Holker Street Newsletter 8 - 29th October 1997

Greetings from Kiwiland. Not a lot of news this time, we didn't have a game this weekend, as Blyth Spartans were in the FA Cup (they beat Kidderminster, more later). Our next game is at home to Lancaster City in the UniBond League Cup Second Round, on Tuesday 28 October.


NEWS
Ex-Barrow AFC assistant manager Alan Cook has just been appointed manager at UniBond First Division outfit Netherfield.

In a previous Newsletter, I mentioned how a couple of Barrow players had been selected to play for the UniBond League. The match against an FA XI (selected from teams playing in the Conference) side play at Leigh RMI's (which incidentally stands for Railway Men's Institute) Hilton Park on Tuesday, 4 November. The UniBond side's managed by Marine's Roly Howard, and their record against this team is P17 W8 D4 L5 F29 A25.

Thanks to Richard Postlethwaite at the Barrow web page for that.


WHO'S APPLIED FOR PROMOTION TO THE CONFERENCE?
Accrington Stanley, Altrincham, Barrow, Blyth Spartans, Boston United, Chorley, Gainsborough Trinity, Hyde, Leigh RMI and Runcorn have all applied for promotion to the Conference, although I don't know how much work is required on their respective grounds before they meet the required standard, or when the work has to be completed by. Although I am aware Barrow's ground is good enough as it stands.

Thanks to Dr Fox's Boston home page: www.its.leeds.ac.uk/primavera/boston/tab97.html


UNIBOND LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION, 25 OCTOBER
Alfreton Town 0 Radcliffe Borough 2, Bishop Auckland 3 Leigh RMI 2, Chorley 1 Guiseley 0, Lancaster City 1 Bamber Bridge 0, Marine 1 Frickley Athletic 1, Spennymoor United 2 Accrington Stanley 0, Winsford United P Bamber Bridge P.

P W D L F:A Pts
BARROW......................16 10 4 2 28:11 34
Boston United...............16 7 7 2 22:14 28
Spennymoor United...........13 7 3 3 19:16 24
Altrincham..................15 7 2 6 27:14 23
Gainsborough Trinity........12 7 2 3 21:12 23
Runcorn.....................14 7 2 5 27:21 23
Bishop Auckland.............14 6 5 3 26:21 23
Winsford United..............9 7 1 1 15:5 22
Colwyn Bay..................15 6 3 6 21:25 21
Lancaster City..............15 6 2 7 25:29 20
Guiseley....................15 4 7 4 22:21 19
Emley.......................13 5 3 5 23:20 18
Frickley Athletic...........13 4 5 4 14:16 17
Hyde United.................11 4 3 4 15:14 15
Radcliffe Borough...........15 4 3 8 20:30 15
Marine......................11 3 5 3 14:14 14
Accrington Stanley..........16 3 5 8 16:25 14
Leigh RMI...................10 3 4 3 11:9 13
Bamber Bridge...............14 3 3 8 19:29 12
Chorley.....................14 3 3 8 16:29 12
Blyth Spartans..............14 2 5 7 13:21 11
Alfreton Town...............13 2 1 10 9:27 7


FA CUP FOURTH QUALIFYING ROUND
Altrincham 0-2 Morecambe 1134, Basingstoke 5-1 Braintree 847, Billericay 1-1 Camberley 790, Blyth Spartans 2-1 Kidderminster 656, Bognor 0-0 Farnborough 1124, Bromsgrove 2-0 Romford 880, Cheltenham 1-0 Sutton 1505, Enfield 1-2 Carshalton 727, Gainsborough 2-1 Halifax 1730, Gloucester 1-1 Wisbech 912, Halesowen 0-2 Northwich 1206, Heybridge 5-2 Ashford 535, Hinckley 1-2 Colwyn Bay 939, Ilkeston 3-2 Hyde 1232, King's Lynn 5-0 Salisbury 1946, Knypersley 0-1 Boston 575, Nuneaton 2-3 Emley 1960, Runcorn 1-2 Lincoln United 505, Rushden & Diamonds 1-1 Boreham Wood 2,107, Sittingbourne 2-2 Hereford 1011, Slough 2-1 Kingstonian 1272, SOUTHPORT 2-0 NORTH FERRIBY 1328 (North Ferriby knocked Barrow out in the First Qualifying Round), St Albans 1-2 Hendon 708, Stalybridge 3-3 Solihull 570, Tiverton 5-0 Sudbury, Winsford 2-0 Penrith 611, Yeovil 1-1 Hayes 2,501.


FA CUP FIRST ROUND DRAW
Notts County v Colwyn Bay, Darlington v Stalybridge or Solihull, Chesterfield v Northwich Victoria, Hull v Hednesford, Hartlepool v Macclesfield, Chester v Winsford United, Rochdale v Wrexham, Morecambe v Emley, Ilkeston v Boston United, Lincoln City v Gainsborough, Shrewsbury v Grimsby, Oldham v Mansfield, Rotherham v Burnley, Southport v York, Preston v Doncaster, Carlisle v Wigan, Walsall v Lincoln United, Blackpool v Blyth Spartans, Scunthorpe v Scarborough, Swansea v Peterborough, Sittingbourne or Hereford v Brighton, Yeovil or Hayes v Rushden & Diamonds or Boreham Wood, Cheltenham v Tiverton, Billericay or Camberley v Gloucester or Wisbech, Bognor or Farnborough v Dagenham and Redbridge, Hendon v Leyton Orient, Brentford v Colchester, Bournemouth v Heybridge, Wycombe v Basingstoke, Woking v Southend, Luton v Torquay, Plymouth v Cambridge, Exeter v Northampton, Carshalton v Stevenage, Slough v Cardiff, King's Lynn v Bromsgrove, Bristol Rovers v Gillingham, Margate v Fulham, Barnet v Watford, Bristol City v Millwall.


MORE ON ZIGGER
You may remember that in an earlier Newsletter, I wrote about football records and Barrow AFC, and sought clarification of a number of records that Barrow (may) hold. I received an email from Geoff Payne in California and he offered the following on the substitution record:

During the 1965/66 season Bobby (Opportunity) Knox made two spectacular pieces of history. On the opening day of the season Knox came on as a substitute against Wrexham. This was the first time substitutes had been allowed in Football League games and Bobby scored to help Barrow to their first victory over the Welshmen in eight years. Not content in being the first substitute to come on and score, he came on as substitute again in a home game against Doncaster Rovers. This time he replaced goalkeeper Lionel Duffin and added another page to the history books by saving a penalty!

Barrow made several new signings that season, including Mick Hartland (who used to live down the street from me (Plymouth Street on Walney seeing as you ask - and I think it's fair to say he liked the odd drop, Ralph), Jim Mulholland and Alex Alston, and this was to create the basis for next year's historic season. Barrow had a great run in the Lancashire Senior Cup, with wins over Liverpool, Bury, and Blackpool before being somewhat outclassed by a good young Burnley side.

Barrow finished twelfth that year, only nine points behind Colchester, who were promoted. Jim Mulholland was joint top scorer with fifteen goals, together with Bobby Tait, Alston followed with 8, Hartland 5, McCarthy 5, Knox 4, Pilkington 4, Eddy 3, Edwards 3 and some others. Did anyone know that we signed one of the original "Busby Babes" before the 1956/57 season - Brian Birch, he became top scorer the next season, but was transferred the season after!

On the subject of the origins of Zigger, Geoff has the following to offer:

I am writing to the publishers of "Zigger Zagger" as they truly are wrong!! Zigger Zagger was undoubtably created at the Holker Street end! A bloke called Roy (???) And Billy (forgotten the surname, but he was from Ormsgill) were instrumental in starting it off. Geoff adds that he visited a number of other grounds during those seasons and never heard Zigger Zagger from anyone else. The chant became a talking point in the Pub after the game for a while. Take it from an original participant...... We are the Zigger Zaggers!! Don't let anyone try to change history.

Anyone offer any more on this?