Barrow v Bangor, Nov 16, 1963

[Programme collector]

Hi Barrow fans,

Am trying to collect the programme for every tie in FA Cup round one, on Nov 16, 1963.

Is any older supporter willing to sell for a fair price?

Much obliged,
Paul

[pjdaly]

Sorry Programme Collector, I can't help you there with a programme.

If it's any consolation at all I've attached a picture from that match below. It's poor quality, a scan of a scan of a scan of a scan (something like that). The Barrow player in the photo is Tommy Thompson who I believe had been a Preston NE legend in the same side as Tom Finney in the 1950's. He ended his career at Barrow.

The match was played in front of 4787 on November 16th 1963 at Holker Street and the Barrow scorers were Darwin, Thompson and Clark. The Barrow team was as follows:

Caine, Arrowsmith, Cahill, Clark, O'Neill, Eddy, Maddison, Darwin, Hale, Thompson, Howard

As a young kid I think this was the first FA Cup tie I ever saw and it was an incredibly exciting event to look forward to. Of course, back in those days there was very little live football on the TV and so the FA Cup Final was an occasion of extraordinary magnitude – very, very different to how things are now. Teams played their strongest elevens, no reserve line-ups from the big clubs. And only the final was played at Wembley, no way were the semi-finals played there. I do think the FA Cup has become massively devalued and for those not born, or around at that time, it's difficult to convey just what a celebrated national event the FA Cup final was.

I was a naive kid and although I knew the names of all the teams in the Football League a name such as "Bangor" was a mystery to me. My Dad explained that they were in another league below the Football League and I can remember thinking that, because of that, Barrow would win by something like 15-0. Needless to say, it didn't work out like that. On a day that I recall was bright and sunny we scraped through 3-2 with a late winner from Ben Clark. I can see that goal in my mind's eye now at what we Barrow fans know as the Holker Street End, a 25 yarder crashing down from the underside of the crossbar, hitting the diving Bangor keeper on the back and going in the net. Barrow beat Chester 2-0 in the second round before losing in the next round 4-1 away at Swansea.

[Hadrian]

Great account!

[SKIPPER]

Biggest thing I remember about this game was the name of one of the Bangor players. Think it was Ap Iorwerth or similar. Not realising as a young kid that it was Welsh.I thought he must be from another planet !

[behind the goals]

Nine years later NPL Match Barrow 2 Roy McCarthy, Jimmy Logan Bangor City 0 Crowd 524

[Programme collector]

Thanks for the memorable story.
All I need now is the prog, lol!

[Nigel Bamford]

That will have been my first ever FA Cup game, as well. Your review brings back the memories.