Norman Bodell RIP

[SKIPPER]

If my old memory serves me there was a fair gap between Appletons' illness and his decision to quit. The board were slow to react and I think one of the directors was running the show. It was during this time that we missed out on signing Peter Withe. After impressing in his one and only appearance we dithered before making him an offer. Unfortunately he had already decided to go and play in South Africa where he was spotted by Wolves legend Derek Dougan and the rest (including an England cap) is history.To be fair to Norman Bodell he was probably a panic appointment, the Dunn/Jolley of the day. Out of his depth but Brian Kidd strongly challenges him for the worst manager of my time supporting.

[ant]

Rip .lot of back room stuff happening at that time.but nothing new to us..always forward..

[FanzoneFan]

So to fill in the blanks:

So am I right in thinking we get promoted in 1966/67 season and the Manager Don McEvoy leaves to take up an offer at ???? was it Grimsby or Southport ?.

Colin Appleton then becomes Player/ Manager for the start of the 1967/68 campaign and we finish our first season in the Third Division (which is now League One ) 8th.

The following season 68/69 we top the League in November but then fall away and finish 19th. I’m presuming Colin Appleton left during this season? Was Fred Else and someone else in temporary charge ?

In 69/70 we get relegated from the Third Division just seen that two of the sides that got promoted alongside us Stockport and Southport also went down. Presuming this was the season Norman Bodell was in charge.

In 1970/71 we finish bottom of the Fourth Division. Was Don McEvoy back in charge at this time ?

In 1971/72 we finish third from bottom but fail to get re-elected and lose our Football League status. I know Colin Compton was Manager but I seem to recall he took over midway through the season presuming from Don McEvoy. Was McEvoy sacked? Compton also won the Manager of the month award at one stage. Just seen that Stockport the side that won the title when we got promoted finished below us.

Questions, questions, questions ha. Talking about a rollercoaster few seasons, following Barrow is certainly never boring.

[olefogey]

If I remember correctly Norman Bodell also came with hugely positive comments from several top players of that era, including the likes of Nobby Stiles, but unfortunately never translated into any success for us. I also think the constant criticism over the speedway totally ignores how desperate the club was to bring in revenue for sheer survival and, rightly or wrongly, the board thought the speedway was one way of providing it. Had we not finished in the bottom four for the umpteenth time the pitch woul nott have been a factor. In the end though, I think the Hereford bandwagon was the main reason for our demise, probably deservedly so at the time.

[olefogey]

So to fill in the blanks:

So am I right in thinking we get promoted in 1966/67 season and the Manager Don McEvoy leaves to take up an offer at ???? was it Grimsby or Southport ?.

Colin Appleton then becomes Player/ Manager for the start of the 1967/68 campaign and we finish our first season in the Third Division (which is now League One ) 8th.

The following season 68/69 we top the League in November but then fall away and finish 19th. I’m presuming Colin Appleton left during this season? Was Fred Else and someone else in temporary charge ?

In 69/70 we get relegated from the Third Division just seen that two of the sides that got promoted alongside us Stockport and Southport also went down. Presuming this was the season Norman Bodell was in charge.

In 1970/71 we finish bottom of the Fourth Division. Was Don McEvoy back in charge at this time ?

In 1971/72 we finish third from bottom but fail to get re-elected and lose our Football League status. I know Colin Compton was Manager but I seem to recall he took over midway through the season presuming from Don McEvoy. Was McEvoy sacked? Compton also won the Manager of the month award at one stage. Just seen that Stockport the side that won the title when we got promoted finished below us.

Questions, questions, questions ha. Talking about a rollercoaster few seasons, following Barrow is certainly never boring.

Not Colin Compton, Jack Crompton, ex Man Utd goalkeeper and coach, I think.

[Suffolk Blue]

So to fill in the blanks:

So am I right in thinking we get promoted in 1966/67 season and the Manager Don McEvoy leaves to take up an offer at ???? was it Grimsby or Southport ?.

Colin Appleton then becomes Player/ Manager for the start of the 1967/68 campaign and we finish our first season in the Third Division (which is now League One ) 8th.

The following season 68/69 we top the League in November but then fall away and finish 19th. I’m presuming Colin Appleton left during this season? Was Fred Else and someone else in temporary charge ?

In 69/70 we get relegated from the Third Division just seen that two of the sides that got promoted alongside us Stockport and Southport also went down. Presuming this was the season Norman Bodell was in charge.

In 1970/71 we finish bottom of the Fourth Division. Was Don McEvoy back in charge at this time ?

In 1971/72 we finish third from bottom but fail to get re-elected and lose our Football League status. I know Colin Compton was Manager but I seem to recall he took over midway through the season presuming from Don McEvoy. Was McEvoy sacked? Compton also won the Manager of the month award at one stage. Just seen that Stockport the side that won the title when we got promoted finished below us.

Questions, questions, questions ha. Talking about a rollercoaster few seasons, following Barrow is certainly never boring.

Not Colin Compton, Jack Crompton, ex Man Utd goalkeeper and coach, I think.

Colin Crompton was the guy who shouted “order, order” on the Wheel Tappers and Shunters Club on telly.

Jack Crompton was a close friend of Matt Busby. He did win the manager of the month award in 1972. A fact that I can distinctly remember as I, together with another ball boy were tasked with holding the enormous bottle (well I was a lot smaller then) of Bells until he was presented with it.

[bluessupporter]

McEvoy went to Grimsby.