50 years ago today: The best Barrow match ever???

[pjdaly]

Exactly half a century has passed today since, arguably, the most exciting and gripping match in Barrow's history. It was on Saturday 28th January 1967 that we played top-flight Southampton in the 3rd round of the FA Cup and drew 2-2 before losing the replay 3-0. The dream truly lived that day though, as we led 2-1 going into the late stages of the match. Over 15,000 people crammed into Holker Street and of course in those days top teams sent their best elevens when playing against lower league opposition. Southampton included, amongst others, internationals Terry Paine, Ron Davies and Martin Chivers, plus a youngster by the name of David Webb who moved on to Chelsea and scored the winner in the 1970 FA Cup Final.

An unforgettable day . . . quite surreal and beyond the power of words to adequately express the electricity inside Holker Street that day, particularly during the haunting period we led 2-1 and the miracle seemed on. For me it's a real contender for the most memorable Barrow match I have ever seen yet it probably only comes second in my all-time list after a seemingly humble but crucial promotion battle against Crewe just a few months later. If we had held onto the 2-1 lead I would probably have chosen the Southampton match as top of the pile. I wonder if those old enough to have witnessed Barrow take on Wolves (then the Champions of England) in the 3rd round of the FA Cup in January 1959 would choose that as their most memorable match? Not having been old enough to see that, I feel a degree of envy and find it hard to get my head around the idea of the full-strength Champions of England turning out at Holker Street to play Barrow in a full-blooded FA Cup tie.

Anybody else with one favourite Barrow match that ranks above all others?

[McMark]

A fascinating read PJ. It would be good if was shared with the clubs official account to share with the masses.

[The Tomahawk Kid]

My first game: Leicester City - 3rd Round FA Cup - January 1968. I was aged 8.

Attendance: 16,000+

Highlights: A very young Peter Shilton in goal for The Foxes - their team was littered with internationals.
Barrow were managed, at the time, by Colin Appleton (ex Leicester) which added spice to proceedings.
Brian Arrowsmith's own goal (sorry Brian but it was a good 'un!)

Result: Barrow AFC 1 - Leicester City 2

What a game, though. Barrow threw everything at the Leicester goal to get an equaliser and Shilton pulled off some incredible saves! Someone told me that Shilton has actually documented in a book that he received more bruises during that game than any other in his career...

[russell_anderson]

Exactly half a century has passed today since, arguably, the most exciting and gripping match in Barrow's history. It was on Saturday 28th January 1967 that we played top-flight Southampton in the 3rd round of the FA Cup and drew 2-2 before losing the replay 3-0. The dream truly lived that day though, as we led 2-1 going into the late stages of the match. Over 15,000 people crammed into Holker Street and of course in those days top teams sent their best elevens when playing against lower league opposition. Southampton included, amongst others, internationals Terry Paine, Ron Davies and Martin Chivers, plus a youngster by the name of David Webb who moved on to Chelsea and scored the winner in the 1970 FA Cup Final.

An unforgettable day . . . quite surreal and beyond the power of words to adequately express the electricity inside Holker Street that day, particularly during the haunting period we led 2-1 and the miracle seemed on. For me it's a real contender for the most memorable Barrow match I have ever seen yet it probably only comes second in my all-time list after a seemingly humble but crucial promotion battle against Crewe just a few months later. If we had held onto the 2-1 lead I would probably have chosen the Southampton match as top of the pile. I wonder if those old enough to have witnessed Barrow take on Wolves (then the Champions of England) in the 3rd round of the FA Cup in January 1959 would choose that as their most memorable match? Not having been old enough to see that, I feel a degree of envy and find it hard to get my head around the idea of the full-strength Champions of England turning out at Holker Street to play Barrow in a full-blooded FA Cup tie.

Anybody else with one favourite Barrow match that ranks above all others?

I was at the Leicester, Southampton and Wolves matches and also the Swansea FA Cup match and the Nottingham Forest League Cup (I think) match. Of all, I agree with you that the Southampton match was the most exciting because we should have won and deserved to win that one and in the period (together with the Leicester match) when we had the best Barrow team ever in my lifetime.

[Jonty]

The hunt remains for the holy grail of Barrow AFC footage of any of these cup ties from yesteryear or any from the 66-67 promotion season

[Shaun]

I'd probably go with the 1990 Trophy Final, not old enough for the other stuff. I'd even give the semi second leg a special mention just because of how it felt knowing we were actually, really going to (the old original) Wembley.

[Fazered]

I was at the at the Southampton match as a 14 year old and got hooked on Barrow AFC. Was a wonderful match to watch. I was also at the Leicester game and no-one mentions the pitch invasion at the end by several hundred Leicester fans who threw bottles into the Holker St end injuring a young girl stood in front of me. The other side of those great AFC days

[xerxes]

The hunt remains for the holy grail of Barrow AFC footage of any of these cup ties from yesteryear or any from the 66-67 promotion season

There was rarely any footage taken of matches in those days, apart from the one or two matches per weekend where TV cameras were present. Photos survive though, see below. I was in the Holker End right in line with the flight of McAdams' shot. Definitely my most memorable Barrow match.

Billy_McAdams.jpg (85.74 KiB) Viewed 3203 times

[Nigel Bamford]

No need to put the '???' at the end of the thread title (imho) - it was the best Barrow match ever, in fact, in the history of football

The Sunday Express (it was a half decent paper then) headline had 'Barrow on the Brink'.

[Wintergreen]

I was at the game but only have a vague memory of it as a kid, the noise, the crushing at the front and that McAdam strike that generated a potentially lethal force gathering momentum as it went in and only achievable with the old leather footballs. I didn’t even know that we were 2-1 up at one point! Well it was half a century ago. Short term memory issues for the journalists on the clip above as one has McAdam on the penalty spot and t’other has him 25 yards out.

They reckon time travel is doable in theory and when they do perfect it I am certainly going to head straight for (Cont. AD 94).

[The Tomahawk Kid]

I was at the at the Southampton match as a 14 year old and got hooked on Barrow AFC. Was a wonderful match to watch. I was also at the Leicester game and no-one mentions the pitch invasion at the end by several hundred Leicester fans who threw bottles into the Holker St end injuring a young girl stood in front of me. The other side of those great AFC days

I never knew that occurred! Didn't see that.
My late Grandfather probably did and got me out of the ground fairly swiftly...
I was aged 8 at the time and only have brief recollections of the game - although I still remember the excitement and the noise that was generated throughout that encounter.

You may be able to answer a question of mine concerning the game:

Were the Leicester fans situated in The Holker End OR the Popular Side?

Your post seems to indicate (the bottle throwing incident) that they were housed somewhere other than The Holker End. I remember lots of blue and white balloons being released from The Holker End when the teams ran out and have always presumed they were from Barrow fans. However,a mate of mine insists Leicester had the The Holker End!

[Nigel Bamford]

I reckon there would have been no segregation in that Leicester game and that there would have been a mass swapping of ends at half-time together with some mingling on the pop side.

[Wintergreen]

Leicester had the Steelworks End and a good portion of the Popular Side predominantly where our choir is located in the present day. The punters were packed in so tight there was no chance of moving round at half time. After the game quite a few Leicester types did come down the Pop Side pitch brandishing a 4" plastic downspout that they liberated and there was some mainly vocalised unpleasantness. However I don't recall a girl being hurt - which is a shame if that is what happened.

[pjdaly]

Here are a few more pics from the Southampton match . . . excuse the quality (or lack of) as most of them are copies of copies of copies of copies . . .

One shows the diving header by Mulholland at the Steelworks (Crossbar) End that put us 2-1 ahead half way through the second half.

Another one at the Steelworks end shows (l-r) Harrison, Mallon and Arrowsmith watching on as Else punches clear from Ron Davies. Anybody who recalls Welsh international Davies will remember he had a prodigious leap for crosses and would often tower well above surrounding defenders as the ball came over.

It looks like the next two will fit into the next post . . .

Going just on memory alone, I reckon the picture showing Else and Harrison alongside Saints number 8 Martin Chivers is the moment when Fred made a spellbinding save at the Holker Street end near the end of the match. (It was similar to the one made by Flatt against Lincoln last week when he pawed that close range header over the crossbar shortly after half time when we were only 1-0 ahead).

Finally, something bizarre but unforgettable from the match . . . the silhouettes of fans stood on top of the Popular Side (Ray Wilkie Side) roof, desperate for a place to see the match (should have got there at 1.30 as I did!). This of course was the old roof that came down about 1990 and which used to have a side sloping down towards the pitch (unlike the new one).

[pjdaly]

Next two photos (as per above post):