One for the oldies!

[russell_anderson]

Just how many people in suits are there. I can remember Lionel Duffin playing in local football when I started, as well as for Barrow. Small for a keeper it was deemed back then, but he had great speed off his line and amazing courage. Also, not a single pair of stupid, sickly, flourescent boots. Happy days.

A good few on there played local football. I can't remember who Lionel Duffin played for but Keith Eddy played for Walney Rovers although Keith was playing U18 when he was young enough to play U16. Roger Coutts played in the same team U16 as I did - Hawcoat Methodist Youth Club and at the same time Bob and Mike Knox were playing for Roose as I think was Johnny Martin who went on to play for Morecambe. I think 2 others who played for Barrow - Jimmy Armstrong and Mike Crowe were also playing for Ulverston Rangers.

[russell_anderson]

Second right on the second row is one of the best ever Barrow centre forwards, Billy Gordon. Extreme left on the same row is the trainer, Maurice Hughes, another loyal servant of many years.

[Jonty]

Big squad. HS End. I go out of that exit on match day!

[Phizzer]

Firstly, thanks to Mr Storey for getting the image online for me. I was lent this photo from a former player called Bobby Corkill (second row from the back, 3 from the right.) Bobby and I now play bowls together at the Coop Club, and share a pint or two in the bar afterwards.
He himself was unable to name all the players, bless him, his clutch is slipping. But those he could remember were as follows; We are only talking the players here, not the men in suits.

Back row, left to right, Kevin Morrell, David Barr? Kenny Haddock, Unknown (local lad), Mike Knox.
Second back row, Ronnie Stevens, Malcolm Edwards? Roger Coutts, Roy McCarthy, Lionel Duffin, Les Kemp, Bobby Corkill (top man, poor bowler), Brian Arrowsmith, Alec Murray.
Third from the back, Maurice Hughes (long white coat, a legend himself who deserves a book of his own.) [SwearFilter] Robinson (tracksuited) Bobby Knox, Eric Harrison, Eddie Garbutt, Lance Millard, Spike Rawlinson, Keith Eddy, ?? Worthington, Billy Gordon (tracksuited).
Of the four players on the front row, ?? Unknown, Tommy Kyle, Bobby Tait, ?? Unknown (Possibly ex Preston NE player? Mr Corkill was becoming vague about now. Vague as a newt!). If we can fill in the blanks for Bobby, then I will let him know when I return the photo to him Wednesday night at the bowls match.

[Hadrian]

The excellent 'BAFC - The First 100 Years' confirms it as 64-65
Back Row as above, Maurice Kendall being the missing name
Second Row: Ronnie Stephenson (later a Cavendish Street estate agent) otherwise ok
Third Row: David Holder rather than Spike Rawlinson who played the following season and became a club comedian in the north east, David Worthington, Wilf Livingston on end (secretary and 'Mr Barrow', who designed the club badge)
Front Row: Mr J Dall and Mr J Glicksman (Directors), Ray Brennan, Mr M HArper (Vice Chairman), Tommy Cahill (Captain), Bobbie Tait, Mr H Roche (Director), Don Watson, Mr TE Law (Director), Don McEvoy (Manager)

Thanks for posting it - nice to be reminded.

[russell_anderson]

Nice to have the memory jogged with all these name of lads who I played with and against in the local leagues! So many locals in this photo!! Kevin Morrall, Dave Barr, Kenny Haddock, Maurice Kendall, Mike Knox, Ronnie Stephenson, Roger Coutts, Lionel Duffin, Bobby Corkhill, Brian Arrowsmith, Alec Murray, Bob Knox, Keith Eddy, Billy Gordon, Tommy Cahill. Most of them were the same age as myself or a year or two older bar Brian Arrowsmith, Tommy Cahill and Billy Gordon who were the veterans in the photo although Brian was a bit younger than the other two. Incidentally, the lad on the front row called Ray Brennan was captain of the team that I mentioned in an earlier post which beat the Barrow Grammar School team I played for in the Lancashire U15 competition. At the time, he was also in the England U15 side and was expected to do well professionally. He played for St Anne's School from Blackpool which beat our Barrow Grammar team 3-2 in a reply after we had drawn 4-4 away and then they went on to win the competition. Brennan became a professional with Blackpool who were a top team at the time but never made it with them and ended up signing for Barrow. We also had one lad in the Lancashire side called Ray Buchanan who was a very fast, goalscoring centre forward. Keith Eddy, who was our best player never made the Lancashire side and St Anne's had lad in their team called John Hurst who ended up playing in a very good Everton team and for England as a central defender.

[pjdaly]

Here's the picture again with all the names. It looks to me as though it was taken in front of the HS end as that concrete wall sloping down next to the gates is still there.

[Jim]

Here's the picture again with all the names. It looks to me as though it was taken in front of the HS end as that concrete wall sloping down next to the gates is still there.

Correct, I think. Re the picture, it brought back quite a few long-forgotten names, including Bobbie Tait, he was one of my favourite players at the time, a very stylish, neat player.

[pjdaly]

Incidentally, the lad on the front row called Ray Brennan was captain of the team that I mentioned in an earlier post which beat the Barrow Grammar School team I played for in the Lancashire U15 competition. At the time, he was also in the England U15 side and was expected to do well professionally. He played for St Anne's School from Blackpool which beat our Barrow Grammar team 3-2 in a reply after we had drawn 4-4 away and then they went on to win the competition. Brennan became a professional with Blackpool who were a top team at the time but never made it with them and ended up signing for Barrow. We also had one lad in the Lancashire side called Ray Buchanan who was a very fast, goalscoring centre forward. Keith Eddy, who was our best player never made the Lancashire side and St Anne's had lad in their team called John Hurst who ended up playing in a very good Everton team and for England as a central defender.

Some interesting bits of info there, Russell. I was particularly interested to hear of John Hurst as I remember he was a League Title winner with Everton in 1970. John Hurst didn’t play on the (sacred) Swamp did he?!? Hard to imagine! Or was it the first team or second team pitch? It got me wondering just how many former top-flight players (other than Emlyn Hughes who must presumably have done so) once graced the old Grammar School playing fields as schoolboys. It’s not a poser that anyone is likely to be able to answer but it’s intriguing to consider how many top-flight stars, past or future, may have played on local pitches other than Holker Street, whether it was Grammar School pitches or otherwise. (Also not counting the recent appearance of Paul Scholes at Holker!)

[The Tomahawk Kid]

A bit before my time...

However, I recognise a few from the Division 3 side I followed as a boy in the early 70s: Malcolm Edwards, Roy McCarthy, Bobby Knox and of course Brian Arrowsmith.

The one that threw me was Roger Coutts - standing to the right of Malcolm Edwards. He's the 'spit' of David Storf! The legendary wing wizard from the early 70s team.

[Jim]

It got me wondering just how many former top-flight players (other than Emlyn Hughes who must presumably have done so) once graced the old Grammar School playing fields as schoolboys.

I am not sure that Emlyn went to BGS, but I am sure he once graced the footy pitches opposite South Newbarns Junior School when I was there!

[Cubbins Paratrooper]

His brother Gareth was definitely a BGSB pupil though do not think 'our Emlyn' was.

[Wintergreen]

Hughes went to Risedale School which also produced England RL captains Willie Horne and Frank Castle. Not a bad little claim to fame that from a school that no longer exists.

[ant]

What about Gary Stevens? ex- England/Everton/Rangers playing full back born in Barrow.excellent player very rarely mentioned as being a Barrovian. G school?

[ant]

p.s. couple of titles/2 f.a.cups..european cup winners cup..(remember that competition? was for only teams that had won their own domestic main cup)all of this in the mid-eighties.)