Tranmere Rovers

[Pedro]

The “not allowed to say anything slightly negative” brigade will be along soon but it wasn’t a good deal; it just means folk who were going to both games anyway get a cheaper ticket on Saturday. It wasn’t the sort of deal that incentivises the floating fan to decide to go

To be fair, it's a hard sell when there is literally nothing to play for and the expectation of excitement is minimal. No need to fret about crowds or performances at this point.

Think people need to realise we have a hardcore the bulk will come the better the results.
I remember thinking when we got voted out of the league where has everyone gone?
The season has been a rollercoaster,but we've survived.
Next season will be a important one.
It's about being organised.
Players will have a idea if they are staying but will hedge their betts .
We must get some forwards who can put the ball in the net.
We need a midfielder who can link up faster.
Gotts to me is crucial.
We have found a promising keeper in Stanway who unlike Farman has youth on his side the ball is literally in his court.
I know everyone wants a proven goal scorer but we cannot afford that.
Its encumbant on Woods to earn his money.
I would much prefer a couple of lower league Scouts to bring players in with a future.

[Wintergreen]

No I remember when in the league .
We had nothing to play for and Shrewsbury needed to win to get promoted.
I think we won 2-0

Going back a long time there, Pedro! It was actually 3-0.
BobKnox.jpg

Nice to see that again X many thanks - showing Premier League hot shots Bournemouth and Brighton languishing in mid-table there. I was going to say nice to see local boy Bob Knox on target but l would imagine all the team were locals then. Also a brace from Jim Mullholland - what a cool customer he was in front of goal and quite prolific. He was somehow left out of the book '100 Holker St Post War Greats' which was really quite inexplicable. Time for an updated edition shirley?

[Pedro]

Going back a long time there, Pedro! It was actually 3-0.
BobKnox.jpg

Nice to see that again X many thanks - showing Premier League hot shots Bournemouth and Brighton languishing in mid-table there. I was going to say nice to see local boy Bob Knox on target but l would imagine all the team were locals then. Also a brace from Jim Mullholland - what a cool customer he was in front of goal and quite prolific. He was somehow left out of the book '100 Holker St Post War Greats' which was really quite inexplicable. Time for an updated edition shirley?

No not locals,Fred Else,Edwards,Mallon,Bebbington, Arrow Smith, Harrison,Storf,McCarthy,Mulholland , Knox,Hartland.
Jimmy Mulholland played 11 games for Chelsea scoring in 2,then went to Morton only played 2 games before coming to Barrow for his longest and best period at a club

[bluessupporter]

a couple of lower league Scouts to bring players in with a future.

I think Whing may have his sights set on one or two of the lower league players he's managed in his time.

[SKIPPER]

Going back a long time there, Pedro! It was actually 3-0.
BobKnox.jpg

Nice to see that again X many thanks - showing Premier League hot shots Bournemouth and Brighton languishing in mid-table there. I was going to say nice to see local boy Bob Knox on target but l would imagine all the team were locals then. Also a brace from Jim Mullholland - what a cool customer he was in front of goal and quite prolific. He was somehow left out of the book '100 Holker St Post War Greats' which was really quite inexplicable. Time for an updated edition shirley?

Certainly weren't a team of locals then.Apart from 'Oppurtunity' Knox the only others were probably Brian Arrowsmith and (occasionally) Lionel Duffin. Others might have played the odd game but none could be described as regular such as my old schoolmate Ronnie Stephenson..

[pjdaly]

Also a brace from Jim Mullholland - what a cool customer he was in front of goal and quite prolific. He was somehow left out of the book '100 Holker St Post War Greats' which was really quite inexplicable. Time for an updated edition shirley?

Never a truer word, WG, never a truer word! It defies all logic when you coldly examine the contribution of Jim Mulholland in that golden period between 1965 and 1968. I won't provide all detail here but suffice to say he was our leading goalscorer in the promotion season of 1966-67 with 18 League goals. Doh! His goals fired us to the greatest achievement we have managed so far in our 124 years history and yet he is missing from the book you mention! Anyone with a brain cell has to recognise that Jim Mulholland has to be one of the most important players who ever played for us! Moreover, Jim was not just a goalscorer, he was one of the most skilled footballers I have seen play for us. It's a bit like having an all-time roll-call of just our Non-League greats and somehow omitting Kenny Lowe or Colin Cowperthwaite! 'Insane' doesn't even begin to cover it!

I remember when the book was published early in the new millenium and I raised this astonishing omission with the author, Darren Gardner. Let me say, there can be no criticism whatsoever of Darren, to whom AFC owe a huge debt of gratitude for the many wonderful books he has produced, documenting our history and many of its most famous figures. Darren made it clear the ones featured in the '100 Holker St Post War Greats' were not the preserve of some sort of selection committee but were based on votes received from the fans! So I suppose it comes down to the voters, the 'electorate'! Hmmm . . . . .

[xerxes]

Nice to see that again X many thanks - showing Premier League hot shots Bournemouth and Brighton languishing in mid-table there. I was going to say nice to see local boy Bob Knox on target but l would imagine all the team were locals then. Also a brace from Jim Mullholland - what a cool customer he was in front of goal and quite prolific. He was somehow left out of the book '100 Holker St Post War Greats' which was really quite inexplicable. Time for an updated edition shirley?

Certainly weren't a team of locals then.Apart from 'Oppurtunity' Knox the only others were probably Brian Arrowsmith and (occasionally) Lionel Duffin. Others might have played the odd game but none could be described as regular such as my old schoolmate Ronnie Stephenson..

Most certainly weren't locals in that they weren't Barrow born and bred, though in those days many players would live locally rather then just coming to town on match days, as is the norm these days. I think the club may even have owned houses. I know Mick Hartland used to live on Plymouth Street, just up the road from my grandparents.

[Arvo]

I think the club may even have owned houses. I know Mick Hartland used to live on Plymouth Street, just up the road from my grandparents.

They did. Billy McAdams used to live in a nice big semi-detached at the top of Cemetery Hill (corner of Victoria Avenue and Derbyshire Road).

[Bakewell Blue]

Billy McAdam’s son, also Billy, was in my year at school (first year Grammar 1968-69) until they moved (I assume his Dad went to another club). Always remember him well because I thought of him as a friend until we had a fight in the playground - my one and only fight at school!

[Wintergreen]

Certainly weren't a team of locals then.Apart from 'Oppurtunity' Knox the only others were probably Brian Arrowsmith and (occasionally) Lionel Duffin. Others might have played the odd game but none could be described as regular such as my old schoolmate Ronnie Stephenson..

Most certainly weren't locals in that they weren't Barrow born and bred, though in those days many players would live locally rather then just coming to town on match days, as is the norm these days. I think the club may even have owned houses. I know Mick Hartland used to live on Plymouth Street, just up the road from my grandparents.

Yep that's what l meant - that generally they lived locally and didn't commute in. So if you live in a locality you are a local. Nice that we have a few Barrovians in the present day squad too and l guess they commute to Manchester to train?

[Wintergreen]

Billy McAdam’s son, also Billy, was in my year at school (first year Grammar 1968-69) until they moved (I assume his Dad went to another club). Always remember him well because I thought of him as a friend until we had a fight in the playground - my one and only fight at school!

Billy senior worked at the Gas Terminal in Barrow in the 80s and lived in Ormsgill. After he retired a fund-raising match v his old club Man City was arranged at Holker St. Twas a good night 2-2 l think Desmond to confirm.

[SayitagainSam]

'100 Holker St Post War Greats' - Darren Gardner. Is this book still available? Maybe some kind soul could post the list on forum, I'd be very interested to see it. Thank you.

[pjdaly]

Right, Wintergreen, you asked so I'll provide this for you. Your cryptic message is a bit unclear as it's not evident whether it's Desmond 2-2 you are asking for a response, or whether it's someone else called Desmond you are looking to for an answer and whether you think the score was 2-2. Well, I'm not Desmond and I am sure this particular testimonial match against Man City finished 0-0 (not to be confused with an earlier match from a few years before against Man City which did finish 2-2, as Mick Richmond would rush to tell you if, alas, he was still amongst us).

Players who were there in July 2003 for this testimonial for Billy are as follows, though any self-respecting Barrow fan of a certain age should attempt to name them all before looking at the answers below:

Ron Stephenson, Peter Bebbington, Dave Storf, Lionel Duffin, Tony Morrin, Fred Else, Mick Hartland, Brian Arrowsmith, Billy McAdams, Bob Knox, Roy Ellison, Larry Carberry, Ray Hogg, Terry McDonald, Steve Calvert, D!ckie Robinson

This testimonial seems like yesterday to me, but sadly I reckon only 5 of our former heroes shown below are still with us. It was summer-time and many of Billy's former team-mates were away on hols and couldn't get there to Holker Street that evening.

[pjdaly]

Apologies, correction - - - - July 1993, not 2003!

[pjdaly]

FAO Say It Again Sam - - - - -

You'll have to give me a bit of time to write down the list of 100 names that featured in the book, so I'll get back to you on this. The publication was a joint effort by Darren Gardner and Phil Yelland. Just looking through it again, there is a second scandalous omission to equal that of Jim Mulholland - - - hard to believe this but GEORGE SMITH was also not featured!!! Jim Mulholland and George Smith!!! Two of our greatest ever players!!!