2020 Vision

[Wintergreen]

Listening to Raiders’ Coach Paul Crarey on Radio Cumbria’ Sport programme Friday night he was very complimentary about Paul Hornby who also sponsors BRLFC regularly. Likewise, Carey is a frequent visitor to Holker St. where he has sponsored BAFC awards for some time now. I don’t know much about Hornby's fellow director Kris Wilkes but I think it is fairly common knowledge that he is from a more rugby-orientated background, but someone who is totally committed to BAFC and driving the stadium refurbishment programme.

So things are very cordial between the two codes in town right now which is great to see. You will know where this going, but it seems to me that amalgamation is becoming a real possibility and very doable at present. We have discussed this on here many times previously of course but I think atitudes towards this theoretical proposal have gradually steered toward the ‘yea’ camp in recent times.

Should we get promoted, there will be an initial injection of cash from the EFL, season ticket and commercial sales etc. but resources would become stretched again as we could find ourselves in League Two minus key personnel, struggling from the outset and with attendances dropping off as quickly as they have ramped up recently. Having another income stream providing resource for salaries, ground maintenance and upgrades might just be the difference between remaining in the EFL or returning to the NL.

[Bombadel]

Listening to Raiders’ Coach Paul Crarey on Radio Cumbria’ Sport programme Friday night he was very complimentary about Paul Hornby who also sponsors BRLFC regularly. Likewise, Carey is a frequent visitor to Holker St. where he has sponsored BAFC awards for some time now. I don’t know much about Hornby's fellow director Kris Wilkes but I think it is fairly common knowledge that he is from a more rugby-orientated background, but someone who is totally committed to BAFC and driving the stadium refurbishment programme.

So things are very cordial between the two codes in town right now which is great to see. You will know where this going, but it seems to me that amalgamation is becoming a real possibility and very doable at present. We have discussed this on here many times previously of course but I think atitudes towards this theoretical proposal have gradually steered toward the ‘yea’ camp in recent times.

Should we get promoted, there will be an initial injection of cash from the EFL, season ticket and commercial sales etc. but resources would become stretched again as we could find ourselves in League Two minus key personnel, struggling from the outset and with attendances dropping off as quickly as they have ramped up recently. Having another income stream providing resource for salaries, ground maintenance and upgrades might just be the difference between remaining in the EFL or returning to the NL.

Who are the key personnel we are going to lose? Can see your point about home attendance maybe going down a bit if we’re on a losing streak, but surely the away support from league 2 clubs brought to Holker Street would more than make up for it?

If ground sharing was agreed upon, would the income used for the sale of say, craven Park be used to bolster Holker Street? (Which I can’t see the rugby lot agreeing to)

[Middleton Nick]

If we were promoted and it is a big if at the moment with a long way to go, one of the changes would be a large increase in away support generating more income. You would think Ian Evatt would move on eventually but could stay with us long term as the Cowley brothers did at Lincoln.
Players come and go and in my opinion our playing squad could hold its own in Div2 with some additions.
The ground share is a possibility on the horizon.

[Holkerbird]

This topic is like Barrow's version of Brexit.
It's a NO from me.

[Fazered]

No because the pitch would be ruined

[BillyBlue]

No because the pitch would be ruined

Just have a look at the Football League highlights show and see what sort of state Newports pitch is in.
The only way it could work is if a 4G pitch was installed, as at Widnes, and as the FL stands it isn't going to happen any time soon.

[blumooncrab]

For this to work there would need to be vision and detail. It would be very difficult. As a starting point, neither stadium is anywhere near the standard it needs to be in terms of facilities. I would suggest that if we had a 21st century stadium crowds would improve. You’d have to sell both grounds and start again . Trouble is, unlike in some cities, the current locations are probably not attractive to investors, and where would you put a new facility? If the rugby guys were playing on our pitch now I’d hate to think what that would do to the surface. So, you’d need an excellent surface that could stand up to the rigours of dual use every week . If we have a pants pitch we'll have a pants product , which defeats the objective. So struggling to see how one gets over these fundamental issues. Paul Hornby and the board are doing a terrific job. I expect they will face the challenges ahead with determination and no little success. So good luck to them and let’s give them our support,

[barrowaberdeen]

No for me. I'd be all for more collaboration, like sharing premises in town etc and good luck to them but it would simply dilute two small sporting business into one. And we are 15-20 years too late from selling either ground for decent capital.

I would also be dead against us in anything we didn't own. Such as it is, HS is our asset.

And that's before the pitch, the hassle, the fact that one club always suffers more...

[olbarrafancumbak]

Makes economical sense to ground share.

It's the pitch that would be the big issue..

I know Gareth does an amazing job with our pitch and is surely one of the best surfaces in the league but is it even possible to maintain the surface if both rugby and football played on it?

If this could be done and it's a big IF then I would welcome a shared home which would help security of our local clubs.

If it can't be done, then it's a no from me..

Regarding comments about IE ^^^^ I don't think he will leave till he feels he has taken us as far as he possibly can and at the same time proven himself as a great manager.
I see no reason why we can't achieve league 1 with him at the helm as I would think he would be thinking the same.
He just seems to be a loyal kinda guy.. dare I say ray Wilkie kinda person who genuinely cares and is passionate about is, our club and our town.

[whitty1969]

It's a big NO from me
We can do this on our own.

[Jim]

No because the pitch would be ruined

I have nothing against the rugby as a club, but that is the major objection as far as I am concerned.

[Steelworks End]

The rugby club have produced a development plan - it can be accessed through their website www.barrowrlfc.com (link is on the home page).

One of the points raised in the plan is "To be open to the possibility of talks with Barrow AFC, council, major businesses around creation of the Stadium of the Lakes" - a new joint stadium, I guess.

[Bombadel]

Nice quote from The manager, regarding the state of the pitch, something along the lines of “its heavy at the moment and a worry, it’s a vital part of how we play, hopefully the groundsman can work his magic before the Bromley game”

[kenny lowe fan club]

A lot of people are always against this but I believe it's the only way forward. A new shared super stadium Willnbring both clubs into the 21st century and replace 2 ageing structures that have had their day. Regarding the pitch, it seems to work ok for Halifax, Wigan and Huddersfield. A good groundsman will make it work

[MikeRenney]

Absolutely against any share with the rugby. I wish them well but there is no way the pitch could take the battering. When we played Oldham a few years they had just spent £250,000 on their pitch after the rugby side they shared with had moved out. Now people may want a plastic pitch to allow this to happen but to me it is not the same game on plastic so I would sadly no longer attend.