Remembering Jim Mallon; a hero of 66-67

[pjdaly]

Well, 4th we stand, albeit with a long way to go, and hopes and dreams of returning to the Football League are being kindled just a little.

As we reach these dizzy heights it is also worth noting that we are progressing through the 50th anniversary of our club’s greatest FL accomplishment; in 1966-67 we finished third in the 4th flight and were promoted to the 3rd division. It is open to debate whether 66-67 or 67-68 should be considered our greatest League season; it is true that in 67-68 we achieved our highest ever finish in the pyramid (8th in the old Div 3) but then again there was no prize for finishing 8th so it could be argued that 66-67 was the most significant season because we actually went up for the one and only time in our history as a Football League club.

This thread is unfortunately 4 years too late but just recently I stumbled upon a website entitled “Barry Hugman’s Footballers” and discovered that back on 9th May 2012 one of our heroes from 66-67 passed away, the man in question being Jim Mallon (or to give him his full grand title, James Gillan Mallon).

Jim was one of two “Jim M’s” to join us in 1965 from Morton, the other being Jim Mullholland. Jim Mallon was right full back and played in all but one of our league games in that famous 66-67 season. Those of the regular 6,000 or so who turned up at HS fifty years ago and who are still amongst us (a certain Paul Casson being one) will doubtless remember Jim very well. Despite being a full-back, if I recall correctly Jim also holds the honour of being the first player to score for us in Div 3 in a 1-2 away win at Bury on the opening day of the 67-68 season.

I remember Jim as being as hard as nails but a solid and reliable pro during our best ever years. Strangely though, one of my most vivid memories of him was in a moment where he wasn’t directly involved in the action. In late April 1967 we were neck and neck with Crewe for a promotion place; Crewe had beaten us 3-2 at Gresty Road only a couple of weeks before and we returned the favour with a 3-2 win on a rain-sodden Holker Street. The match was so crucial as a draw for Crewe might well have ended with them pipping us to promotion. At 2-2, and with just a few minutes left, Roy McCarthy produced a magical, mazy run to set up the winning goal for Jimmy Mulholland. I cannot ever recall more tumultuous scenes at Holker Street. Even though the win did not guarantee promotion it was a seismic leap towards it, and I am not sure even our 1-0 win at home to Brentford two weeks later to actually seal the deal surpassed the electricity of those moments following that late winner against Crewe. My abiding memory was seeing Jim Mallon race about 60 or 70 yards from his right full-back position, both arms aloft to the skies, to the traffic lights corner to embrace McCarthy whose contribution he obviously recognised.

I am not at all sure that the passing of this stoic hero from 66-67 has been noted previously; I haven’t seen it on this forum or in any newspaper or anything. Apologies if I am recycling old news that I somehow missed four years ago. Anyhow, I write this as a tribute to a great right full-back for us from half a century ago and as a message of appreciation . . . just sorry it’s four years late.

[Lancaster Branch]

Good read, thanks PJ.

[Steelworks End]

Cheers pjdaly; that brought back some great memories.

I didn't know that Jim had passed away, and was sorry to hear it. A few of the lads from the mid sixties Barrow teams have now gone to the great football club in the sky.

[Steelworks End]

Incidentally, for members of the NSC I'm doing a series of articles in The National Zigger about our promotion season half a century ago.

[Nigel Bamford]

Thanks for those memories pjdaly. A great player indeed. It seems like he finished his league career with us in 1969 before moving to Alty.

[Wintergreen]

That great side seemed to be the same week in, week out with Else, Mallon and Edwards literally the first names on the team sheet. A legendary eleven with Jim Mallon as good as any and a real one hundred percent sort of player. That he is still being written about and remembered so fondly half a century later is testament to the man and his team mates of that era.

[Suffolk Blue]

PJ - my memories of the games versus Crewe and Brentford are much the same. The game versus Crewe was far more emotional for some reason. It was as if the supporters finally accepted that Barrow were going to be promoted - for the only time in their history. It was a late goal by Mullholland that settled it and so tumultuous was the effect on the crowd ( I remember the pitch invasion) that for many years I myself came to believe it was the night we got promoted, when in fact that only happened when we played a pretty decent Brentford side afterwards.

For that reason 66-67 will for me be the best season ever. However you are right about the following season in League 3 where - particularly in the early part we punched magnificently above our weight.
The first game was away at a Bury side that I believe had just been relegated from League 2 (i.e. Championship) and contained the likes of Alec Lindsey (Liverpool) and Bobby Collins (Leeds). It was also the season we beat Crystal Palace in the League Cup 1-0, took Leicester City (Peter Shilton et al) to the brink in the FA Cup (1-2); thumped a star studded Manchester United team 3-1 in the Lancashire Senior Cup (the MU team on the programme that night was Rimmer, Brennan, Kopel, Murphy, Edwards, Stiles, Ryan, Gowling, Sartori, Cooke) and only finally succumbed (just) in the final to a full strength (i.e. Premiership) Burnley side played if I recall just after the end of a gruelling 46 game season.

In the 50 years I've watched BAFC there has been nothing to touch that full back pairing of Jimmy Mallon and Chas Edwards. In a time when attacking fullbacks were as rare as hens teeth these two were brilliant if not almost unique in the way they could mix do or die defence with an ability to counter from defence with speed. I remember the home FA Cup tie versus Southampton the previous season in particular when both Edwards and Mallon counter-attacked brilliantly as if it were something completely unseen by the opposition. The safe keeping of Else, the heart of Arrowsmith, the bravery of Smith, the touch of Hartland, the attacking flair of Mulvaney and Mulholland are all rightly lauded, but it seemed to me that the two full-backs were pivotal to the way in which defense and attack linked together. They were the beating heart of the team.

If the younger supporters wonder why so much time is given to bringing back the memory of players like Jimmy Mallon, it probably because throughout so many decades of strife and struggle, for a couple of years during the mid 60s the club produced football of an unprecedented quality - all the more remarkable given that in season 64-65 we were at absolute zero, a position we returned to unfortunately by 70-71 when all of these names had moved on or disappeared.

[Jim]

A report I did many moons ago which mentions a memorable Mallon goal:

BURY v BARROW 19 August 1967
After promotion from Division 4, Barrow's first game in the Third Division was at Gigg Lane, Bury, against a side which had been relegated from Division 2. It was Colin Appleton's first game in charge, the former Leicester captain having replaced Don McEvoy. Appleton played in midfield in place of George Smith, Barrow's record £20,000 transfer to Portsmouth in the close season. The only other new face was Dave Storf, who took over Brian Pilkington's no. 11 shirt.
The first impression on arriving at Gigg Lane was that this, compared with Holker Street, was the Wembley of the north. The pitch was wide and billiard-table smooth. Along with a sizeable contingent from Barrow, I took my place behind the Bury goal. The first few, minutes were desultory, but then came one of those moments which, like McAdam's goal against Southampton, one can still picture in one's mind. Jimmy Mallon, deep in his own half, received a long clearance from Neil Ramsbottom in the Bury goal. We will never know whether Mallon's long ball upfield was meant for his forwards, or was a piece of opportunism which would have graced Pele himself, but from our vantage point behind the goal it was clear from the moment the ball left his boot that it was destined for the back of the net. Poor Ramsbottom staggered backwards across his penalty box, reaching the goal line at the same moment as the ball, and although he managed to touch it onto the bar, ball and goalkeeper ended in the back of the net.
Bury equalised on 20 minutes, and from then until half time Barrow were given a roasting, though somehow without conceding another goal. In the second half, against all the odds, Barrow got on top and with 15 minutes to go Mulholland scored the winner from the penalty spot. Barrow's Third Division career had got off to the best possible start.
Barrow team: Else, Mallon, Edwards, Harrison, Arrowsmith, Appleton, McCarthy, Field, Mulholland, McAdam, Storf (sub: Hartland)

[russell_anderson]

Jimmy Mallon was definitely one of the best fullbacks I saw play for Barrow. Very quick and strong. Super player.

[Cubbins Paratrooper]

Will never ever forget Jimmy Mallon's goal at Gigg Lane. It was sensational stuff and a goal that I have re-lived many times in my mind since childhood.

[John_Bucks]

I love reading about stuff like this. Jealous of all you who were around at the time. My Dad talks about players and games from that era with such adoration it's great to be able to read about it and share in it even though it was before my time.

Really want this team to fulfill everyones ambitions so that I can see them in the Football League but I haven't waited nearly as long as all you guys and it would be immense to bring those kind of days back to Barrow again. You guys deserve it after many long years of tireless support.

[SMB]

I was shocked and saddened to read of the death of Jim Mallon. He was one of my childhood heroes. A tremendous attacking full back. I was right behind the goal at Bury when he scored our opening goal from the halfway line in the old 3rd Division.
Thanks to Suffolk Blue, Jim and PJ for your well written entries about Jim
RIP Jim and thanks for the memories

[farington blue]

Thanks for a great post pj. Like many others on this forum I was lucky enough to enjoy the good times watching Barrow in the mid sixties and the memories come flooding back.
It's very sad to hear of Jimmy Mallon's and I was wondering if pj, or anyone else, has any information on who from that much loved team is still with us?

[Middleton Nick]

Wasn't in this neck of the woods in those days,but as usual a great post PJ.

[Steelworks End]

Quite a few from that era are no longer with us; apart from Jimmy Malton, Fred Else, Jimmy Mulholland, Jimmy Mulvaney, Bill McAdams, and Bob Knox have all paseed away. Maybe others as well. All part of the great future which beckoned for Barrow half a century ago but sadly never materialised. The fact that such players are still fondly remembered today shows how highly esteemed they were in their heyday.