Who Are Ya? - Barrow AFC (Q&A) - Vital Lincoln City

The last time The Imps played tomorrow night’s opponents Barrow at Holker Street was in the Conference on Tuesday 24th January 2017, in front of a crowd of 1,152. The hosts won 3-0 that night, thanks to goals scored by Byron Harrison (9′), Richard Bennett (60′) and Ross Hannah (90+1′ PEN).

Ahead of tomorrow night’s match, we have done a Q&A with a Barrow supporter, so thank you to Peter for answering our questions!

You can discuss what has been said in this article HERE, as well as get involved with our pre-match threads: You can post your score predictions, and discuss the starting XI!

How long have you supported Barrow AFC?

Since 1962.

Where did you finish last season?

22nd, six points clear of the drop zone.

What do you think of your manager?

Interesting. Part of a newly-established ‘senior team’, led by three people new to Barrow: himself, his assistant and a Director of Football, Peter Wild has imposed high standards of fitness and patterns of play on the squad which he has strengthened with effective signings.

What are your hopes and expectations for the 2022/23 season?

As a minimum, to secure safety by the end of January. Ideally, to be in contention for the top seven at the end of March.

One(s) to watch?

Two loanees – Sam McClelland, a central defender from Chelsea and Harrison Neal, a midfielder from Sheffield United.

Which teams do you think will finish in the top seven in League Two?

Too soon to say. So many changes at all clubs at this level from one season to the next. If really pushed, I would include Northampton, Leyton Orient, Doncaster and Walsall.

Which teams do you think will finish in the bottom two in League Two?

As above. Possibly Hartlepool and Crawley?

What are your thoughts on Lincoln City?

Like Barrow, situated a little away from the centre of things, I first visited Sincil Bank when staying with friends on West Parade near the common. A neat ground and accessible to the centre. (The latter is true of ours but the centre has suffered more than most from the decline of town centre shopping while our away corner is urgently awaiting redevelopment, due next spring.) Lincoln’s strip has always looked smart. We enjoyed two good games with you in your National League promotion season and managed to do the double.

What do you think the score will be?

2-2 (but if I was any good at predictions I would be counting my National Lottery winnings this evening rather than typing this).

Barrow AFC (a) (23/08/22): Who Will Go Through?

Barrow AFC

Lincoln City

Random fact about your Club?

We have a submarine on our badge! The badge was designed in the mid-1960s and also features a football, the red rose of Lancashire, our historic county, and a bee and arrow (think about it!) from the town badge. The original submarine was the silhouette of Dreadnought, the UK’s first nuclear-powered submarine, launched at Barrow in 1960. When the badge as re-designed in the last ten years, it was replaced with a silhouette of an unidentified ‘Trident’-class sub. (Barrow’s shipyard has built all the Royal Navy’s submarines in recent decades).

If you could steal one Lincoln City player for your own team, who would it be and why?

Sorry – not familiar with your current squad.

What are your proudest and most embarrassing moments as a Barrow AFC supporter?

Proudest: Seeing Barrow play in and win (the FA Trophy) at the old Wembley in 1990. They repeated this feat twenty years later at the new Wembley.

Most embarrassing: Having been reminded by some friendly Mansfield supporters in their car park in 2013 that we had lost 7-0 the previous season, to then go on to lose 8-1 that day!

Who would you say is your most underrated player?

Pat Brough, left back – the Silloth Superstar!

Do you have a Supporters Trust and what role do they play at the Club?

Yes – co-owners, travel organisers, community involvement. Headed by a tremendously hard-working and committed team.

Which was your favourite match involving Barrow AFC?

Tempted by a 2-2 FA Cup draw at a packed Holker Street in 1967 against Southampton, then flying high at the top of the First Division but will go for a delayed Boxing Day match on December 27^th 1967 in the Third Division against Doncaster Rovers. It was the first season that substitutes had been allowed and local, part-time player, Bob Knox had made history on the first day of the season by becoming the first substitute to score a goal in the Football League. Against high-flying Doncaster, Knox came on as a substitute for injured goalkeeper Lionel Duffin and saved a penalty from the great Alick Jeffreys, allowing Barrow to win 2-1. (Over several seasons, Knox was selected in all twelve positions for Barrow, the ultimate utility player).

Which was your least favourite match involving Barrow AFC?

See Mansfield, above!

Do you have a Former Players Association at Barrow AFC?

Not to the best of my knowledge.

Apart from Emlyn Hughes (statue in town) has any other local made the big-time and are any locals currently in the team who I believe don’t even train there?

Gary Stevens and Georgia Stanway are obvious examples.

No current locals in the team.

Training is at a base in Salford which allows signings to be made from a larger pool of players. Clubs north of the M62 corridor sometimes have some difficulty in recruiting, Carlisle being an obvious example.

Paul Farman, average lower league keeper or local hero?

Decent keeper for League 2 though occasionally error-prone (See last week’s highlights against Walsall for an example.) A member of the manager’s senior management team which speaks well of him.