Zigger

[Cringle]

Does anyone have any pictures of Zigger the mascot?
My Dad just mentioned him and the ritual of putting him behind the goal we were attacking and now I'm intrigued!

[Colin Appleton]

I think Zigger looked like a boxing bag rather than a mascot and was once featured on the cover of the Football League Review which was a supplement handed out in programmes at clubs all around the country.

[Cringle]

I think Zigger looked like a boxing bag rather than a mascot and was once featured on the cover of the Football League Review which was a supplement handed out in programmes at clubs all around the country.

"Bean bag head and a flat cap" is how my dad described him.

[Suffolk Blue]

As a ball-boy at the time I used to have to carry Zigger to the centre circle. It did indeed resemble a boxing bag and was about as heavy. Cap was optional. I seem to recall that it used to take two of us to carry it out. Think it was blue with face painted on it. By modern day standards you might say it was crude. But much loved.

Seem to remember that we were on a Zigger rota for the honour of taking him out. It was quite a treat as you often got to shake hands with the captains. I have a vivid memory of standing in the circle next to Malcolm Russell who as well as being BAFC captain at the time sported a Jason King like moustache.

[Jim]

Zigga and Brian Arrowsmith leading out the team for FA Cup 2nd round tie v Tranmere Rovers in 1966.

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[Wintergreen]

Zigger was what you used to call a ‘gonk’ We used to have an official club mascot who would cart Zigger about; think the mascot was called Jimmy Caldwell or something similar - nice lad.

[Cringle]

Thanks for the info everyone.
Be nice to have Zigger back, wouldn't it?

[Suffolk Blue]

Again time plays tricks on the memory, but I seem to remember that the Zigger was at it's height of popularity around the time we were promoted in season 1966-67. The first edition of the Zigger club magazine appeared in September 1967 but there were no references to the mascot and the character on the front of the Zigger magazine was called Ziggy.

I seem to recall that at some point over the next few years the tradition of carting the Zigger out before matches petered out and was sort of resurrected in the latter days of our League existance as a means of unifying support. I'm not even 100% sure that there was only one Zigger and that the one I would've remembered (1971-1972) was a reincarnation.

I found this picture in Zigger Number 3 which shows some familiar old faces including Brian Arrowsmith. This edition was published I think in late 1967.

By the way does anybody ever remember Glenys Currie or whatever became of her?

[Jim]

This is an unknown fan with Zigger, from Football League Review 1968:
The caption says:

" .. when a crowd of youngsters at Barrow coined the name "The Ziggers" to describe Barrow FC, the club did all they could to foster the term. Admits Secretary Wilf Livingstone: "It is hard getting the club nickname across". But club mascot Jimmy Caldwell and his pals are trying hard. They manufactured a Zigger (definition unknown) using a stuffed kit bag as the basic ingredient. They parade it round Holker Street whenever Colin Appleton's boys appear, as our cover picture shows.

Complains Jimmy cheerily;" The older fans don't seem to go for our Zigger, but we keep trying. It seems the same with other clubs."

[Cromwell58]

Zigger zagger Zigger zagger oi oi oi
did he ……………………………………………

I leave the rest to your imagination, Holker end song.

[Cromwell58]

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[Nigel Bamford]

I doff my cap to all of you that have hung on to stuff like this. It's brilliant. Thanks. Mine probably all went on the fire after the next ignominious defeat!

[blue nige]

I think a lot of people forget our nickname used to be "the ziggers "!

[Stu1]

I was there in them days, much prefer Bluebirds personally

[Cromwell58]

I doff my cap to all of you that have hung on to stuff like this. It's brilliant. Thanks. Mine probably all went on the fire after the next ignominious defeat!

Worth getting a couple of Barrow v Wrexham programmes the match the never took place or if we go up never will, the shop should still have copies I got mine about 2 weeks ago and it also helps the club.