4 Clean Sheets

[32mile_cul-de-sac]

Anybody know if any the last time this happened?

[boyliegladbach]

NOV 2018

[Suffolk Blue]

This one is a statto's dream. I'm assuming that you are correct Boylie and therefore since our re-admission to the EFL we have not had 4 consecutive clean sheets.

Out of curiosity i have scanned Michael Gardiners "Definitive Barrow AFC book specifically to identify when in our previous history in the Football League we last went four games with a clean sheet. Somebody else is going to have to check this as there have been over a thousand fixtures in this time but although I can find many runs of three clean sheets in a row I cannot find a single run of four consecutive clean sheets.

Indeed if I'm correct you need to go back to our last year on the Lancashire Combination (1920/21 - the season before we entered the Third Division (North) to find a run of not four but 5 clean sheets between September 16th and October 16th 1920 (comprising Wigan Borough (4-0); Vickerstown (FAC 4-0); Atherton (0-0); Cleator Moor (FAC 12-0); and Accrington Stanley (2-0)). Strictly speaking this doesn't count either if you exclude the FA Cup ties.

If true that would mean that Paul Farman has just set a Barrow AFC record for the most consecutive clean sheets during our Football League history. Surely somebody will tell me I'm wrong.

[Adam29]

I have received the official verdict from Phil Yelland

The overall record belongs to Steve Farrelly who kept an amazing 7 consecutive clean sheets en route to the NPL title in 1998 - he is also 2nd having kept 6 consecutive at one point in that season also.

We have had instances of 4 consecutive EFL clean sheets if you include end of one season beginning of another

However Paul Farman is the first Barrow keeper to keep 4 consecutive clean sheets in the same football league season

[Bakewell Blue]

Fantastic record, deserves to be noted. Paul Farman and our defence have been brilliant this season, to the extent that I no longer panic every time Adam’s voice rises in commentary when the opposition attack!

[Suffolk Blue]

I have received the official verdict from Phil Yelland

The overall record belongs to Steve Farrelly who kept an amazing 7 consecutive clean sheets en route to the NPL title in 1998 - he is also 2nd having kept 6 consecutive at one point in that season also.

We have had instances of 4 consecutive EFL clean sheets if you include end of one season beginning of another

However Paul Farman is the first Barrow keeper to keep 4 consecutive clean sheets in the same football league season

So the overall record for consecutive league clean sheets is held by Farrelly. As you point out in the 1997/98 season he had two runs of 6 and then 7 league clean sheets. HOWEVER, within the 6 there is embedded an (LCC Cup) fixture where he did concede. Further in the 7 were played 2 FA Trophy games and an ATS Cup game which he also conceded but all three of which we won. His longest unbroken consecutive (league) sequence was in fact four games.

Other keepers have managed four consecutive clean sheets in non-league include Kevin Thomas who did it twice in 1980/81 and 1981/82; Jeff Wealands who also did it twice in 1987/88 - a sequence of 6 and then 4 though both included cup games; Ian Senior in 1993/94 (but including 1 cup game) and Mark Deegan in 1995/96 (but three were cup games).

So as far as I can tell then:

Farrelly holds the record for the longest run of clean sheets in consecutive league games (though these were of non-league status
Farrelly, Thomas (twice) and Wealands together with Farman have all achieved an unbroken run of 4 league/non/league clean sheets
Farman is the only keeper to have achieved that feat whilst Barrow have been a member of the English Football League

Don't want to be pedantic Adam but can you or Phil confirm what seasons were involved in delivering 4 "book-ended" Football League clean sheets consecutively because I cant find any between 1921 and 1972 or 2020 onwards that involve four clean consecutive clean sheets that were "broken" over two seasons. Hence why i think that Farman's record stands as the only keeper in our history to have done this in the EFL. Unless you know different.

[Adam29]

It’s “league” games so Lancashire cup games aren’t included

The message I’ve received from phil is:

Just read the Forum thread. The 5 in 6 was a sequence of three at the end of one season then one conceded in the opening game of the next season then two clean sheets. I can't find a bookend of four in a row.

[Adam29]

Farman is the only keeper to do it in the league in the same season

[snowdropsinjune]

Tim Deasy kept 20 clean sheets in that memorable season 2007-08 , 12 out of the last 15 matches, he kept a clean sheet in the last 5 matches of that season and the first match the following season

[Adam29]

We’re talking about consecutive clean sheets not a whole season and the national league north isn’t the football league so Paul Farmans record still stands

[32mile_cul-de-sac]

Well done to the defence, another little bit of history we have watched.

[Suffolk Blue]

We’re talking about consecutive clean sheets not a whole season and the national league north isn’t the football league so Paul Farmans record still stands

Yes, the original claim was in respect of an unbroken consecutive run of clean sheets in the EFL (previously known as The Football League). As Farman's run has only included League games then clearly the original reference was to league games only. As has been pointed out above when you introduce Cup games the relevance of the stat changes. Cup competitions may include games against South Liverpool or Sunderland so cannot really be compared equally.

Paul Farman is therefore in a fortunate position in that if he concedes on Saturday it wont dash his record as its a Cup competition. If he does not concede however, then not only does he preserve his clean sheet (league) sequence which he'll take to Bradford (assuming the Pizza Cup doesn't count either, were he to play on Tuesday) but he will also extended the ultimate unbroken consecutive sequence to 5. So he has two shots at glory.

Didn't have access to Tim Deasy's stats and agree that his run albeit in Non-League was indeed the stuff of legend. Perhaps its not surprising given our rather checkered history that we appear to have had some really great keepers over the years.

And yes Farman's sequence could only have been achieved with the assistance of a very sound defence. Think we are conceding currently (in League games) less than a goal per game average. That is outstanding given the quality of the opposition we have played over a 16 game period.

[MisterPleasant]

In all of this I am surprised the legendary Fred Else doesn't feature.

[Pedro]

In all of this I am surprised the legendary Fred Else doesn't feature.

Yes was hero of mine.
Met him when he worked in the Yard what a lovely man he was.

[Pedro]

Think Farman has come on leaps and bounds from when he first came in.
I suppose confidence grows with the players you have in defence.