Barrow AFC.net

Just heard tonight the performance centre have released around 8 players from the U18 team, with 1 game left before the season ends.
Various excuses were used!!!

Mikey Thomson was one of the players let go, this is a young lad that 18mths ago was thought good enough to play in the 1st team, was the star of the U18 team last season.
Was the only player to have started the first 14 U18 games this season. Mikey who has a natural left foot and his normal position, the position he played in for 7 yrs at the performance was the left wing has been played on the right in midfield etc in about 80% of the games this season and as such has underperformed, but that wasnt the reason he was let go.
The reason he was given was "his attitude at training and in games wasnt good enough"

If that is the case, my question is why the hell was he the only player to start the first 14 games when so many others didnt start. Why would you constantly pick a player you thought didnt have the right attitude? The first game Mikey missed this season was through injury, not because of attitude.

I have other questions.
Why have players who have played 3-4 games this season been kept on?
Why have players who turn up now and then for training been kept on?
Why have players who have spent most of the season on the bench been kept on?
Why have player that are not as good as the ones that have been let go been kept on?
What exactly are these players being kept on for? They are to old to play for the U18's next season what are they being kept for?

Why the timing of this decision? With one game left!

The majority of the U18 squad knew this was there last season as they are now to old to play next season, they expected that once this season ended that was it, they had a hope that should a reserve/U21 team be formed then they might get the call into that squad, but to bring players in and tell them they are out with 1 game remaining after they had attended the training session for that game just stinks and shows [SwearFilter] poor management on behalf of the performance centre and the people involved in making these decision.

Why not wait till the season ended and tell the lads, thank you for all your effort over the last 6-7 years, your to old now we dont have a team for you to go to next season at this time, but if anything does happen we'll be in touch, the lads could have walked away with there heads held high but instead they have been kicked out, given stupid reasons for being kicked out (including your use of social media, drinking for [swear filter] sake they are teenage lads!!!!!) and most are walking away feeling the last 6-7 yrs has been a waste of time, nice way to treat them.

Performance centre!!! You need to take a long hard look at your own performance, as I've mentioned on here before some of the decisions i've seen made and the way the U18 squads have been run this season, you have done very little to bring these kids on, hang you heads in shame you have embarrassed yourself.

The decisions you have made on and off the field have been a bit of a joke this year, when you compare them to how the team was run last season.
Last year with one team in the LFA floodlit league, you had 1 squad with a core of around 18 players, with 6-7 being regulars, the team performed well, they were supported very well and even parents/fans helped fill up empty seats on the coach to away games.
Matches were promoted on here, Facebook & twitter starting a week or so before and constant mentions leading up to the game. When you got to Holker st, you didnt mind paying a couple of quid to get in, the bar/shop was open so fans could get a drink and programs were available. Brief highlights of the games were put on youtube. A commentator at each game read out the team sheets, it had a real nice feel to it, no wonder 150 was a normal home crowd.

Compare that to this year:
Games have been tweeted many times only on the morning of the game, or on facebook the night before, many games if it wasnt for myself or Ralph posting on here most wouldnt have even known they were happening. The bar/shop was never open for a single home game, fancy a hot drink then run over to Asda at half time! Not once was anyone asked if they wanted to get on the coach to away games! For the 1st couple of home games someone was at the gate collecting money and handing out programs, that died a death and the last 4-5 home games not even a program.
The squad this season has been 30plus, the team changes every game, no consistancy. If 30 people turned up it was a big crowd. The team trained on a weds night and the players who made the team got a text on the friday!!!! No text meant your not playing.
We went to away games with 12-13 players, on one occasion 11 players, while this was going on lads who had trained during the week and not had the text were playing sunday league games so they could have a run out, why were they not in the squad. A complete [swear filter] joke.

The UnderPerformance centre might be a better name for next season.

Take a player from 12yrs old, work with him and take him into the first team, then [swear filter] him about and kick him out, well done!!!!!!!!!

I don't really know much about the U18's although I know from people who went last season it was quite well supported, and well thought of but a few of the questions that Dino asks do need answering.

If even a % of that is right it's going to be a struggle to attract young players into the set-up in the future.

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I don't understand the Performance Centre teams.

They produce little first team players for Barrow AFC and To me its a bit like collecting matches without ever lighting a fire.

Looks like prospective players would be better off at Holker or Vickers.

Maybe they are to old to stay on...Maybe Colin Appletons reserves or under 21 side was the next step which isnt in place yet

mrsenario wrote:Maybe they are to old to stay on...Maybe Colin Appletons reserves or under 21 side was the next step which isnt in place yet

They are to old to stay on, thats not the issue, its the way, the timing and the excuses given for them being released thats the problem.

%

Further information came my way today.
Apparently the group of lads were taken all together into an office and told as a group and given a letter, they all received the same letter.

This is the letter, i have edited out names, but if you know about the U18's you'll know who they are.




Now the one comment from that letter i would like to fixate on 'DRUGS' !!!!!
Do the U18's have random drug tests?
Do any of the people in that letter have any proof the lads that have been released have taken or take drugs?
Feel free to contact me and show me your proof.

Lets look at those points they have made and lets look at Mikey Thomson and see how he fits those comments.
Level of performance - Been with the centre for 7+ years, been the outstanding player for many of those seasons. Played for the 1st team.Yes has showed frustration with this season results, having been forced to play out of position and playing with underperforming players who simply are not up to his level, and perhaps this has showed.

Attendance - With the odd occasion due to being on holiday or injured has not missed a game or training session in 7yrs.

Off field behaviour - Drugs!!! Like i said i would like to see some proof, this is a very strong accusation and will not be dropped till I get some answers. Drink, yes probably he is a teenage lad, but to my knowledge has like many others not been out all night the night before a game, much like the majority of the players who didnt get released.

Last minute drop out of fixtures - Started the first 14 (or so) games this season, never missed a training session and only missed 1 game due to injury, since then has been dropped for the last 3 matches.

There are several others who have been released who are exactly the same as Mikey.


Think about this, these lads are just finishing further education and are now looking for a job/career, with very little they can put on a CV in the way of work, they can only demonstrate to a potential employer that they have a proven dedicated record of team work and discipline needed to be part of a football team for so long, some of these lads have spend one third of their lives so far being a part of the performance centre and are rightly proud of what they have achieved, they will all mention this at interviews, on CV's and in applications for jobs, it puts them a step up on the kids who's only real achievement has been completing Call of Duty on their X-Box!
As an employer i see dozens of CV's each week, things like this i take notice off no mater what it is, to be so dedicated at such a young age and carry on with it is something i like to see and it does set them apart from the others, but should a potential employer find out the reason those lads left was due to drug issues (as it clearly states above) that will close the door on any hope they might have had, shame on you for putting that in a letter with no proof.

Unless the people who's names appear on that letter can prove every person that recieved the letter has taken drugs then quite simply it is Defamation of character. Falsely accusing someone of a criminal offense (as we have seen above) may lead to legal action being taken against the person or persons making the accusation.

I can see this is going to go on and on till we get either proof or real answers.


I do have some more questions for the performance centre, based around the tracksuits that were ordered some time last year.
How many players were asked to pay £40 towards the cost of the official tracksuit?
How many players paid the £40?
How many players have received their tracksuit to date?
How many players are still waiting for their tracksuit?
Where are the missing tracksuits?
Where is the money for these tracksuits?

I ask this as one person asked similar questions when he received his letter and was told "you can either have it or your money back"

In that letter it says that if you improve you may be invited back!!!! These lads are now to old to play next season, and with only 1 game left this season what are they being invited back to, or is that just more [SwearFilter] in a letter that is so wrong on so many levels!


Regarding the "social media" issues, here's a question.
Which 2 high profile Barrow AFC team members were photographed either side of a woman with a very low cut top, with each of them groping a breast each, the picture which was added to an Official Barrow AFC team social media site and then quickly removed.

spirit of 1990 wrote: If even a % of that is right it's going to be a struggle to attract young players into the set-up in the future.

Well that letter backs up a fair amount of what i've said so far.

Ziggerzagger wrote:As I've said before lots of times-nepotism rules the roost at the centre.Its clear to see right throughout the teams that once your in you stay in regardless of other kids developing in the local league.

Are you suggesting that current U18's coach Dan Myles (Dalton Utd) would keep players that cant even get in the Dalton 1st team, when so many other players have been released? That coudnt possibly be true, could it?

I live far too far away to have any clue what is going on but have you contacted anyone within the performance centre or from Barrow AFC to pose some of the questions you have. Posting them on here is all well and good but if you feel so strongly then really you need to be asking the people responsible or their employers.

So has someone your close to been released then Dino?

Hopefully this can get sorted so both parties are satisfied with the outcome. Could be interesting if the club has no proof of the 'drug' taking as that is a serious accusation to make.

I would love us to have an academy and the best local kids playing in it.

Very disappointing to see soo many Barrow lads having to go to Morecambe, Carlisle ect.. youth academies.

Hopefully this gets sorted as it doesn't do the club good having this going on.

boyliegladbach wrote:So has someone your close to been released then Dino?

I know a few of the lads that have been released, i've been watching this team for the last 6yrs, is all i'm prepared to say for now.

Si_Nichols wrote:I live far too far away to have any clue what is going on but have you contacted anyone within the performance centre or from Barrow AFC to pose some of the questions you have. Posting them on here is all well and good but if you feel so strongly then really you need to be asking the people responsible or their employers.

Contact has been tried by some people but phones are not being answered and texts go unanswered. Letters are being prepared and sent and legal action is being looked into by some people.