Everton - Lancs Cup game

[Etsjb]

Or Maybe Pete's style of football turned away any Everton or Mersyside or Mancs clubs away from.Hailfax from signing their prospects. Spoke to an Everton ex player involved was really unimpressed behind the goal in first half.with the ground not really a place we want to send our under 18s to play. I won't name him..A wind up merchant lol no just know more.

That’s BS. And if a player thinks about the surroundings before the project and what we are trying to achieve in the long term and how that could improve their career in the short term then they are not right for us. Who cares if an 18yo scouser doesn’t want to come here on loan, I do t want him at my club because I know his ego will be cashing cheques that his ability can’t cash. On the flip side look at Harrison Neal, fully bought in to the club for his season loan and he his getting great appraisals from external pundits.

[Etsjb]

I remember - at least I think I do - being in the ground when a big crowed saw Barrow beaten 1-0 by Burnley in the Lancashire Cup Final (around 1950) and Albert Cheeseborough scored the winning goal. Or maybe not?

Albert Cheeseborough sounds like the east Lancashire version of Tommy Shelby

[Etsjb]

I’m chortling at the thought of grown men & women raging because they left it too late to gain entry into a match vs Everton U18s

As I said, damned if you do... they probably expected no one to show up, hence inviting the schools. If the club had staffed this as a normal league game and the stands were empty, certain elements of the fan base would've jumped on them for wasting money on a "friendly".
I think they did well to accommodate people by opening up the away end.
I think the only criticism could be not communicating earlier that it was limited attendance, but aside from that, common sense was used on the day.

For me, it will be a greater gain giving vociferous schools kids free entry and showinbb go them the excitement and fun to be had at HS, than the tears of season ticket holders not able to get in who, let’s me honest won’t probably be here in 30, 40, 50 years wherea those potential new fans will be. *BIGGER PICTURE*

[Etsjb]

Its an EFL recommendation, not the Lancashire FA. Besides which, I think it's common sense to assume 6/700 primary school kids accompanied by teaching staff aren't going to be throwing fireworks or kicking off in any way at what is essentially an open training game against kids.
Perhaps write to the EFL and ask why they and most clubs in the EFL apply this rule? Its Specifically stated on the Bradford tickets for next week as well. Are they also wrong? We were one of the few who didn't until circumstances put the eyes of the authorities on us.
Why are people on here getting so worked up about some young kids having a grand day out instead of it being played behind closed doors?

See it for what it is. A good workout for the players and a great way to get the next generation of fans onboard. Some of us got to watch some football that would, ordinarily, have been played behind closed doors.

A great way to get the next generation of fans on board? I would have thought to cease the banning of under 15s would be a better method to entice youngsters to attend.

An EFL recommendation? Therefore; it's not compulsary.

I can understand Bradford implementing that recommendation - massive home crowds (therefore minimum loss of revenue) and a young hooligan element named 'The Ointment' to contend with. However, that banning order at Barrow AFC is ludicrous and certainly not going to entice the next generation.

I think the EFL need to give their heads a good wobble. I attended Holker Street regularly with a group of mates - all under 15 - in the 70s. And we never caused any trouble. If it had been suggested that we had to attend with an adult, I know what our (and many other groups of youngsters) response would have been and we would never have returned.

Wait until the home attendance figures start tumbling. It's already began. It'll be interesting to see how the BOD react with regard to that banning order

It’s probably about bringing through the correct mentality for the future generation, youngsters accompanied by teachers who instill good and moral attitudes to their pupils under their care. Going by the incidents leading to the u/15 issue, this has clearly been lacking and certainly isn’t an image the clubl wants/needs to portray.

[Methuselah]

I cannot believe the negativity on this forum.The club was trying to get younger people interested in supporting their home town club and by all accounts it worked.As for people criticising our ground,we had years of underfunding,nearly went out of existence and were it not for the solid support of local people and supporters who kept the club through some of it,s darkest days would have done.We have to live within our means and unlike other clubs,we are not massively in debt.We are a club in transition and the improvements will be done as the funds become available,unlike other clubs who may go out of existence.I think the future of Barrow AFC is gradually getting better and will improve both on and off the pich.