Biggest Scalp in 121 Years?

[behind the goals]

We have never beaten a 1st Division Club/Premier League Club or 2nd Division Club/Championship Club in a competitive match before the Blackpool game, we have played against Clubs from the top two Division on many occasions but never won, so yes the win at Blackpool is the biggest scalp in 121 years in a competitive first team fixture no question, whether the game was good or bad makes no difference, if anyone can find a victory over a side from the top 2 divisions in a first team fixture please tell.

Behind the Goals - - -as mentioned in my lead article, we beat 2nd Division Crystal Palace 1-0 at Holker Street in the second round of the League Cup in September 1967, in the very early weeks of our time as a 3rd Division club. Jim Mullholland got the only goal of the game at the Holker Street end in, I think, off the top of my head, the 57th minute. I remember parts of that game almost like it was yesterday, such was the majesty of our performance. And I can clearly see, in my mind's eye, the highly skilled Mulholland actually scuffing his strike for the winner and throwing the Palace keeper off guard! Obviously, Blackpool are likewise "second division" now, and that's why I raised the debate as to which might be the better result. I do believe they are the only two teams from the "second division" that we have beaten in a properly competitive fixture.

I suppose it might have been clearer if I had said "highest ranking scalp" because then it is down to either Crystal Palace or Blackpool. If I had said "biggest gulf scalp" then you could bring occasions such as our win away just a few short years ago at 3rd Division Bristol Rovers into the debate as there were many rungs on the whole footballing ladder separating us and Rovers that day (but don't ask me exactly how many rungs because I don't know!)

Fair point pjdaly both good wins, let`s hope for more in the near future.

[Jonty]

When you think of opposition honours, league history, standing in the game, then surely our cup win against Ipswich Town last season is right up there. I know they were only one league above us at the time but when you put the two clubs side by side and considering we had not long returned to the league, that for me is the biggest scalp ive known in 30 odd years.

[russell_anderson]

1967/68 barrow were a 3rd division side Crystal Palace were a midtable 2nd division side

2022/23 barrow are a league two side tipped by many for relegation and Blackpool are in the championship

Please tell me how that isn’t a bigger upset than beating a side 1 division above?

Sorry for my "awful" opinion Adam. I was at the game and I was as happy as anyone else at the outcome.

You are usually very specific when you pick others up on their comments. This thread mention no specific criteria on which you could ever make a decision on how significant that was. And significant what? Performance? Result? Other than being 2 divisions higher. Is that our criteria for how big an upset is? Blackpool played half a first team side and included some unblooded loanees. They then made five substitutions after 60 minutes. Tactically they got it wrong. We were fantastic in our own half but posed no threat in theirs.

If we progress to the third round and end up at Anfield, I doubt they'd play a single first team squad member. If we prevailed against Liverpool Under 23s would that be the greatest result in our history? Is we beat Man Utd in the Papa Johns against their U23s would that be the greatest result in our history?

I was probably wrong to say the Blackpool result didnt register. It clearly did but for me not at the top. By the way Pete Wild has not come out in his many public utterances and claimed this as one of the clubs greatest results. I dont think he even rates this as important as the result on saturday v Bradford.

If you are going to make claims fair enough. But at least use some criteria that we can all agree or disagree with.

I can certainly see where you are are coming from, SB.

I think about 7 Championship sides lost to lower league opposition on Tuesday night and that is primarily because for most clubs now the league is the bee all and end all and cup competitions are of little interest. Most teams play weak teams, particularly against lower league opposition and will take a win if that proves good enough but the cups are of little interest to most.

The attendances are generally very poor so it's hardly a big revenue earner and fixtures are so congested that clubs want to avoid injuries to key players.

Even in the FA Cup, only Manchester City of the Premier teams seem to play strong sides until the semi-final stage so cups have become almost an inconvience to most clubs. Even at our level, clubs generally leave out 1 or 2 of their best players.

Statistically, it ranks with beating Ipswich as our best ever wins over higher league teams but I would rate the performances I saw against Southampton, Leicester and Nottingham Forest far, far higher when comparing the Ipswich and Blackpool teams against those sides even if Ipswich and Blackpool played their strongest sides which neither did.

Any win against a higher league team is worth taking but I'm much more pleased with the wins against Stockport and Bradford City than the one against Blackpool.

[mall]

I dont think it matters one iota what the strength of the oppositions team was at all. At the end of the day Barrow beat Blackpool on their own midden and that's all that matters. People in general will always find excuses and reasons to suit their own point of view but, if Blackpool chose to put out a weakened side then that's their prerogative. The fact remains Barrow were drawn against Championship side Blackpool, went their and won, not complicated at all really-if Blackpool or anyone else weren't, lets say, taking it seriously then that's their outlook and its as simple as that. Barrow went there and won and that's all that could be asked of them.
Big scalp in my book.

[Hitthebar22]

By and large the cup games are one offs. That’s the beauty of them, and the necessity to rank each one within our history seems fatuous. Many different factors are in play these days. If we drew e.g a National League North side in FA Cup there’s a strong case for not playing our first team. Similarly there was a strong case for Blackpool not playing theirs against us. We all know this, and therefore comparisons are unrealistic these days, but we all know a good (or even great), win when we see one.

[Adam29]

Yes Blackpool made changes but let’s not pretend that they’re a team of kids/reserves that played against us Tuesday.

Chris Maxwell 32yrs old over 300career apps mostly in league one/championship

Callum Connolly 24yrs old - England under 21 international with a lot of pedigree

Marvin Ekpiteta their club captain

Jordan Thorniley a 1st team regular

Dominic Thompson signed from Brentford in the summer 1st choice left back

Charlie patino - signed from arsenal on loan prior to the defeat v Stoke - came on as a sub in that game

Kenny Dougall - Australia international, won the Dutch equivalent of the championship with Sparta Rotterdam

Lewis Fiorini - highly rated young midfielder at Man City
Known well by our assistant Adam temple - recently played on loan in Holland for Nac Breda

CJ Hamilton - Ireland international and first team regular

Shayne lavery - Northern Ireland international being touted with a move to fellow championship side millwall

Theo corbeanu - on loan from wolves Canadian international

The subs that came on (bar lubala who had a loan spell at Northampton last season) all are first team players

It’s a true barrow way to play down our achievements. We’ve rocked up at a championship ground and won, let’s just celebrate it instead of playing it down

[blue nige]

You're right Adam, it's only a few years ago we were excited at doing well in the FA Trophy !, now look great performance at Barnsley and now this, after what I and a few others have witnessed over the years I have to keep pinching myself to ask "is this really happening? "

[pjdaly]

Any win against a higher league team is worth taking but I'm much more pleased with the wins against Stockport and Bradford City than the one against Blackpool.

I agree absolutely with that, Russell. That's why, in my opening post, I stressed the idea of how high ranking our opposition was but how that is a different consideration to the "importance" of the match. At the end of the day a win over high-ranking opponents is an unexpected free hit to be enjoyed and savoured if it happens but I'm with you in that the matches against Stockport, Bradford City (and Sutton) are far more "important". It's the vital bread and butter (as managers would say).

[Suffolk Blue]

We have never beaten a 1st Division Club/Premier League Club or 2nd Division Club/Championship Club in a competitive match before the Blackpool game, we have played against Clubs from the top two Division on many occasions but never won, so yes the win at Blackpool is the biggest scalp in 121 years in a competitive first team fixture no question, whether the game was good or bad makes no difference, if anyone can find a victory over a side from the top 2 divisions in a first team fixture please tell.

Behind the Goals - - -as mentioned in my lead article, we beat 2nd Division Crystal Palace 1-0 at Holker Street in the second round of the League Cup in September 1967, in the very early weeks of our time as a 3rd Division club. Jim Mullholland got the only goal of the game at the Holker Street end in, I think, off the top of my head, the 57th minute. I remember parts of that game almost like it was yesterday, such was the majesty of our performance. And I can clearly see, in my mind's eye, the highly skilled Mulholland actually scuffing his strike for the winner and throwing the Palace keeper off guard! Obviously, Blackpool are likewise "second division" now, and that's why I raised the debate as to which might be the better result. I do believe they are the only two teams from the "second division" that we have beaten in a properly competitive fixture.

I suppose it might have been clearer if I had said "highest ranking scalp" because then it is down to either Crystal Palace or Blackpool. If I had said "biggest gulf scalp" then you could bring occasions such as our win away just a few short years ago at 3rd Division Bristol Rovers into the debate as there were many rungs on the whole footballing ladder separating us and Rovers that day (but don't ask me exactly how many rungs because I don't know!)

Thanks Paul for articulating so reasonably and sensibly what I was fundamental unable to do yesterday. You can look at results purely statistically but sometimes that doesn't tell the entire story when you are ranking performances.

Got myself into a complete mess with this one and HK was right the result was an awful attempt at a contribution. Apologies especially to Adam who bore the brunt of my misplaced ire.

We are all Bluebirds.

[Jonty]

All subjective and lots of opinion, but for me it’s still Ipswich Town as despite only being one league above us at the time, many fans will still remember them winning the FA Cup, UEFA cup and narrowly missing out on the 1st Division Championship so for me they carry that extra prestige above both Palace and Blackpool despite current fortunes. We also beat them convincingly on the night as well.

[pjdaly]

Thanks Paul for articulating so reasonably and sensibly what I was fundamental unable to do yesterday. You can look at results purely statistically but sometimes that doesn't tell the entire story when you are ranking performances.

Got myself into a complete mess with this one and HK was right the result was an awful attempt at a contribution. Apologies especially to Adam who bore the brunt of my misplaced ire.

We are all Bluebirds.

No need for apologies at all, SB, it's opinions and yours is a very valid one as I know you have followed the club a long time and will have seen a lot to place your verdict on. You are humble and big enough to say those words above. I knew when I put this thread up that it would create a few squabblesome viewpoints so you could say I was stirring the pot.

For what it's worth, for me the greatest scalp we ever took was when we beat Crewe in late April 1967. No, Crewe were certainly not the greatest scalp in the sense of being the highest ranking opponents we have ever vanquished, in fact they were just below us in the league and breathing down our necks in the Division 4 promotion race. But in a completely different sense they were the biggest scalp because it was us or them for promotion and we beat them 3-2 in the best game of football I have ever seen in my lifetime and by doing so we almost (not quite but almost) sealed our promotion by winning that. That was a scalp about as important as they come in our history, even though it certainly wasn't a high-ranking scalp.

[pjdaly]

All subjective and lots of opinion, but for me it’s still Ipswich Town as despite only being one league above us at the time, many fans will still remember them winning the FA Cup, UEFA cup and narrowly missing out on the 1st Division Championship so for me they carry that extra prestige above both Palace and Blackpool despite current fortunes. We also beat them convincingly on the night as well.

Yes, Jonty, I can appreciate where you are coming from with regard to Ipswich. Many of us remember their fabulous side under Sir Bobby Robson. It's using the same sort of processing that I attach similar long-lost prestige to Blackpool - - - I guess it's an age thing, and with me being not many years off my century I am prone to think of the legends that were Matthews and Mortensen, and then shortly after them the impeccable former England skipper, Jimmy Armfield. Last but not least, there was fiery Alan Ball who was the sole Blackpool player to feature in the England World Cup winning side of 1966 and who was, for me, MOTM that day (sorry, Sir Geoff, just stirring the pot once again there). So, beating the Tangerines on their patch is pretty special even though they are not at the level they once were. Plus of course, our Emlyn started off there too even though his fame was to come elsewhere.

[John_Bucks]

I guess it's an age thing, and with me being not many years off my century I am prone to think of the legends

Put yourself in that bracket Mr Daly.

Certainly a legend of this forum and a credit to Barrow AFC. Could listen to your memories and stories for a long long time.

[McMark]

Me too, ever thought about doing a compilation album PJ you might have to do it podcast style for these young technophiles

[Suffolk Blue]

Thanks Paul for articulating so reasonably and sensibly what I was fundamental unable to do yesterday. You can look at results purely statistically but sometimes that doesn't tell the entire story when you are ranking performances.

Got myself into a complete mess with this one and HK was right the result was an awful attempt at a contribution. Apologies especially to Adam who bore the brunt of my misplaced ire.

We are all Bluebirds.

No need for apologies at all, SB, it's opinions and yours is a very valid one as I know you have followed the club a long time and will have seen a lot to place your verdict on. You are humble and big enough to say those words above. I knew when I put this thread up that it would create a few squabblesome viewpoints so you could say I was stirring the pot.

For what it's worth, for me the greatest scalp we ever took was when we beat Crewe in late April 1967. No, Crewe were certainly not the greatest scalp in the sense of being the highest ranking opponents we have ever vanquished, in fact they were just below us in the league and breathing down our necks in the Division 4 promotion race. But in a completely different sense they were the biggest scalp because it was us or them for promotion and we beat them 3-2 in the best game of football I have ever seen in my lifetime and by doing so we almost (not quite but almost) sealed our promotion by winning that. That was a scalp about as important as they come in our history, even though it certainly wasn't a high-ranking scalp.

Remember it as if it were yesterday PJ. Remember the pitch becoming a sea of people at the end. Might have been the first time I ever stood on the pitch. My old man, a stickler for rules and order actually encouraged my onto the pitch.