Can we realistically challenge for promotion next season

[HenneysKnee]

At the moment no; but it is fairly easy to make the play offs now so there’s no reason we can't do that if we make some good signings

[jeff1966]

Bit of chat while waiting for the bell on the 3rd tee?

You know the score. The players under contract, some still have ambitions to play in football league or basically earn more money. When them deals come in we either demand a fee or agree to get them off the wage bill and rip up the contracts. Fully expect we’ve seen the last of McCann earing and Newby in barrow shirt

[Methuselah]

The rocket is still in the design phase and barely under construction. Let’s see how the components are assembled and get off the launch pad successfully before we even think about aiming for the stars. But if infinity and beyond is not the main aim we certainly won’t reach the exosphere.

Here we go again.The pessimism is alive and well.Give the guy a chance he hasn,t even started yet.Base your judgement on how we do after the season has started and if we do have a fee ropey games at the.start hold off with your criticism.It may take a few games and player alterations until his system clicks.

[McMark]

The rocket is still in the design phase and barely under construction. Let’s see how the components are assembled and get off the launch pad successfully before we even think about aiming for the stars. But if infinity and beyond is not the main aim we certainly won’t reach the exosphere.

Here we go again.The pessimism is alive and well.Give the guy a chance he hasn,t even started yet.Base your judgement on how we do after the season has started and if we do have a fee ropey games at the.start hold off with your criticism.It may take a few games and player alterations until his system clicks.

Turn the stick the other way round and read the thread from the start then read what I wrote again, then give your head a wobble.

[barrowaberdeen]

Not risking an analogy
Play offs

[Valkyrie]

3rd year is £250,000.

year one £750k
year two £500k
year three £250k

EFL parachute money is for 2-years

"Clubs relegated from EFL League Two receive 100% of the equivalent Basic Award payment made to League Two clubs in the first year following relegation, and 50% of the equivalent Basic Award payment made to League Two clubs in the second year following relegation."
No third year of parachute funding exists anywhere in the EFL rulebook for a club relegated from League Two

The board appear to be combining new National League central grant payments with the EFL 2-year parachute payments that show a £1.5m finance plan over a 3-year period.

[SilverdaleBluebird]

Southend have just announced Kieron Dyer as a manger so that takes out one of our rivals for promotion…

[Jonty]

IF we can keep the majority of this side and if Murray can bring in quality additions then we could surprise a few, including our own fans. A mid table National League finish and a good Trophy run is not what he’s here for. The EFL relegation hurts but the bar has been raised and we will be aiming for a straight return.

[Scott5]

Still too early to say but we need some players of real quality to come in as even at National league level, I think some of our players would struggle based on last season. It's a lot more physical and direct and the top teams from what I saw were a mile away from us last season.
Let's not forget how poor this team was last season, the absolute worst of a rotten league 2 one of the weakest there has ever been; mentally, physically and technically. Some players maybe thought they were too good and didn't have to put the work in, in that case national league will be a shock to them.
Murray has his work cut out to a) get rid of some of the dross, b)motivate those that do stay and c)bring enough quality in to strengthen us.
Not many teams have gone down and come straight back up and sadly I can't see us adding to the list.
Top half and a push for play offs would be my expectations but I dare say we'll all have a better idea 10 or so games in as we did last season but I think the mistakes of then and criminally poor decisions will haunt us for a long, long time.

[Suffolk Blue]

It's right and proper that we should remain positive and enthusiastic about the new season. I'm not entirely sure though what evidence there really is to suggest that we will be involved at the right end of the National League come the end of it. The simple psychology of a demotion may be that we've simply dropped a rung or two onto the ladder below. The reality in terms of the gap we have to bridge to get back however it is far more daunting.

How can I put this without being too negative? Well this is the second relegation from the EFL that I've lived through and I can say with utter certainty that what we have left as a football club in 2026 is considerably superior to what we were left with in 1972. In 1972 there was virtually nothing left when we went down. The club was, if not dead, then on critical life support. The team that has been relegated in 2026 was the product of years of hard work, gradual development and progression and a financial administration based (relatively speaking) on sound financial principles. Not to mention some decent marketing (I still smile at the very notion of a Canadian province parting with its taxpayers cash to sponsor Barrow Afc). So the club still is capable in theory of functioning and competing.

But the reality of what came to pass last season should not be under-estimated. The footballing side of the business was abysmal. We created a Director of Football role that categorically failed; we recruited players without a recognizable blueprint; players that were too old, too injury prone or simply too mediocre. Not only that but we also recruited too many of them. The fact that we have so many players still under contract having finished rock bottom is actually quite shocking and should tell us something. That fact is partly the product of having had more "managers" than we managed to win home games. 5 of them in fact coming in all shapes, sizes, competences and experiences. And each with their own philosophies and tactical systems and preferred players. Hiring and firing to point whereby we were branded a "chaos club" by the football media and, from personal experience, a bit of a laughing stock with our peers. And despite the fact that the BoD has probably personally funded the club a sum in excess of a million quid and that our operating budget was believed to be higher than several of the hopelessly run clubs that still remain in League 2 it all disappeared down the footballing plughole.

For a club like ours where the margins between survival and failure at the level are so fine, any one of these factors could have tipped the scales against us. So to fail against all these factors was dreadful. I really want to say "catastrophic" but perhaps that would be an over-reaction. But not by much.

So I find it interesting that many on the forum think that resetting the club in the National League will happen with relative ease. I doubt it. So the first question to be addressed in a League that is of a better quality than the one we left is actually can we compete effectively enough to stay in it.

[HenneysKnee]

Still too early to say but we need some players of real quality to come in as even at National league level, I think some of our players would struggle based on last season. It's a lot more physical and direct

Going off the RC post match coverage season just gone would agree on that; most weeks they seemed to mention Carlisle needed some better athletes, more pace and power (which so far we have gone down that route really)
Whether they will stay or not, and depending what formation we are playing I really wouldn’t be too bothered if the only players in our starting 11 from last season were Raglan, MJ, McCann and Rose.
Hoping to see an experienced keeper come in, two centre backs (one who’s left footed for balance) a pacy left back/left wing back and depending if McCann stays or go a number 10 (I’d love to see him allowed to play further forward with a new signing alongside MJ in midfield)

[Main Stand SeasonTct]

Still too early to say but we need some players of real quality to come in as even at National league level, I think some of our players would struggle based on last season. It's a lot more physical and direct

Going off the RC post match coverage season just gone would agree on that; most weeks they seemed to mention Carlisle needed some better athletes, more pace and power (which so far we have gone down that route really)
Whether they will stay or not, and depending what formation we are playing I really wouldn’t be too bothered if the only players in our starting 11 from last season were Raglan, MJ, McCann and Rose.
Hoping to see an experienced keeper come in, two centre backs (one who’s left footed for balance) a pacy left back/left wing back and depending if McCann stays or go a number 10 (I’d love to see him allowed to play further forward with a new signing alongside MJ in midfield)

All currently contracted players who don’t figure in Murray’s plans for next season have been told. Be interesting to see how quickly and how many of those do move on thus allowing Murray to rebuild the squad with who he wants

[Jonty]

I think any team that can improve their goal tally from set pieces will give themselves a real chance. The game has moved into a phase of set pieces and small gains. You've seen the amount of grabbing that goes on at corners, and it’s become very difficult to referee. Added to this, the number of goals being ruled out for an infringement or a toe offside in the build up. To overcome this, teams are going more direct, long throw's are back in vogue again, VAR aside, this way of winning games is filtering down the leagues.

We have yet to see how Adam Murray sets up his teams and how he will have us playing, but, one thing we have been absolutely woeful at for far too long is taking advantage and scoring from set pieces, either direct or within one touch. Arsenal have just won the Premier League with a relatively low tally of goals- 69, with 27 set piece goals and no less than 19 goals coming from a corner routine 19!!!, a Premier League record. Additional goals came from penalties and free-kick situations, although zero direct from free kicks.

I would be surprised if we scored half a dozen from a set piece situation last season, barely taking any advantage of corners, free kicks, and did we even score from a pen?

Cant say for certain how many of York City’s 100+ goals came as a result of a set piece play as the Opta analysis is not collected at National League level. Set pieces will win the day over trying to work a 15 pass move from the back. Will be interesting to see who the direct teams are in the Word Cup

[Jonty]

Here’s an article written in the “In Cumbria” magazine June 2026. Thought it was worth putting up. There some assumptions and estimates, Some of the financial figures ie- 70–75% revenue reduction and the £6.7m League Two revenue are estimates that would need checking. There is a message that club are looking to bounce straight back. Not sure whether anyone from the club has had input to it or whether the author has picked up the soundbites from the relegation.

Anyway- here it is. A fairly balanced article.

“Holker Street was a scene of sorrow on the afternoon of May 2. The club had officially lost its place in the English Football League, finishing bottom of the division.

In truth, it had been a long time coming. After winning just nine games under five different managers in 2025/26, Barrow AFC had simply given themselves too much to do.

Faint hopes of a great escape on the final day of the season were dashed by another defeat – this time to relegation rivals Newport County – but results elsewhere meant even a victory would not have been enough to keep them up anyway.

After half a dozen seasons in League Two, it was all over.

As relegation was confirmed, the Barrow AFC board did not sugarcoat anything, calling the campaign for what it was: “What an awful season.”

Six years is a long time in sport. Back in 2020, the Bluebirds were playing such attractive football that they had been nicknamed “Barrowcelona” by fans and press – boasting some of the best stats in the league for ball retention and passing that shot them to the top of the division.

Covid cut the fixture list short, but by then, “Barrowcelona” had already done enough to secure promotion on points per game, finishing the 2019/20 season as champions.

A piece in The Athletic said the club had done this despite a “bottom-six budget” with an “average weekly salary [of] about £750”.

Ticket sales swelled before the pandemic struck, with the playing style and winning streak convincing Barrow locals that they didn’t have to turn on the Champions League to watch a good game of football. They had an exciting club on their own doorstep.

There was a feel-good factor around Holker Street, with Barrow settling in League Two and even pushing for promotion to the third tier. Crowds in 2023/24 reached almost 4,000.

But after failing to build on their promotion pushes, the club has suffered the worst of fates – slipping into a relegation battle which they were unable to win.

The club didn’t envisage returning to this level so soon, nor do they want to stick around. Falling out of the English Football League (EFL) comes with a reputational and economic blow, and the plan is for immediate promotion next time around.

“Relegation doesn’t define us, it’s just a moment in time, and we’ll come back stronger,” the board assured, claiming the owners were “acutely aware of what had gone wrong”.

The club has rushed to rectify the situation, confirming the departure of CEO Iain Wood, who had been at the club for four years, and exits of various coaches and medical heads. Many players have followed out the door.

The club faces its biggest financial challenge for years, and the Bluebirds do not have to look far to learn how damaging the drop down to the National League can be.

Fellow Cumbrians Carlisle United are still languishing outside the EFL after going down in 2025 – losing just over £5 million in that period, although the owners did invest heavily in facilities, hospitality, and commercial growth during this period.

Other case studies include Sutton United, who lost £4m the year they dropped out of League Two (compared to £2m the previous year), and Forest Green Rovers, who lost more than £3m.

The drop to non-league is an expensive fall, and the data puts this into context.

Barrow AFC showed losses of more than £1m in the most recent financial year, which will likely rise in 2026 as ticket sales – a key revenue driver – dipped to a 2,800 average attendance over 2026.

If attendances decline further – which is a possibility in a lower division – there will be further financial challenges. Assuming match day revenue per head is around £15 to £20 (tickets, food, drink), and crowds fall by around 1,000, over the course of 23 home games, revenue could theoretically tumble by at least £400,000.

The club will also have a big call to make on season ticket prices, as fans may expect a price reduction to entice them back to watch non-league football again.

A scheme known as parachute payments offers a degree of relief for clubs that slip out of League Two. Under current rules, Barrow will get a support payment in their first year in the National League, and an additional, smaller package if they remain in the division for a second year. But this will be modest financial support in comparison with the privileges Barrow received when it was in the EFL.

League Two clubs receive approximately £1.5 million per season from central EFL distributions, broadcasting deals, solidarity payments, and facility fees when matches are selected for television. The per-club income in the National League is a fraction of EFL distributions.

Clubs in the National League also tend to generate lower revenue – roughly £1.5 to £2.0 million per year on average. In League Two, club estimated revenue is approximately £6.7 million per year.

This represents a potential total revenue reduction of up to 70 to 75% if Barrow cannot offset losses through commercial activity.

The board has offered reassurance that it has already “crunched the numbers” regarding relegation, and the split ownership structure at the club theoretically protects the club from any immediate danger. Any trading losses are absorbed rather than taking on debt, but there is only so much money the board can put in before the funds run dry.

Each season outside the EFL makes it more expensive for investors. And every one of them – including the fan-backed Bluebirds Trust which owns 10 per cent – will recognise that a swift return to League Two is a financial necessity.

The silver lining, of course, is that Barrow have done it all before. Supporters still remember that famous Barrowcelona side that finished as champions in 2020. And there is hope a rebuild can create another memorable chapter for the club.

But no one will care if the Bluebirds adopt ugly long ball tactics this season to grind out wins. Just so long as the results come.

[Pedro]

Here’s an article written in the “In Cumbria” magazine June 2026. Thought it was worth putting up. There some assumptions and estimates, Some of the financial figures ie- 70–75% revenue reduction and the £6.7m League Two revenue are estimates that would need checking. There is a message that club are looking to bounce straight back. Not sure whether anyone from the club has had input to it or whether the author has picked up the soundbites from the relegation.

Anyway- here it is. A fairly balanced article.

“Holker Street was a scene of sorrow on the afternoon of May 2. The club had officially lost its place in the English Football League, finishing bottom of the division.

In truth, it had been a long time coming. After winning just nine games under five different managers in 2025/26, Barrow AFC had simply given themselves too much to do.

Faint hopes of a great escape on the final day of the season were dashed by another defeat – this time to relegation rivals Newport County – but results elsewhere meant even a victory would not have been enough to keep them up anyway.

After half a dozen seasons in League Two, it was all over.

As relegation was confirmed, the Barrow AFC board did not sugarcoat anything, calling the campaign for what it was: “What an awful season.”

Six years is a long time in sport. Back in 2020, the Bluebirds were playing such attractive football that they had been nicknamed “Barrowcelona” by fans and press – boasting some of the best stats in the league for ball retention and passing that shot them to the top of the division.

Covid cut the fixture list short, but by then, “Barrowcelona” had already done enough to secure promotion on points per game, finishing the 2019/20 season as champions.

A piece in The Athletic said the club had done this despite a “bottom-six budget” with an “average weekly salary [of] about £750”.

Ticket sales swelled before the pandemic struck, with the playing style and winning streak convincing Barrow locals that they didn’t have to turn on the Champions League to watch a good game of football. They had an exciting club on their own doorstep.

There was a feel-good factor around Holker Street, with Barrow settling in League Two and even pushing for promotion to the third tier. Crowds in 2023/24 reached almost 4,000.

But after failing to build on their promotion pushes, the club has suffered the worst of fates – slipping into a relegation battle which they were unable to win.

The club didn’t envisage returning to this level so soon, nor do they want to stick around. Falling out of the English Football League (EFL) comes with a reputational and economic blow, and the plan is for immediate promotion next time around.

“Relegation doesn’t define us, it’s just a moment in time, and we’ll come back stronger,” the board assured, claiming the owners were “acutely aware of what had gone wrong”.

The club has rushed to rectify the situation, confirming the departure of CEO Iain Wood, who had been at the club for four years, and exits of various coaches and medical heads. Many players have followed out the door.

The club faces its biggest financial challenge for years, and the Bluebirds do not have to look far to learn how damaging the drop down to the National League can be.

Fellow Cumbrians Carlisle United are still languishing outside the EFL after going down in 2025 – losing just over £5 million in that period, although the owners did invest heavily in facilities, hospitality, and commercial growth during this period.

Other case studies include Sutton United, who lost £4m the year they dropped out of League Two (compared to £2m the previous year), and Forest Green Rovers, who lost more than £3m.

The drop to non-league is an expensive fall, and the data puts this into context.

Barrow AFC showed losses of more than £1m in the most recent financial year, which will likely rise in 2026 as ticket sales – a key revenue driver – dipped to a 2,800 average attendance over 2026.

If attendances decline further – which is a possibility in a lower division – there will be further financial challenges. Assuming match day revenue per head is around £15 to £20 (tickets, food, drink), and crowds fall by around 1,000, over the course of 23 home games, revenue could theoretically tumble by at least £400,000.

The club will also have a big call to make on season ticket prices, as fans may expect a price reduction to entice them back to watch non-league football again.

A scheme known as parachute payments offers a degree of relief for clubs that slip out of League Two. Under current rules, Barrow will get a support payment in their first year in the National League, and an additional, smaller package if they remain in the division for a second year. But this will be modest financial support in comparison with the privileges Barrow received when it was in the EFL.

League Two clubs receive approximately £1.5 million per season from central EFL distributions, broadcasting deals, solidarity payments, and facility fees when matches are selected for television. The per-club income in the National League is a fraction of EFL distributions.

Clubs in the National League also tend to generate lower revenue – roughly £1.5 to £2.0 million per year on average. In League Two, club estimated revenue is approximately £6.7 million per year.

This represents a potential total revenue reduction of up to 70 to 75% if Barrow cannot offset losses through commercial activity.

The board has offered reassurance that it has already “crunched the numbers” regarding relegation, and the split ownership structure at the club theoretically protects the club from any immediate danger. Any trading losses are absorbed rather than taking on debt, but there is only so much money the board can put in before the funds run dry.

Each season outside the EFL makes it more expensive for investors. And every one of them – including the fan-backed Bluebirds Trust which owns 10 per cent – will recognise that a swift return to League Two is a financial necessity.

The silver lining, of course, is that Barrow have done it all before. Supporters still remember that famous Barrowcelona side that finished as champions in 2020. And there is hope a rebuild can create another memorable chapter for the club.

But no one will care if the Bluebirds adopt ugly long ball tactics this season to grind out wins. Just so long as the results come.

Well written and balanced.
We fail to go up this season we only have ourselves to blame.
Promotion is a must .