Had to laugh or cry.

[Pedro]

He must have a bloody good agent. He might have run around a lot but his end product was woeful and was often booked. Personally I expected him to turn up at a National league North or South side this season as his thats the level, his performances merited

Really poor comments and don't agree. We would of stayed up if the others worked as hard as Josh.

In bad taste,Gordon gave his all.

[mall]

In bad taste,Gordon gave his all.

Agree.

[andyg]

Got to agree with most on here. Gordon was excellent for us. You need to put things in context he was a L2 striker/forward that was his ability ceiling. If he'd been a better finisher he would have played at a much higher level. He gave us everything and more at times & not just last season but in the previous campaigns as well. I think 3 years ago he top scored for us and was in double figures. And there's the key we were a better team who supplied Gordon with the ammunition to score goals. Gotts etc were the midfield providers. On top of that he was expected, on numerous occasions, last season to play the lone striker grappling with two defenders well in excess of 6 foot and often giving them a hard time despite his 5ft 9ish height. He was a true professional for us. Those who said he was not good enough haven't got a clue. The proof is he's got another contract at Exeter and he will give them everything probably more as a squad player for them. More Josh Gordons (attitude wise) last season would have seen us survive.

[pjdaly]

I had a lot of respect for Josh Gordon and agree that some comments here are over the top. I do say that he was far from being the greatest striker we have ever had at Barrow because he was certainly not. But I also agree with what is suggested above, that he was a superb professional as he never once failed to give his best and we have to remember the service coming his way was abysmal. I certainly wish him well at Exeter.

It is impossible to say if we would have stayed up if other players had been as committed as Josh last season. Maybe, maybe not, who can say for sure? But if others had given a Josh Gordon level of commitment it would have hugely increased our chances of steering clear of the drop.

The funny thing is that for me, in one sense last season I was watching a virtual re-run of the 1971-72 season when we had a smallish bloke called Mick Hollis doing the Josh Gordon role. Mick had originally featured as a full-back for us but in 71-72 he was up front. Just like Josh, Mick was very far from being the most natural striker you will ever see. But Mick ran his socks off every single match, just like Josh Gordon, and he finished as our top scorer in 71-72. It wasn't enough to keep us out of the re-election places but, just like that thought regarding Josh Gordon, I wonder if we would have stayed up if the other players had given as much as Mick had in that fateful season. Again, it is impossible to say. But Mick Hollis and Josh Gordon were like two peas in a pod and they both gave everything for our club.

[FanzoneFan]

I had a lot of respect for Josh Gordon and agree that some comments here are over the top. I do say that he was far from being the greatest striker we have ever had at Barrow because he was certainly not. But I also agree with what is suggested above, that he was a superb professional as he never once failed to give his best and we have to remember the service coming his way was abysmal. I certainly wish him well at Exeter.

It is impossible to say if we would have stayed up if other players had been as committed as Josh last season. Maybe, maybe not, who can say for sure? But if others had given a Josh Gordon level of commitment it would have hugely increased our chances of steering clear of the drop.

The funny thing is that for me, in one sense last season I was watching a virtual re-run of the 1971-72 season when we had a smallish bloke called Mick Hollis doing the Josh Gordon role. Mick had originally featured as a full-back for us but in 71-72 he was up front. Just like Josh, Mick was very far from being the most natural striker you will ever see. But Mick ran his socks off every single match, just like Josh Gordon, and he finished as our top scorer in 71-72. It wasn't enough to keep us out of the re-election places but, just like that thought regarding Josh Gordon, I wonder if we would have stayed up if the other players had given as much as Mick had in that fateful season. Again, it is impossible to say. But Mick Hollis and Josh Gordon were like two peas in a pod and they both gave everything for our club.

[FanzoneFan]

Pjdaly great post as ever. Do you think the relegation of 1972 was inevitable ? as in was it all down to lack of finances, and general lack of interest in the club around the town. I still feel on paper last season’s debacle should have been avoided as the team were strong enough but maybe that wasn’t the scenario in 72.

[Suffolk Blue]

I remember Mick Hollis very well Paul. Though I can never think of him without also picturing Tony Morrin. The two used to have a great relationship on the pitch. As someone who lived in Stockport for a while in my early twenties I also remember Mick Hollis's name being daubed in white paint on the wall of the entrance to Stockport station. It remained for many years after he retired (he played for County) and always made me smile when walking past.

With respect to 71-72 and how comparatively bad that was, as a young teenager it felt like my world had ended at the time. However, what needs to be remembered is that the season was the culmination of several years of complete neglect. The 70-71 season was much worse by far. I recall we didn't win a game until I think November and we escaped re-election by the skin of our teeth. By comparison 71-72 was actually better and we remained competitive until the last couple of games. I'm also just about old enough to remember 64-65 and am told that this together with the seasons immediately preceding it were utterly dreadful.

These years however bear little comparison with what happened last season. As I've always said when asked, it is impossible these days to accurately describe how bad things were in 72. We were essentially a (nearly) bankrupt club. No cash, no credit, no transfer fees to speak of. That we survived at all was nothing short of a miracle and from that point onwards changed my entire attitude and understanding of football as a business. Something that I had to remind myself of at the end of last season.

However, despite remaining a club with limited resources, I do not believe that you can use this as the reason for our relegation last season. We know that our budget last season was higher than several of our rivals for relegation. We also should remember that several of the teams left behind in EFL were in a very poor administrative and financial state. For those that have been keeping tabs on the likes of Newport, Crawley and Tranmere in the close season, nothing appears to have changed. Indeed Newport look like a dead team walking.

At some point it was always likely that we would eventually succumb to rich mans club syndrome. But it should not have been last season. That it happened no - that it was allowed to happen in the way that it did was unique in my following of the club. It was primarily self-inflicted. Sounds terrible to say it, but we grasped relegation from the hands of safety. In that sense 26 was far worse than 72.

[Leo]

Saw Josh Gordon signed for Exeter City (L2) on a free. He always put a shift in, so good for him.

He must have a bloody good agent. He might have run around a lot but his end product was woeful and was often booked. Personally I expected him to turn up at a National league North or South side this season as his thats the level, his performances merited IMO.

MoDs please ban this user

[HenneysKnee]

It’s always amazing how much people love Josh Gordon just because he does what should be the absolute minimum of putting a shift in

[russell_anderson]

It’s always amazing how much people love Josh Gordon just because he does what should be the absolute minimum of putting a shift in

Indeed but that just illustrates how little effort many of last season's team put in. I will be watching with interest but my bet would be that none of Gordon, Fletcher or Anderson will be in their respective first teams within a couple of months of the season starting but we will see.

[blue nige]

He must have a bloody good agent. He might have run around a lot but his end product was woeful and was often booked. Personally I expected him to turn up at a National league North or South side this season as his thats the level, his performances merited IMO.

MoDs please ban this user

You can't ban someone for having an opinion, unless it's a personal insult that's offensive!

[russell_anderson]

MoDs please ban this user

You can't ban someone for having an opinion, unless it's a personal insult that's offensive!

Agreed. Absolutely ridiculous. If you can't have an opinion on your team and players a forum is worthless.

[Cubbins Paratrooper]

Based on Leo's previous posts, I think his tongue is firmly in his cheek.

[Always Ultra]

No Iain Wood to sign them

[Barrowvianbedlam]

For most of their time with us both Canavan and Foley were stand-out players for us before father time finally caught up with them and I, for one, wish them well.

Echo that.
Two warriors who gave their all for us.

Would have classed canavan as a great. Can’t think of many better in my 19 years of watching barrow. Although the way he acted last season he tarnished everything for me, dunno what the bloke was thinking