The Chairman's programme notes

[Colin Appleton]

I've been to Eastleigh's ground it's not the finished article yet, but they have huge plans to redevelop it. I caught a bit of the BT Sport game last night and the Eastleigh Chairman said he'd invested three million pounds into the club and when you see the players they have, Constable etc you can see where the money's gone.

I stand by my original statement I think their setup is better than most League Two clubs, they've certainly got more ambition. I'd love to know what the playing budget is at club's like Morecambe, Accrington, Exeter.

I know some young pros in the game and some of them are on £150 a week.Yes full time players who are 19/20 playing in the Football League, on £150 a week, it's hardly living the dream. I think you'll find Eastleigh pay a hell of a lot more than that.

One lower league manager once told me years ago that players could earn more money in non - league, having in effect two jobs, playing part -time and having a job, than they could just playing full time for a lower league club.

The recession has hit lower league clubs hard. Most have significantly lower playing budgets now than they did say ten years ago.

[barrowaberdeen]

Part time players have always had the opportunity to do quite well. Had a mate who played part time in Scotland for Raith, St J and the like, did really well out of it, probably better if he had been scrabbling at the bottom of the League. Even when he went and played 'Scottish Junior Football' (kind of the like Spennymoor etc who win the Vase all the time) he still had £150- 200 a week on top of full time wages, cash in hand.

He wouldn't have made the same money full time

If Eastleigh have got that manager with the likes of Constable in they may do very well. It looked to me like they were doing that stand in stages, the small bit in the middle the first.

I remember they were absolutely robbed when they played us up here in the cup, their fans were all heroically plastered and sang for 90 minutes in the driving rain, a very inebriated lady had her top off and Jason walker crashed home an utterly undeserved thunderbolt to take us through. Aways rather liked them since.

[russell_anderson]

I've been to Eastleigh's ground it's not the finished article yet, but they have huge plans to redevelop it. I caught a bit of the BT Sport game last night and the Eastleigh Chairman said he'd invested three million pounds into the club and when you see the players they have, Constable etc you can see where the money's gone.

I stand by my original statement I think their setup is better than most League Two clubs, they've certainly got more ambition. I'd love to know what the playing budget is at club's like Morecambe, Accrington, Exeter.

I know some young pros in the game and some of them are on £150 a week.Yes full time players who are 19/20 playing in the Football League, on £150 a week, it's hardly living the dream. I think you'll find Eastleigh pay a hell of a lot more than that.

One lower league manager once told me years ago that players could earn more money in non - league, having in effect two jobs, playing part -time and having a job, than they could just playing full time for a lower league club.

The recession has hit lower league clubs hard. Most have significantly lower playing budgets now than they did say ten years ago.

I've been to Eastleigh's ground many times when my son played against them in the Hampshire Youth League and it's potentially a good ground but needs a fair bit of development. It's certainly correct that they have a very rich owner and have spent an awful lot of money in the last few years on players. I expect them to do pretty well in the Conference this season.

[DaveC]

Excellent piece from our new owner. Really liking him, and love what he has to say. The future is bright, but it's not orange, it's most certainly blue and white!

[JonnyB86]

The new season has finally come to Holker Street. We have been quite busy, it has left me breathless at times, but here we are, the beginning of a brand new journey.

It is all so new that there is still that feeling of Christmas morning. We will all be getting to know our players as they learn about each other. Watch how they will play together as a team, overcome adversity, delight us with their abilities, show leadership and fulfil their potential.

I have been asked many times what my expectations are for the season. I suspect they are much the same as yours but I will only whisper them very softly at the moment. It is a long season and I have promised myself that I will not get too low after a loss nor too high after a win. I will try not to blame the referees, telling myself that such things even out over a season. I know that injuries are part of the game and I will not complain, too much, when a player is hurt.

At the end of the day. I will content myself with the belief that over a long season the best team generally wins. If this year is not, in fact, our year then you have my pledge that we will simply work harder to learn from our mistakes to get better year over year.

As I write this I am in a plane returning to Dallas. I will not be with you for this game in person but I will still be kicking every ball, wishing I was there. I hope you will all give the lads the support I believe they merit. As I mentioned in our last fans forum in the Crossbar, Holker Street is our home and the players should feel comfortable here. After a tough away game we need to create a Holker Street environment they can't wait to get back to. It is easy to praise a player that's playing well, much harder to encourage a player who is struggling.

This is your home also, you all create the environment, let's make it one we can be proud of.

So, expectations are sky high, and why not? I ask only one thing really, please just enjoy every minute. April will be here soon enough and we can all debrief then.

I personally can't ever remember being so excited since the impending births of my children and they all turned out quite well so I at least have hope. Over the coming season you will get to know them as they appear from time to time so please adopt them as the family of a proud Barrovian.

And so let us begin, this is our year, in our house, in our town, with our team.

Thanks for being a Barrow AFC supporter, some of you for decades, through thick and thin. I can't promise you anything more than out very best and I certainly don't have a crystal ball, so let's all see what happens.

sincerely

Paul

This! PC is certainly saying the right things!

[frankums]

"Holker Street". Take note. "Holker Street" it is!

[Steelworks End]

"Holker Street". Take note. "Holker Street" it is!

Always has been. Always will be.