Barrow FC - We'll Be Back

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The Club

The club I have chosen to manage for this game will be Barrow AFC who currently play in the Skrill North after getting relegated from the skrill premier last season. They play at Holker Street which is their historic home and once featured a speedway track.

Background

Barrow naturally play in Barrow which is a town located in a very isolated position in Cumbria. They were founded in 1901 and originally played in the Lancashire Combination before becoming founder members of the Division 3 North. They stayed in the basement division (moving to Division 4 after reorganisation) until promotion to Division 3 in 1967. However things quickly faltered and Barrow were first relegated to Division 4 before failing to gain re-election in 1972. They were replaced by cup heroes Hereford and the plan to build a speedway track was held partially to blame.

Barrow were deep in financial difficulties and now played in the Northern Premier. They had brief spells in the Alliance Premier (Football Conference) but spent most of their time in the Northern Premier. In 2004 they joined the newly founded Conference North and in 2006 they became one of the few teams to have a player jailed for an on pitch assault when James Cotterill punched Bristol Rovers player Rigg in the face breaking his jaw. They gained Conference premier status via the playoffs in 2008 and took over 7000 away fans to two FA Cup games away to Sunderland and Middlesbrough in their stay in the Conference Premier. They also won the FA Trophy Final against Stevenage in 2010.

The Manager

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Darren Sheridan was born in Stretford, Manchester and is the brother of well-known footballer John Sheridan. He started his career at Barnsley where he made 149 appearances before moving on to Wigan Athletic. He joined his brother John at Oldham before moving to Scottish side Clyde and then St Johnstone.

He joined Barrow in 2007 and took charge as one of two player managers however he had his contract mutually terminated in 2012 after undisclosed allegations. He played briefly for Radcliffe Borough and Droylsden before stepping back into at Salford City in May. He quit in January after a budget change and has now (not in real life) turned down a scouting offer from his brother to instead rejoin Barrow as manager after the sacking of Dave Bayliss.

My Aims

1. Achieve promotion back to Skrill Premier within 2 seasons
2. Achieve promotion into the Football League within 5 seasons
3. Win the FA Trophy
4. Win the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy
5. Reach the FA Cup 3rd round.
Hopefully I can do more however I can’t promise that I will stick with this story after that but I will try.

awesome start and the targets are really realistic people will like this story im sure of it

jasonvilla4ever Thanks mate

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Barrow bring in 3 new loan signings

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Barrow have brought in 3 new loan signings for the coming season. Sheridan who only came to Barrow for his second term only joined a few days ago and it is believed these are signings are those of the previous regime.

Barrow have brought in Tom Corner on loan from fellow Skrill North side Bradford PA. Corner is only 21 and is expected to have a bright future ahead of him and as Bradford PA feel that he is not ready Barrow have taken the opportunity to bring him in for the season.
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Another loanee brought in is Phil Marsh who has come on loan from Guiseley also in the Skrill North. It is believed that Marsh is looking for a way out of the Guiseley set up where he has fallen out of favour despite being a talented front man.
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Lastly Barrow have brought in talented youngster Nicholas Rushton from Skrill Premier side Wrexham. Rushton is tipped to have a future in professional football at a higher level and certainly must be regarded as a scalp for Barrow.
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Seems like some awesome signings.

Good signings mate. Looking forward to seeing how this progresses

coldyb: yeah I'm hopeful they can help us to promotion.

fmhunter: Thanks, hope you enjoy.

Very good signings mate!

AAN: thanks mate.

Very nice start to the story

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The Ultras Barrovia vow to return

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The Ultras Barrovia, a proud set of Barrow supporters who commonly used flags, banners and smoke bombs to support the side have decided to return to help their side to promotion.

The ultras were founded in 2008 following the side’s promotion to the Conference Premier however they were dissolved in 2012 after many people found it too time consuming to make the banners for each display.


Above are a selection of Barrow’s displays.

Sheridan has said that he is pleased ‘that the ultras are coming back’ and that he remembers them fondly from his first spell in charge of the bluebirds. The Chairman of Barrow AFC said that he was very glad that the ultras are back and that they help to inspire great home form.

it will be good to have such support back. good luck!

fzemdegs: Thanks mate.

Justice: thanks mate.

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Results

Southport 1-1 Barrow
Corner 80

Barrow 1-1 Wrexham
Corner 86

Barrow 0-3 Inverness
none

Barrow 0-0 Macclesfield
none

Barrow 3-1 Burnley U21s
Arnison 13,61
Marsh 14

Lancaster 3-1 Barrow
Arnison 36

Analysis

In general there are some very good results. I was pleased in particular by the thorough victory over Burnley U21s and a good draw against Wrexham. Our first game was away to Southport and I thought we played very well and could easily have won the game as one of their key players came out to say. Wrexham was always going to be a hard challenge paticularily having gone behind early however I was pleased we fought back for the draw. Inverness was a very tough game and the result was expected so the boys didn’t let it get them down and bounced back with a good draw against Macclesfield. Burnley U21s was expected to be a close game but we played them off the park and I think our tiredness contributed to the disappointing loss at Lancaster.

Player of the month

It’s a tight one and I will give to 2 strikers who have played very well. Firstly Arnison who came in for the last 2 games and thoroughly impressed with a double against Burnley and one at Lancaster to become our top scorer of pre-season. Secondly Corner may not have contributed as many goals but he certainly played his part and he is the second player of the month.

Key players

Season Preview

I think we can push towards a promotion spot this season however I am not denying it will be a long hard road. Stockport will certainly be looking to get straight back up and then you have other teams such Altrincham who will be looking for promotion as well as Telford who have a strong side. I hope having ultras back will bring some really good home form and make this place a fortress again.

The upcoming month

Firstly we have a home game against Brackley which we will be targeting to win before a tough away game against Altrincham where a draw will be a good result. Bradford Park Avenue away then Harrogate at home look like tough games as well but I am hopeful of an away win against Hednesford.

By Darren Sheridan