Barrow AFC.net

This team picture was featured in the Stockport programme. I was surprised because it's a team photo I don't think I've seen before and I have been trying to name all the players but two of the names elude me. I think it is 1961-62 but it could be 1962-63. It has to be one of those years. Can anybody fill in the missing names please? We think the keeper might be Smythe but can anyone confirm? Is the player second from the right on the front row Barry Lowes perhaps?

Back row L-R: Robinson, Arrowsmith, ???, Cahill, Clark

Front row L-R: Maddison, Darwen, Hale, Dixon, ???, Kemp

A few months ago it was suggested on this forum that Jack Maddison might be able to come through for a match this season. Let's hope Jack can get here!

I’m not 100% sure but I think the goalkeeper is Mike Heys & the other player is Jack Bennion.

Could it be Gordon Brown?

memories of 67 wrote: ↑Fri Aug 12, 2022 12:12 pm I’m not 100% sure but I think the goalkeeper is Mike Heys & the other player is Jack Bennion.

Yes goalkeeper Mike Heyes. Still lives locally as he visited Johnny Kemp in the care home until covid hit.

Here is another photo from 61-62 with both Heys and Bennion named. Bennion doesn't look right. Brown looks to be correct though.

farington blue wrote: ↑Fri Aug 12, 2022 1:23 pm Could it be Gordon Brown?

Correct. He is named on the other photo on the left of the middle row.

One memory I have of Brown is that in one game the ref wanted to take his name ( before yellow cards) and Brown took his pencil as if to write his autograph.

Club Historian, @Arabian Bluebird should be able to help.

Thanks to all who have contributed here; it seems clear now that the outfield player is Gordon Brown. Once the suggestions came in I took a look at Lowes, Bennion, Brown, and also Stan Howard who was a regular at that time. It says a lot about my face-recognition skills that I thought all four of them looked a bit like the one in the top photo - - - so if I'm ever called to bear witness at an Identity Parade I'm afraid some innocent mug is going down for a crime he didn't commit.

But as for the keeper, well I am sticking with the name suggested at the top of the page, Mike Smyth. I should have got this sooner but I'd forgotten that I have a brilliant book called "A Who's Who of Barrow AFC" which features pen portraits of every player to play for Barrow between 1921 and 1972. Lo and behold, when I looked for Mike Smyth the info below appeared. I would say the resemblance with the keeper in the top photo is obvious (but, as already mentioned, who am I to judge?). The fact that Smyth was only with us in season 1962-63 also pinpoints that as the year.

Barrow-born I moved south with my family in the early fifties so the second picture was mostly filled with strange faces for me. Except one in particular. By the mid sixties I was a sports writer covering Corby Town (The Steelmen) for the Northants Evening Telegraph and became a friendly with Les Barratt (right hand back row) who joined Corby after he left Barrow. He was a big hit at the Southern League club (left-half in those days) and about the only connection I had with Barrow art the town. I've been back for 16 years now. Happy days.

Team photo is from 1962-63 season.
Back row [SwearFilter] Robinson, Brian Arrowsmith, Mike Smyth, Thomas Cahill, Ben Clark.
Front Row John Maddison, George Darwin, Dixie Hale, Tommy Dixon, Gordon Brown, John Kemp

I believe the other player is Ray Lodge

Think I must have started going to see Barrow circa 1963 as vaguely remember some of those players. From 65 onwards we became a good team!

Anyway just a thought here are we going to have a team photograph of the current team this season? There wasn't one last season.

andyg wrote: ↑Sat Aug 13, 2022 8:45 am Anyway just a thought here are we going to have a team photograph of the current team this season? There wasn't one last season.

If we are you would imagine it will be after the transfer window shuts will would make sense

The guy on the front row is definitely Gordon Brown- a skilfull midfielder .. signed around the same time as George Darwin.