Holker Street Newsletter 752 - 17th January 2001

Barrow League Cup game with Gretna was postponed because of a frozen pitch, so the club now hope for a thaw in time for the League game against Runcorn this weekend.

Thanks to Richard Ingham, Phil Yelland, the Alty web site and Terry Kendall for their help with today’s edition.

KENNY'S DONE HIS HOMEWORK
Evening Mail, Tuesday 16 January

Kenny Lowe had hoped to field a team comprised solely of home-grown players for tonight's UniBond League Cup match with Gretna. The Barrow AFC boss has been monitoring the area's top talent lately and he planned to blood some of them in the Group Two clash at Holker Street. That game though is now in doubt because of a heavy overnight frost and a pitch inspection was due to take place at lunchtime today. Lowe has spoken with Dalton United's manager Alec Ogilvie and Holker Old Boys chief Derek Birrell about the possibility of using some of their players. In particular, Lowe was keen to look at Dalton's Gareth Jones and Johnny Lowes and Holker's Craig Salton and Carl Waters. However, none will be involved now as Holker also have a game tonight and Dalton have a big match this Saturday. Lowe said today: "I have tried in the last couple of days to get eight or nine local lads into the side. I was going to field a Barrow XI but for whatever reason that has not quite materialised, but I have spoken to the manager at Dalton and the manager at Holker and I have asked if I could have two or three certain players from each side to play and they were very responsive, very good. They were very positive in what they had to say and they were keen for us to have a look. Obviously they were a little bit hesitant because they don't want to lose their best players, but in the first instance they were very keen to help Barrow." Lowe, who also plans to speak with Vickers manager Garry Penny about some of his players, is keen to explore the local talent because of his limitations in the transfer market. He added: "I think it would generate interest and also help us find out what's going on out there. We need to tap into the local talent. The financial side of things are very tight and my hands are tied. I'm trying to look at the best avenue without upsetting or stepping on anybody's toes in the town." But though the plan has fallen through on this occasion, Lowe is keen to pursue the idea and will try again when his side play Workington in the Cup, although a date for that fixture has yet to be decided (Ralph’s note: Err, yes it has, it is due to be played on Tuesday 30 January). He will, however, include two players from Barrow's under-18 team in his squad, though he hasn't decided who yet. Lowe hopes his side can end their three match losing streak tonight against the Division One basement side. He said: "We are due one, but at the moment we can't even buy a win. We have had a chat and we might change things around, like I said before, and go back to a 4-4-2. I don't think we have gone too many games longer than this without a win since I have been here, but I think it's important to get a win and get a bit of a lift. Not so much for the people in the squad because the confidence is there, it's the people off the park. They don't have the day to day involvement that Lee (Turnbull, assistant manager) and I have at training so they don't see the confidence within the players." Anthony Hall will not be involved as he is Cup tied and Scott Maxfield will miss out because of suspension.

Barrow: Bishop, Warren, Hume, Rogers, Ainsley, McKechnie, Hill, Peverell, Bullimore, Doherty, Housham, Anthony, Peel, Lowe, plus two from the under-18s.

BETTER NON-LEAGUE CLUBS SHOULD CONSIDER BREAKING AWAY
Evening Mail, Tuesday 17 January

Throughout the country, with the exemption of the Premier League, gates are dropping at an alarming rate, not least at Holker Street. Surely the time is ripe for the better non-League clubs within the three feeder Leagues to consider breaking away. A lot of clubs are in serious financial difficulties and will probably not be in existence 10 years hence. I know a Second Division to the Conference was discussed, but I am not aware of the outcome. The time has come for all the chairmen who publicly declare that their club was a sleeping giant just waiting to take off. Well if they all believe that, then let them all come together with the object of forming a breakaway League. Despite the fact that they consider they should be playing at higher level than they are at the moment, they have no divine right of promotion without first earning it. The quality would obviously be improved if the better clubs broke away from the Leagues they are in right now. The UniBond is a prime example. There are numerous clubs playing in it, with absolutely no chance of getting out. One club who must feel they should be on a higher plain must be Enfield, once a leading club in the Conference, now playing in the Ryman League. Who can forget those four classic encounters in the Semi-Final of the FA Trophy when they and not Barrow went to Wembley? The criteria for qualification must meet certain standards to be eligible. The breakaway League clubs must have played in the Football League or Gola/Conference League at sometime. They must be capable of attracting gates of 800 plus, grounds would meet Conference requirements. The League should contain no more than 20 teams. Some of the former League and Conference clubs will obviously not qualify. Those that would include Altrincham, Barrow, Bath City, Stafford Rangers and Worcester City to name a few. The others could be made up from selected applicants. If these clubs want to progress in the 21st century they have to break the shackles that are holding them back. Ask any Barrow AFC supporter who they would rather watch at Holker Street - Spennymoor or Stafford Rangers - then you can imagine what the answer would be.

Jeff Cornthwaite
Goad Street, Swarthmoor

Ralph’s note: Jeff is a well known and respected Barrow supporter, but I can’t see his angle here. The Second Division to the Conference, or Conference Two, as it became known, met with almost universal rejection, the only people who were interested were those in Conference Towers, oh and a few clubs. When clubs looked at the idea, the economics didn’t stack up. The idea of clubs who survive on gates of just a few hundred forming a Second Division of the Conference and then this being a national Division with the increases in travel costs, it was not financially viable, and the idea was knocked back. Not killed mind you, but badly wounded. It will resurface again, but not for a while, hopefully. Jeff’s idea of clubs forming a breakaway League is a strange one, isn’t he asking for another Conference? What’s wrong with what we have now? To form a break away League is not an easy thing to do, you cannot just do it. There are may protocols to be followed. The reason the Premier League were able to break away from the Football League was because they had money behind them, and the power of the clubs involved. Would Barrow, Stafford, Bath and Altrincham have the same weight? If these clubs, Barrow included, want to play teams of higher calibre opposition, they have to earn that right, and be promoted to the Conference (we’ll ignore Barrow’s fight a couple of years ago), and remember that some of the clubs Jeff mentions were good enough for the Conference 20 years ago, but they are not now.


OLD FACES SET
Evening Mail, Tuesday 17 January

Barrow will expect to see two familiar faces when Gretna visit Holker Street in the UniBond League Cup tonight. Former AFC players Mark Dobie and Paul Heritage are both in line to start for the Division One side against their old club. Heritage began the 2000/2001 season as a keeper for the Bluebirds, but after a string of disappointing performances he was released by AFC boss Kenny Lowe. Centre forward Dobie wore the Barrow shirt 88 times in his Holker Street career during three spells in the late eighties and mid-nineties, but now the pair of them are an integral part of Rowan Alexander's squad and both will want to get one over on their old club. Dobie, who plans to retire from the game at the end of this season, is once again leading the forward line for the Scottish club and his 17 goals put him second overall in the First Division's list of leading scorers. The veteran marksman was on target the last time Gretna played in the League Cup as they drew 1-1 with fellow First Division strugglers Kendal Town. Defender Micky Waller, who was also released by Lowe last month following the arrival of Anthony Hall, has now joined Gretna, but the player is Cup tied so won't be eligible for selection.

Gretna: Heritage, Armstrong, Emmerson, Coxall, Close, Corrie, Errington, Cleeland, Dobie, Alexander, Lea, Brown, Hodgson, Mawson.


THE UNIBOND PRESS RELEASE
Issue Number 22, period ending 13 January 2001, from the Altrincham website at

Review of The Week
It was, indeed, a rare old week with not a single game lost to the weather and Stalybridge Celtic took full advantage in mid-week to catch up one of their games in hand on Premier Division leaders Emley with their 3-1 success over Runcorn. That reduced the deficit at the top to just five points and with three games in hand over the Yorkshire club, Celtic look very handily placed. Both were in Trophy action on Saturday when only Altrincham of the top five clubs were involved in domestic action but they failed to make ground on the top two when they crashed 2-1 at Gateshead. At the opposite end of the table, next to bottom Frickley Athletic won 1-0 at Bamber Bridge but didn't make any headway as third bottom Leek Town also won by the only goal at home to Gainsborough Trinity. Bottom club Spennymoor United, however, look doomed after going down at Lancaster City 2-0. Welsh outfit Colwyn Bay are another outfit going through a tough time at the moment and they could find themselves dragged into the relegation battle with more results like their 5-1 reverse at Whitby Town for whom Lee Ludlow scored four.

The First Division's top four clubs all had tricky looking fixtures but only Bradford Park Avenue slipped up with their 2-1 reverse at Chorley costing than second place to Ashton United who won 3-0 at Farsley Celtic. Leaders Vauxhall Motors stayed top after winning 3-1 against Belper Town who dropped from fifth to seventh as a result whilst Stocksbridge stayed on the heels of the leading three with a 2-0 win at Eastwood Town. At the bottom Gretna came from three down to salvage a point at Winsford United but stay in the bottom two whilst the "six pointer between Town and Guiseley produced just a point apiece. Third bottom Radcliffe Borough scored five in the last half hour but still managed to lose an extraordinary game at home to Ossett Town who hit six!

Pride of place on Saturday, however, went to the three First Division clubs still left in the FA Trophy with Matlock Town producing a major upset by turfing out Conference side Northwich Victoria. Trafford also led Conference opposition Telford United but were pulled back to all square whilst bottom club Congleton Town made the last 32 with a 2-0 win over Gresley Rovers. Burscough were another UniBond outfit to hold Conference opposition in Morecambe and Worksop Town beat Bromsgrove Rovers thanks to a last gasp goal from the League's leading scorer Kirk Jackson. Emley and Marine won two of the three all UniBond ties against Accrington Stanley and Stalybridge Celtic respectively whilst Hyde United and Blyth Spartans must try again after a goalless draw.

FA Trophy Live on Talk Sport
The draw for the Fourth Round of the FA Trophy will be broadcast live on Talk Sport Radio direct from the Football Association's offices in Soho Square at 2.30pm on Monday 15 January. It is the first time the draw, which now goes national with just sixteen ties, has been broadcast on national radio at such an early stage.

Pearson Goes At Gateshead
Gateshead manager Natty Pearson became the first UniBond managerial casualty of the New Year and the tenth of the campaign when the north-east side parted company with him following last Saturday's home defeat by Bamber Bridge. Ironically, just a month earlier Gateshead had been appearing in the Second Round Proper of the FA Cup at Swindon Town after defeating Football League opposition Halifax Town in the First Round Proper. However, a series of disappointing reverses since then saw the end of Pearson's two and a half year tenure in the job. Taking over in a caretaker capacity is one of the senior players, Paul Proudlock, who could make the position his own as Gateshead have intimated that they won't be advertising the post and won't be rushing to make a permanent appointment unless somebody of the right calibre appears on the scene. Proudlock's first signing is striker Dick Tracey who was a regular at Carlisle United last season making 25 starts plus a further 11 appearances as substitute and he finished second leading goalscorer just one strike behind Steve Soley who also has connections with the UniBond League having been with Leek Town before he was taken into the full time game by Portsmouth. Tracey was quickly off the mark with a goal on his debut in Tuesday evening's League Cup 1-1 draw against Whitby Town.

Gardiner Quits At Leek
Leek Town manager Mark Gardiner brought the number of managerial changes in the League to the 25% mark when he quit his post on Thursday after being told that the cash strapped Staffordshire outfit would be reducing his budget forthwith. Gardiner had only taken over in November following the departure of previous incumbent Andy Holmes and it is the second managerial post he has vacated this term having earlier left Conference outfit Northwich Victoria. Taking over with immediate effect are joint managers Karl Wilcox and Mark Bromley, both of whom are new to the UniBond scene. They worked together in the same capacity at Dr Martens (West Division) side Rocester until resigning in December and they have acted quickly to bring in former Leek player Matt Booth as coach.

Elliott on the Move Again
The much travelled Eamonn Elliott was on the move again last weekend when he made his debut for Ossett Town who became the 29 year old diminutive left winger's fifth club following earlier spells with Workington, Harrogate Town, Ashton United and Farsley Celtic.

Taylor Attracts United Scouts
Burscough's highly rated teenage keeper Natty Taylor is certainly pulling in the scouts with a series of class displays and the latest club to show an interest are none other than Manchester United who have sent representatives to watch the eighteen year old on several occasions recently. Stoke City, Crewe Alexandra and Hull City are other full time outfits who are on Taylor's trail. The youngster was with Preston North End as a junior and also part of Everton's Under 17 Academy set up before linking up with the UniBond club who have acted quickly to place Taylor on contract to protect their interests.

Altrincham Make Finney Signing Permanent
Altrincham have signed Steve Finney, who had been on loan with them from Chester City, on a permanent basis.

Wilson Strengthens up
Stalybridge Celtic manager Phil Wilson has signed striker Ian Cooke from Northwich Victoria to boost his side's promotion push. The 28 year old had been with Vics for six seasons and was well known to Wilson who managed the Cheshire outfit for a couple of seasons in the late nineties. Cooke, who played for Northwich in the 1996 FA Trophy Final at Wembley and came close to winning semi-pro international recognition when he was an unused substitute in April 1997 against Holland, finished last term as Vic's second leading goalscorer behind Val Owen.

Avenue Appeal Pays Off
Bradford Park Avenue's appeal for some memento of the late Len Shackleton was rewarded when the club were given one of the inside-forward's England shirts to display in their new social club. Shackleton, who played for Avenue in the late forties, kept in touch until just before his death a few months ago and regularly attended Avenue's fund raising Sportsmen's Evenings.

No Fairy Tale Ending For Beeby
Leek Town defender Matt Beeby was pressed into service as an emergency keeper against Blyth Spartans last week for the second time this season when regular custodian Mark Statham broke his arm in the first period. On the first occasion Beeby was instrumental in denying Spartans victory with a string of fine saves but this time there was no fairy tale ending as the stand in, who had not been beaten in 162 minutes during his emergency stints between the sticks, conceded four late goals including two in stoppage time. With Statham out injured and John Diskin having moved on to Stafford Rangers, Leek have now also lost the services of Darren Twigg who has linked up with another former Leek player Dave Sutton who is Assistant Manager at nearby NWCL outfit Kidsgrove Athletic. Down to the bare bones of a 14 man squad and with no spare cash, Leek were left desperately searching for bodies but did manage to obtain Kevin Welsby on loan from Crewe Alexandra to replace Statham. Including Beeby and Twigg, both of whom have done emergency stints during matches, Welsby will be the eighth keeper used by Leek this term!

Costly Loan Deal
Hucknall Town's decision to take Gary Ricketts on loan from Hinckley United has not yet borne much fruit. The loan began on 15 December and he made has debut as substitute against Bamber Bridge but was dismissed in his next game against Colwyn Bay. The weather then cost Hucknall three games and by the time they got back into action last Saturday in the Notts Senior Cup, Ricketts was suspended for his misdemeanour against Colwyn Bay! Town are now understood to be negotiating with Hinckley to have the loan extended for a second month in order they can take a proper look at the player with a view to making his stay at Watnall Road permanent. Hucknall's mid-table position, incidentally, has been achieved despite playing far fewer games than most other clubs and a long injury list. Kieran Begley has not played since September and is still a month away from fitness, Mark Place returned last week after missing twelve matches and Darryl Rankin is likely to be out for the remainder of the campaign after fracturing his eye socket at Bamber Bridge.

Frickley Suffer Traffic Jam
Frickley Athletic hit traffic jam problems before last Tuesday evening's League Cup encounter with Harrogate Town and arrived at Wetherby Road minus four players who were snarled up in Leeds. Goalkeeper Mark Wilkinson, who has just been put on contract by Athletic, was one of the four missing along with Chris Hilton, Gary Duffty and new signing Lee Stratford. Frickley were forced to begin the contest with ten men and substitute Andy Carney between the sticks and not surprisingly went two down with the latecomers only arriving at the ground 25 minutes into the match. Worse, however, was to follow with Ian Edge being sent off but Peter Atkinson missed the resulting penalty which would have put his side 3-0 up. To their great credit Frickley then fought back to equalise leaving Atkinson to reflect that his miss could yet cost Harrogate a place in the Quarter-Finals. Another "villain" on Tuesday evening in the League Cup was Winsford United's Steve Hibbert although he had earlier been a hero when he put his side 2-0 up at Trafford. He was then dismissed in the 79th minute for deliberate hand ball in the area and Chris Patterson reduced the deficit from the resulting penalty. Hibbert's absence was then felt as Trafford used their advantage to maximum effect with two more goals in the last seven minutes to win 3-2. One of their goalscorers was substitute Cameron Hunt but he won't be playing should the President's Cup holders make it through again this year. He is off to spend twelve months down under in Australia.