Ben Winterbottom

[McMark]

https://www.barrowafc.com/news/2025/jun ... tom-signs/
Now we have two eager young keepers looking to stake their claim to be first choice. Looking forward seeing who comes out on top as the season progresses. Welcome Ben

[McMark]

https://fb.watch/Alf2-Up0TQ/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

[Suffolk Blue]

I’ll say it for the third and final time. Have watched him a couple of times. He’s a very decent keeper. Strong presence in the box, athletic and a very decent shot stopper. Looked head and shoulders above his admittedly rather pathetic defence in terms of quality.

I just wonder how we will keep both him and Wyll involved. Sort of demonstrates that the ideal solution would have been to keep Farman for another season as a back-up. Which he didn’t want obviously.

[DIXIE]

Welcome to Holker Street Ben.

[Louis29]

I’ll say it for the third and final time. Have watched him a couple of times. He’s a very decent keeper. Strong presence in the box, athletic and a very decent shot stopper. Looked head and shoulders above his admittedly rather pathetic defence in terms of quality.

I just wonder how we will keep both him and Wyll involved. Sort of demonstrates that the ideal solution would have been to keep Farman for another season as a back-up. Which he didn’t want obviously.

But how much have we saved in wages???

[JayBee]

Who is the LUKE he mentions being at Brentford with him

[McMark]

Who is the LUKE he mentions being at Brentford with him

Head of Goalkeeping - Luke Daniels

[Methuselah]

Just watched the interview with Ben Winterbottom and he seems a really genuine guy.I think the club will use both voalkeepers before finally deciding who is number one.It,s unfortunate ,but that is the name of the game nowadays.

[Hitthebar22]

Until Winterbottom was signed, there appeared to be a presumption that Stanway would be our number one next season. When he played recently he did pretty well, shot stopping and catching good enough in our league, and his speed off his line is impressive. Distribution not so.
On paper, Winterbottom looks to have better credentials, but of course he isn’t really tested at L2 level yet.
I think one thing is sure, that he hasn’t been signed as an obvious number 2, in the way Stanway came to the club from Chester.
Looks like there will be fierce competition between them for the starting role. Far from being a given who will succeed, and for how long. An excellent signing, in my opinion.

[Scott5]

It would seem to be the first time we’ve had two equal players for the goalkeeper position since Tomlinson and Deasy. Farman was always number one but towards the end of last season Stanway showed an improvement from his early season games, but you have to remember he had stepped up from national league north. Winterbottom on paper would seem to have the edge having been at a professional club and having spent a season in the national league.

Keepers don’t fully develop until later on usually and so expect mistakes from them both I guess, but with room for development and a potential resale.
I’d personally have kept Farman but from January it was apparent he was off and no surprise. Perhaps money and length of contract came into it or just deciding to go down a different route.

The latter pre season games will tell us who is going to start off as number one at least.

[bluessupporter]

The latter pre season games will tell us who is going to start off as number one at least.

Probably get 45 minutes each at Rakesmoor Lane to start with.

[Adam29]

It would seem to be the first time we’ve had two equal players for the goalkeeper position since Tomlinson and Deasy. Farman was always number one but towards the end of last season Stanway showed an improvement from his early season games, but you have to remember he had stepped up from national league north. Winterbottom on paper would seem to have the edge having been at a professional club and having spent a season in the national league.

Keepers don’t fully develop until later on usually and so expect mistakes from them both I guess, but with room for development and a potential resale.
I’d personally have kept Farman but from January it was apparent he was off and no surprise. Perhaps money and length of contract came into it or just deciding to go down a different route.

The latter pre season games will tell us who is going to start off as number one at least.

Dixon and Firth at the start of Evatt’s era - before firth left for Rangers in the transfer window

[Scott5]

It would seem to be the first time we’ve had two equal players for the goalkeeper position since Tomlinson and Deasy. Farman was always number one but towards the end of last season Stanway showed an improvement from his early season games, but you have to remember he had stepped up from national league north. Winterbottom on paper would seem to have the edge having been at a professional club and having spent a season in the national league.

Keepers don’t fully develop until later on usually and so expect mistakes from them both I guess, but with room for development and a potential resale.
I’d personally have kept Farman but from January it was apparent he was off and no surprise. Perhaps money and length of contract came into it or just deciding to go down a different route.

The latter pre season games will tell us who is going to start off as number one at least.

Dixon and Firth at the start of Evatt’s era - before firth left for Rangers in the transfer window

Good shout forgot about him Firth - went to Rangers and never kicked or caught a ball there competitively I think! Dixon progressed a lot but at the time was still prone to some brain freezes and mad rushing out from his box.
Steve Arnold was he the year before? I think Dixon was injured then though if I remember rightly so we didn’t have two at least not fit.

[Main Stand SeasonTct]

Dixon and Firth at the start of Evatt’s era - before firth left for Rangers in the transfer window

Good shout forgot about him Firth - went to Rangers and never kicked or caught a ball there competitively I think! Dixon progressed a lot but at the time was still prone to some brain freezes and mad rushing out from his box.
Steve Arnold was he the year before? I think Dixon was injured then though if I remember rightly so we didn’t have two at least not fit.

Firth was a quality keeper who just didn't want enough IMO Earned big money bench warming at Rangers for three seasons then dropped into the Welsh league to play for Connahs Quay for 2 seasons.Last I read he went out to Saudi earning big money in the Saudi league being a goalkeeper coach for Al Ettifaq. Still only 28 it has simply been about earning big money for Firth and not playing at the highest level that his ability would have taken him. He easily had league one ability if not Championship IMO.

[BAFC1901]

Thought he played for quality tonight before he went off injured hope it’s nothing serious.