BBC Northwest

[FanzoneFan]

Why do they insist on calling us Barrow AFC - it’s just Barrow - every club in the football league is AFC (Association Football Club) they don’t say Liverpool AFC, it’s just Liverpool. I saw a post on here a few years ago and somebody was quite rightly pointing out Radio Cumbria’s obsession with calling that team from up north Workington Reds. It’s Workington or the Reds, you wouldn’t say and Barrow Bluebirds have won this afternoon. Very sad when media outlets can’t get the basics right.

[Moribund]

Why do they insist on calling us Barrow AFC - it’s just Barrow - every club in the football league is AFC (Association Football Club) they don’t say Liverpool AFC, it’s just Liverpool. I saw a post on here a few years ago and somebody was quite rightly pointing out Radio Cumbria’s obsession with calling that team from up north Workington Reds. It’s Workington or the Reds, you wouldn’t say and Barrow Bluebirds have won this afternoon. Very sad when media outlets can’t get the basics right.

“Get the basics right” - ironic.

[olefogey]

Can't believe (well I suppose I can!) the petty moaning by some on here about something which overall is very positive coverage of the club. When I started supporting Barrow, the idea that we might be featured on regional television was unimaginable. Please put your little niggles to one side and just enjoy the free publicity and the chance to introduce the club to a wider audience.

[FanzoneFan]

Can't believe (well I suppose I can!) the petty moaning by some on here about something which overall is very positive coverage of the club. When I started supporting Barrow, the idea that we might be featured on regional television was unimaginable. Please put your little niggles to one side and just enjoy the free publicity and the chance to introduce the club to a wider audience.

I didn’t realise having an opinion was “petty moaning” a thousand apologies if I’ve offended anyone. All publicity is good publicity I’m just asking a question why do some media outlets insist on calling us AFC. All clubs in the Football League are AFC.

[Hadrian]

We probably are the smallest club in terms of infrastructure, resources and teams associated with the club. Most clubs have an academy and a women’s team. This is why everything we achieve deserves full credit. We are up against clubs with many times the resources available.
I just had a look on our “who’s who” and I don’t even see a community wing to the club now- I remember it was disbanded or spilt away but thought something else was coming in to run that side. If there is then it isn’t very visible when looking at the club website.

What we do have right is putting the main focus on the 1st team. That leads 80% of the club status and wouldn’t want to lose that for the sake of trying to stretch into other areas that our peers may have.

For info, Jonty: https://www.barrowafc.com/news/2022/november/081122-barrow-launch-foundation/

[Jonty]

Why do they insist on calling us Barrow AFC - it’s just Barrow - every club in the football league is AFC (Association Football Club) they don’t say Liverpool AFC, it’s just Liverpool. I saw a post on here a few years ago and somebody was quite rightly pointing out Radio Cumbria’s obsession with calling that team from up north Workington Reds. It’s Workington or the Reds, you wouldn’t say and Barrow Bluebirds have won this afternoon. Very sad when media outlets can’t get the basics right.

It’s just one of those things that sticks with us. The club use AFC on all media and the club crest. Would take a big step change to drop the AFC bit, it’s deeply embedded. As is the term “the soccer” can’t be many football fans refer to their team as “the soccer”. Think it’s quite unique to us in UK football and must stem from the days to differentiate between us and the rugby locally. Is it an older generation term, do younger fans still call us the soccer.
Of course I could be talking nonsense.

[colyates]

Why do they insist on calling us Barrow AFC - it’s just Barrow - every club in the football league is AFC (Association Football Club) they don’t say Liverpool AFC, it’s just Liverpool. I saw a post on here a few years ago and somebody was quite rightly pointing out Radio Cumbria’s obsession with calling that team from up north Workington Reds. It’s Workington or the Reds, you wouldn’t say and Barrow Bluebirds have won this afternoon. Very sad when media outlets can’t get the basics right.

Was it not originally done so people in the media back in the day could tell the difference between the football team and rugby team the same way it was always put workington reds and workington rugby

[Desmond2-2]

I can’t think of any criteria that would make us the smallest - not ground, not attendances, not fan base, not population, not history, not budgets
Small yes. But definitely not smallest.

We are very possibly the smallest if the criteria is the area of the car park

So I guess you’ve never been to Harrogate, they don’t have one.

[Bingo]

The smallest club in the football league, this is the narrative the club pushes.

[bhbb]

The smallest club in the football league, this is the narrative the club pushes.

Does it? I haven’t seen anything recently that would suggest this.

[Jonty]

Being tagged as the smallest club in the EFL makes us even more determined and our progress even more remarkable when you look at some of the teams below us and in the leagues below us.

Besides, A lot of it is perception.

On the pitch is where it really matters.

[blue nige]

Can't believe (well I suppose I can!) the petty moaning by some on here about something which overall is very positive coverage of the club. When I started supporting Barrow, the idea that we might be featured on regional television was unimaginable. Please put your little niggles to one side and just enjoy the free publicity and the chance to introduce the club to a wider audience.

I didn’t realise having an opinion was “petty moaning” a thousand apologies if I’ve offended anyone. All publicity is good publicity I’m just asking a question why do some media outlets insist on calling us AFC. All clubs in the Football League are AFC.

Might be wrong but when we were liquidated didn't we have to officially change our name to this ?

[Stephen Leonard]

I didn’t realise having an opinion was “petty moaning” a thousand apologies if I’ve offended anyone. All publicity is good publicity I’m just asking a question why do some media outlets insist on calling us AFC. All clubs in the Football League are AFC.

Might be wrong but when we were liquidated didn't we have to officially change our name to this ?

The name never changed - simply the ownership structure

[olefogey]

Can't believe (well I suppose I can!) the petty moaning by some on here about something which overall is very positive coverage of the club. When I started supporting Barrow, the idea that we might be featured on regional television was unimaginable. Please put your little niggles to one side and just enjoy the free publicity and the chance to introduce the club to a wider audience.

I didn’t realise having an opinion was “petty moaning” a thousand apologies if I’ve offended anyone. All publicity is good publicity I’m just asking a question why do some media outlets insist on calling us AFC. All clubs in the Football League are AFC.

Not offended, just making a general point about several posts, which I thought I was equally entitled to do on a public forum. Sorry if my opinion upset anyone.

[mall]

Why do they insist on calling us Barrow AFC - it’s just Barrow - every club in the football league is AFC (Association Football Club) they don’t say Liverpool AFC, it’s just Liverpool. I saw a post on here a few years ago and somebody was quite rightly pointing out Radio Cumbria’s obsession with calling that team from up north Workington Reds. It’s Workington or the Reds, you wouldn’t say and Barrow Bluebirds have won this afternoon. Very sad when media outlets can’t get the basics right.

I noticed this for the first time at Altrincham years ago.

On the side of their main stand was, 'Altrincham FC'.
On our stand was, 'Barrow AFC'.
I always wondered what the difference was or, why the difference was.