BARROW 125 - Barrow AFC's 125th Birthday

For all things Barrow AFC. Keep discussions civil and fair, we're all Barrow aren't we!
User avatar
GiveEmBeans_Est1989
Member
Posts: 181
Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2024 4:14 pm
Contact:

BARROW 125 - Barrow AFC's 125th Birthday

Post by GiveEmBeans_Est1989 » Fri Oct 03, 2025 5:49 pm

Next year is Barrow AFC's 125th birthday. Bluebirds' supporters groups and the local community are being asked to band together to create a lasting celebration our club and town's identity and heritage.

'Barrow 125' are pursuing a number of projects, with support from, among others, our award winning Dock Museum, local schools, historians and artists.

An exhibition and community celebration day in the Dock Museum is planned, as well as commemorative items however the group are also reaching out for histories, memories and artefacts about what makes 'Barrow Soccer' and Barrow identity itself. This archive, of physical objects, player history but also the memories and stories of Barrow supporters will be stored and used for heritage and community education, in a space in the ground constructed by our own supporters maintenance and funded by the club.

Other proposed projects include a Barrow 125 Heritage trail, celebrating club icons such as Brian Arrowsmith and Ray Wilkie with historical moments in time. This includes the social and industrial history of the town. Each blue plaque will be linked to a Barrow 125 website, designed and curated by independent fanzine 'Give em Beans' who are looking for the oral histories and stories of fans and players.

This will begin with all Barrow AFC fans being asked to fill in a very short questionnaire which will be shared by the Bluebirds Trust, club media and any other platforms. Interested fans who wish to take part in the project and share ideas, are also very welcome to e-mail:

125@bluebirdstrust.co.uk

Or fill in the survey:

https://forms.gle/Tag6zyeaoCjnZcXx7

Bluebirds Trust Representative on the Barrow AFC Board Frazer Stewart said, 'our football club is for the fans, the community and the town.' ' Players, managers, directors and supporters are all part of the journey. Directors and owners are very fortunate custodians of the club, aiming to leave a positive lasting impression on the club's story,'. It's down to all of us who love Barrow Soccer to make the 125th anniversary the best it possibly can be and tell the story for the next generation to get the "Barrow Bug."

'We've so many great football historians connected to the club that we can reach out to' said Barrow AFC stalwart and author Peter Hawkridge.

For the club, General Manager Rickie Wallbank said, 'the club want the anniversary to be led by the fans', we are 100% behind the project.

Avid collector of all things Barrow AFC David Stowell said, "Barrow's history itself is so wrapped in the club. The first Holland submarine was launched in the same year it was formed. And there's so many little known facts, such as we beat Liverpool twice during the second world war.

https://www.giveembeans.co.uk/post/barrow-125

Image
“Not as funny as it used to be!”

Available at:Lakes Parade Stores, The Ambrose, Pepperland Collect and The Gallery at Laurieston


GIVE 'EM BEANS SOCCERLINE 07442396050


Buy us a Baguette https://ko-fi.com/giveembeans

barrowaberdeen
BarrowAFC Veteran
Posts: 9027
Joined: Wed May 28, 2008 4:54 pm
Location: Independent Newbarns

Re: BARROW 125 - Barrow AFC's 125th Birthday

Post by barrowaberdeen » Sat Oct 04, 2025 9:45 am

Done. The more folk get involved the better, even if it's simply filling in the survey.

125@bluebirdstrust.co.uk

Or fill in the survey:

https://forms.gle/Tag6zyeaoCjnZcXx7

Online
User avatar
Jonty
BarrowAFC Veteran
Posts: 10912
Joined: Wed May 28, 2008 11:01 pm
Contact:

Re: BARROW 125 - Barrow AFC's 125th Birthday

Post by Jonty » Fri Oct 10, 2025 7:08 pm

Seen some great 80’s fan pics doing the rounds on FB (some cracking barnets) and thought we could use this Barrow 125 thread to put down some fan memories and snippets from yesteryear which may help build the timeline for 125 year celebrations next season.
So to start (and hopefully others can add) I have managed to get hold of a full set of beautifully kept // book bound, home game programmes from the 1967/68 season in Div 3. Our best ever league season. I am happy to donate these to the Trust for any inclusion in Barrow125 celebrations memorabilia.
I have spent most of this afternoon reading through these and as the season progressed, with some fantastic wins, v Crystal Palace, a close encounter cup game v Leicester in front of 16,650! player pics and profiles over the season and a superbly written article about the board’s optimism for the future…. One thing is abundantly clear, there was absolutely no sense of any inferiority complex in any of the articles written, as we started the new season in a higher League, no little Barrow mentality and some crowds we could only dream of today. It absolutely baffles me how the club’s fortunes fell off a cliff just 4 seasons later, but there is so much written about that, i thought we need to share some positive programme highlight from what must have been a great season for the club and fans, eventually just falling short and finishing a very respectable 8th

-New team coach acquired (as in the transport type) for the season.
- Club now had 11 properties across town for player accommodation!!
-First game was a League Cup 1st round tie v Southport Wed 23rd Aug 1967. We won
-First League game was a 1-2 win away at Bury, sensing an early indication of a strong season ahead.
-First home league game 1-1 draw with Bournemouth “If we can turn those near misses to goals, then the side has nothing to fear this season” like it.
- programme notes v Swindon talk about The introduction of sponsorship into football. “League football has to be careful that in return for financial benefits, football would not lose it’s birthright. Nevertheless, the League Management Committee is prepared to listen to any approach that will benefit the 92 clubs”
-Number 1 in UK was “Ode to Billy Joe” - Bobbie Gentry.
-Bookings being taken for a Barrow fans day ferry trip to Isle of Man, bus picks ups- Grange, Ulverston and Millom!. 30shillings (about £30) dep Barrow 10:30; return Barrow 10:30pm. Bet that was some day out! :lol:
- A young Peter Shilton in nets for Leicester as we lose narrowly to Div 1 Leicester in the cup. Unthinkable crowd of 16 650 crammed into HS
- Board appeal to get the cup game fans into HS for League games. “Lets get a 6000 average gate into 9000 as we strive for more success” :o
- 60 new “agents” signed up to promote the clubs “armchair bingo”
End of season programme message after finishing 8th “We want League 2 football, this journey is not complete”. We thank you all very Much- W.E. Livingstone- club Secretary

Man that last quip hits hard, really hard. :cry:
Still searching for the Young Soul Rebels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mYxZUJt4xc

andyg
Gold Member
Posts: 1577
Joined: Wed May 28, 2008 6:13 pm
Location: Ex expat
Contact:

Re: BARROW 125 - Barrow AFC's 125th Birthday

Post by andyg » Fri Oct 10, 2025 7:44 pm

And this was the squad for the 67/68 season - I think the best squad ever to play for Barrow:

Colin Appleton
Brain Arrowsmith
Peter Bebbington
Lionel Duffin
Malcolm Edwards
Ray Ellison
Fred Else
Tony Field - my personal favourite but was transferred to Southport mid season
Eric Harrison
Mick Hartland
Bobby Knox
Jimmy Mallon
Billy McAdams
Roy McCarthy
Terry McDonald
Ron McGarry
Jim Mulholland
Jimmy Mulvaney
Ronnie Stephenson
David Storf

User avatar
Jim
BarrowAFC Veteran
Posts: 7211
Joined: Wed May 28, 2008 4:45 pm
Contact:

Re: BARROW 125 - Barrow AFC's 125th Birthday

Post by Jim » Fri Oct 10, 2025 8:32 pm

Jonty wrote: Fri Oct 10, 2025 7:08 pm
-Bookings being taken for a Barrow fans day ferry trip to Isle of Man, bus picks ups- Grange, Ulverston and Millom!. 30shillings (about £30) dep Barrow 10:30; return Barrow 10:30pm. Bet that was some day out! :lol:
I went on one of those trips to IoM, a couple of years earlier I think. It was indeed a grand day out. My abiding memory is being at the far end of Douglas promenade in the evening when the ferry started blasting it's whistle, ready to depart. I ran the whole length of the promenade in fear of being left behind on the island and just made it.

Online
User avatar
Jonty
BarrowAFC Veteran
Posts: 10912
Joined: Wed May 28, 2008 11:01 pm
Contact:

Re: BARROW 125 - Barrow AFC's 125th Birthday

Post by Jonty » Fri Oct 10, 2025 9:25 pm

67/68 legends No1. COLIN APPLETON
Attachments
IMG_0768.jpeg
IMG_0768.jpeg (2.21 MiB) Viewed 31169 times
Still searching for the Young Soul Rebels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mYxZUJt4xc

Online
User avatar
Jonty
BarrowAFC Veteran
Posts: 10912
Joined: Wed May 28, 2008 11:01 pm
Contact:

Re: BARROW 125 - Barrow AFC's 125th Birthday

Post by Jonty » Fri Oct 10, 2025 9:34 pm

67/68 legends No.2 DAVE STORF
Attachments
IMG_0770.jpeg
IMG_0770.jpeg (2.66 MiB) Viewed 31162 times
Still searching for the Young Soul Rebels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mYxZUJt4xc

Online
User avatar
Jonty
BarrowAFC Veteran
Posts: 10912
Joined: Wed May 28, 2008 11:01 pm
Contact:

Re: BARROW 125 - Barrow AFC's 125th Birthday

Post by Jonty » Fri Oct 10, 2025 9:39 pm

67/68 legends No.3 TONY FIELD
Attachments
IMG_0771.jpeg
IMG_0771.jpeg (2.46 MiB) Viewed 31156 times
Still searching for the Young Soul Rebels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mYxZUJt4xc

Online
User avatar
Jonty
BarrowAFC Veteran
Posts: 10912
Joined: Wed May 28, 2008 11:01 pm
Contact:

Re: BARROW 125 - Barrow AFC's 125th Birthday

Post by Jonty » Fri Oct 10, 2025 9:42 pm

67/68 Legends No.4 TERRY McDONALD
Attachments
IMG_0772.jpeg
IMG_0772.jpeg (1.82 MiB) Viewed 31149 times
Still searching for the Young Soul Rebels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mYxZUJt4xc

Online
User avatar
Jonty
BarrowAFC Veteran
Posts: 10912
Joined: Wed May 28, 2008 11:01 pm
Contact:

Re: BARROW 125 - Barrow AFC's 125th Birthday

Post by Jonty » Fri Oct 10, 2025 9:51 pm

67/68 Legends No.5 MALCOLM EDWARDS
Attachments
IMG_0773.jpeg
IMG_0773.jpeg (1.68 MiB) Viewed 31137 times
Still searching for the Young Soul Rebels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mYxZUJt4xc

Online
User avatar
Jonty
BarrowAFC Veteran
Posts: 10912
Joined: Wed May 28, 2008 11:01 pm
Contact:

Re: BARROW 125 - Barrow AFC's 125th Birthday

Post by Jonty » Fri Oct 10, 2025 10:16 pm

67/68 Legends No.6 JIMMY MALLON
Attachments
IMG_0774.jpeg
IMG_0774.jpeg (1.96 MiB) Viewed 31100 times
Still searching for the Young Soul Rebels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mYxZUJt4xc

Online
User avatar
Jonty
BarrowAFC Veteran
Posts: 10912
Joined: Wed May 28, 2008 11:01 pm
Contact:

Re: BARROW 125 - Barrow AFC's 125th Birthday

Post by Jonty » Fri Oct 10, 2025 10:18 pm

67/68 Legends No.7 RON McGARRY
Attachments
IMG_0775.jpeg
IMG_0775.jpeg (2.43 MiB) Viewed 31098 times
Still searching for the Young Soul Rebels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mYxZUJt4xc

Online
User avatar
Jonty
BarrowAFC Veteran
Posts: 10912
Joined: Wed May 28, 2008 11:01 pm
Contact:

Re: BARROW 125 - Barrow AFC's 125th Birthday

Post by Jonty » Fri Oct 10, 2025 10:19 pm

67/68 Legends No.8 MICK HARTLAND
Attachments
IMG_0776.jpeg
IMG_0776.jpeg (2.35 MiB) Viewed 31094 times
Still searching for the Young Soul Rebels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mYxZUJt4xc

Online
User avatar
Jonty
BarrowAFC Veteran
Posts: 10912
Joined: Wed May 28, 2008 11:01 pm
Contact:

Re: BARROW 125 - Barrow AFC's 125th Birthday

Post by Jonty » Fri Oct 10, 2025 10:21 pm

67/68 Legends No.9 ROY McCARTHY
Attachments
IMG_0777.jpeg
IMG_0777.jpeg (1.92 MiB) Viewed 31092 times
Still searching for the Young Soul Rebels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mYxZUJt4xc

Online
User avatar
Jonty
BarrowAFC Veteran
Posts: 10912
Joined: Wed May 28, 2008 11:01 pm
Contact:

Re: BARROW 125 - Barrow AFC's 125th Birthday

Post by Jonty » Fri Oct 10, 2025 10:23 pm

68/68 Legends No.10 ERIC HARRISON
Attachments
IMG_0780.jpeg
IMG_0780.jpeg (1.98 MiB) Viewed 31089 times
Still searching for the Young Soul Rebels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mYxZUJt4xc

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 99 guests