's why he threw his shirt at the dugout and stormed off to the dressing room when he was substituted. Morton was completely subdued by Guiseley's number 4 so all Coates' running to create space was to no avail. O'Keefe flitted in and out of midfield. And Owen Brown's substitution of Hennigan for Coates, a midfielder for an attacker, when we were already 1-0 down was baffling. Surely it would have been better to replace O'Keefe and commit to attack, but we should remember a couple of things. The players have had two hard games, at Boston and Runcorn, in the previous seven days, both of which were won, so there was bound to be some kind of reaction. On another day, the three scoring chances we had (Robertson/Coates, J Brown and Hennigan) would have gone in. We are still top of the League, thirteen points clear with only Winsford who have enough games in hand to catch us, so it's not the end of the world. Oh, and we never beat Guiseley. I wish some of the supporters would stop their merciless barracking of the players for every tiny mistake. No wonder they don't like playing at Holker Street. Let's hope normal service is resumed at Frickley. At least it's an away game.


ANOTHER REPORT
I was at home in Morecambe at the weekend and ventured round the coast with the usual foreboding that a home game brings. I knew that we’d get beat but I went anyway. When I arrived in Barrow I was told that the Mail had done a feature on the impressive defensive record, as this usual puts the mockers on everything I was tempted to go straight back home but I went to the match with a sense of dread that was increasing with every step towards the Hindpool San Siro. The game was forgettable and regrettable and you knew we wouldn’t score after Robertson’s miss that has been documented elsewhere. Incredibly Coco received stick for most of the rest of the game (obviously the Popular Side moaners have forgotten that this was his first bad game of the season, forgetting the number of goals he has created and defenders he has tormented, I was surprised that Robertson, Farrelly and Higgins hadn’t been selected for England versus Cameroon but I suppose that Hoddle had to give Hinchcliffe, Martyn and Ferdinand a run out instead.

BTW, I think that the away kit’s debut was at Leigh RMI as I remember peering at the pitch wondering if my replica home shirt was not quite as much of a replica as I’d expected, but I was soon corrected.

Also, if you want to join the Official Supporters Club, merely book a place on the coach to any away game and you can join on the coach.

Going back to the poor home form although won six, drawn one, lost three isn’t exactly Barnsleyesque it seems that although the crowds turn up in numbers the actual SUPPORT that the team receives is minimal as the crowd expects us to be at least ten nil up after eight seconds otherwise the doom merchants are out in force. If only they’d been to Hyde or Boston or could be bothered to remember the Bishops or Stanley games at home. I think we should play all of our games away, and from a personal point of view preferably in the north east although our recent record at Boston seems to suggest that the players, and Morty in particular would wish to play there. The worrying thing is we now have a run of five successive home games (purgatory) and thus Winsford may be able to close the gap without losing any of their games in hand. If there are any Popular Side moaners on the Newsletter list could you please pass on the following message:

WE ARE A GOOD SIDE! I repeat, WE ARE A GOOD SIDE, WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT KEEPER, THREE GOOD CENTRE HALVES, TWO OUTSTANDING WING BACKS, A SOLID MIDFIELD AND A GOOD STRIKE FORCE! WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE - HOW CAN A BAD SIDE BE TOP OF THE LEAGUE?

I need to know as apparently half of the Popular Side regulars think we are poor, perhaps they think that only home performances, never mind results count towards the League championship. I think that barring miracles we will finally escape from this God forsaken Frickley infested League, especially when Marginson returns (currently 85% fit) and hopefully Ged Hennigan can reclaim his place. Also, in an ideal world, we could do with a goal poacher as Morton and Coates appear to be a bit too similar, ie grafters who can provide as well as score but perhaps not as prolifically as one would hope. Maybe Tony Wright will return from being tutored by Andy Green at Droylsden as the answer to my prayers.

My first choice XI at the moment is:
Farrelly, McCauley, Robertson, Higgins, Jones, Johnston, Hennigan, Bauress, Morton, O’Keefe, Marginson. Subs: Prior, Brown and Coates.

I’ve said though I think that we need a poacher but if the current formula has got us this far who am I to cast judgement? Another thing is that I, like Brown and Vaughan, am disappointed with the gates at home. OK, the performances aren’t exactly Brazil but we do tend to win at home. I thought that the Furness public and beyond were crying out for a team that could do a Bamber Bridge / Leek and now they’ve got one they stay at home or turn up and then moan like the pros that they’ve become. I don’t know about anyone else that you are in contact with but nowadays to me home games are as about one tenth as attractive as they used to be even when we finished bottom of the Conference. Hopefully everything will improve attendance wise soon.

Thanks to David Ingham for that.

(Editor’s Note: BTW, Why is Robertson’s nickname Coco?)

The comments about the Popular Side critics in David’s piece are echoed in an email I received from Tony Kavanagh, a recent addition to the list.

MORE THOUGHTS ON THE POPULAR SIDE SUPPORTERS

Thanks for the Newsletter (15 and my first) which I very much enjoyed, especially the match reports on the Guiseley game, though not the result obviously. Other "tit bits" are informative and interesting and I hope to contribute to future editions in similar vain.

With reference to club records, I don't know if it is a record or indeed if you have previously mentioned it, but I remember sitting in the grandstand at a reserve game in the early sixties when the half time score for the first team's game at Hartlepool was announced. Barrow were losing 7-0 and the crowd, about equivalent to present Holker Street attendances, either groaned or laughed, apparently shock causes a reaction such as the latter. The final score was 10-1, surely a record.

(Editor’s note: It is still Hartlepool’s best ever home win, it was on April 4 1959, in Division Four. Other clubs who have recorded their best ever League win playing against Barrow include Workington who beat Barrow 9-1 at Workington in the Football League Cup First Round on September 2 1964. Anyone know of any more?)

Regarding Barrow's poor home form, two things immediately spring to mind. Firstly the negativity of the fans, even to kick off. Secondly the majority of the team probably (and allegedly) travel further to most home games than away games a factor which statistically has a negative effect on results in football generally.

I have played for and/or managed football teams for many years and can vouch for that statistic, although I can't remember where I read it. More importantly is the first factor. Barrovians in general like a good moan, I know I am one although I have been converted to the "art of positive thinking" (Bull**** I hear others Barrovians cry true to form). I usually get to four or five home matches a season as I live nearly 300 miles away and I am appalled by the moaning by the fans around me, even when the team are doing well as at present. It seems every player in the squad has at least one "hater" who you will hear slagging him off before the match and even worse insulting him during the game often in earshot of the player himself. I know this goes on in football if someone is having a bad game or a lean time, but with some Barrow fans on the Holker Street terraces it is more a crusade than a moment’s letting off steam.

I know from speaking to some of the players that this really annoys them, to put it politely, and they prefer to play away where the Barrow fans provide more positive support. Still, the culture on the terraces is not going to change overnight and I'm sure the club does not want those supporters to stay away (or will they if results are consistently bad at home?), so the players will need to rise above it all and provide the kind of performance we know they are all capable of.

It is a Catch 22 situation as a recall the glory days of promotion to the Third and that first season there when fans encouraged the individual players even when they were having a bad day because they knew what they were capable of and the team responded by playing consistently well for two seasons and provided the fans with what they wanted good football, good results and good entertainment, in return the fans provided the team and players with what they wanted, good positive support and encouragement. OK, it all went pear shaped after that but I really do believe that until the fans really get behind the players, encourage them when they don't shine, give them time to get back on form and conversely for the players to laugh off the pettiness of the regular barrackers, then results and performances at Holker Street will continue to be dismal.

Ralph’s note: I remember from my time at Holker Street, I left the UK in 1991, the abuse some supporters used to direct at the pitch, perhaps it is part and parcel of the game, but I agree with the above correspondents, when things are going as well as they are, and I still believe we will go up as Champions, they need to bite their tongue a bit more, but what do I know? I’m 12,000 miles away.


FA YOUTH CUP REQUEST
In the last Newsletter I repeated a request from a researcher from Droitwich about the Barrow team that played Manchester United. Geoff Payne has picked up the mantle and completed the set. The names he asked for are Roger Lappin, Billy Russell, Adrian Slowey, Alan Lappin and Billy Pritchard. Geoff points out this game unfortunately showed the difference between very good players and players with exceptional talent.

A while ago I asked if Emlyn Hughes ever played for Barrow, the answer was no, although as Geoff points out, playing for the Barrow youth side isn’t the same Barrow AFC.

One thing I would like to clear up is, did Emlyn Hughes ever have a trial for the first team? One other thread I’d like some help on is with Peter Withe, in an old edition of Rothmans, it shows Peter Withe played one game for Barrow. When was this? Who did he play against? Was anyone on this list at the game? Was he any good? Was he having a trial for Barrow? Was he released from Barrow, or did we sell him? I’m interested because some years ago I saw him play for Shrewsbury in a dour 0-0 draw against Birmingham City, and I remember seeing Barrow listed as one of his ex-clubs. Over to you.


SOCCER SHOP PLEA
If you are in Barrow and go to the Soccer Shop, can you let me know what they have for sale, videos, books, shirts, etc. I’m thinking of doing a plug for them in a future Newsletter, as now we have people from all over the world on this list, Canada, NZ, South Africa, USA (BTW, where else in the world are the list members from?) they might want to buy the new AFC shirt for their loved ones for Christmas.


UK NEWS BY EMAIL
The Financial Times runs a free daily UK email news service, if you want to subscribe send an email to inbox@netserve.ft.com and type in the message body.


OTHER SPORTING NEWS WITH A BARROW CONNECTION
Phillip Tate from South Africa tells me that the English Rugby Union have appointed former Workington and Barrow RL player, Phil Larder as a technical coach for the All Blacks Tour. He is currently coach to the British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA).

If you come across any sporting bits and bobs concerning Barrovians or ex-Barrow players, can you pass them on to me and I’ll let the world know, well those on this list at least.

Also I’d like to include more news about the town of Barrow on this list, so for those of you who live in Barrow can you let me know about developments which you think we’d be interested in? I’m thinking about whether the South Lakes Wildlife Centre is going to stay open (it’s near Dalton, and recently a rhino escaped and had to be shot), the Training School being knocked down, etc. Or do people just want this to be BAFC Newsletter?