Barrow v Chesterfield match thread

[April1972]

Irrespective of the result the attendance at Holker street yesterday was abysmal. Four points from the last two games against the two top sides in the division and we can't even manage three thousand people for a home game against Chesterfield, five hundred of which were from the away side. The directors and the team must wonder if it's really worth all the trouble, in case you were wondering l travelled from York to support Barrow..

I have to agree it was disappointing. There does appear to be a worrying apathy in the town for professional sport. The rugby could only muster a crowd of around 2100 and that included a healthy following from Widnes and on the back of good results. The owners of both clubs must wonder as I do myself if the public of Barrow really want professional sport representing the town as the current attendance levels are pretty poor imo. We could learn a lot about supporting our team through thick and thin from the supporters of our neighbours in the north

The problem is 48 years of non league has seen 2 generations grow up supporting United or Liverpool and not the local team. I know loads of lads my age that are genuine football fans and take an interest in the soccer but very rarely go as their allegiances are elsewhere. Carlisle have spent most of their time in the league so have a much wider support and also benefit from a much larger population.

[bluessupporter]

Don't forget it was on Sky which will have taken away quite a few.

[Main Stand SeasonTct]

Don't forget it was on Sky which will have taken away quite a few.

Yes as are our next two home games. The worst TV deal ever its cost us massively.

[SayitagainSam]

Irrespective of the result the attendance at Holker street yesterday was abysmal. Four points from the last two games against the two top sides in the division and we can't even manage three thousand people for a home game against Chesterfield, five hundred of which were from the away side. The directors and the team must wonder if it's really worth all the trouble, in case you were wondering l travelled from York to support Barrow..

I have to agree it was disappointing. There does appear to be a worrying apathy in the town for professional sport. The rugby could only muster a crowd of around 2100 and that included a healthy following from Widnes and on the back of good results. The owners of both clubs must wonder as I do myself if the public of Barrow really want professional sport representing the town as the current attendance levels are pretty poor imo. We could learn a lot about supporting our team through thick and thin from the supporters of our neighbours in the north

Barrow Raiders live-stream every home game for £10, one of only three or four clubs in the Championship League to do so. As such they have lost several hundred home and away supporters through the gate (£20) but I understand the Club is overall financially better-off because of this decision - likely 800 -1000 or so subscribers. PS: I just saw this announcement: "Barrow Raiders are delighted to announce that from the start of the 2027 season we have struck up a ground share deal with Barrow AFC and all home fixtures will be played at Holker Street." Announced 7 days ago

[colyates]

Irrespective of the result the attendance at Holker street yesterday was abysmal. Four points from the last two games against the two top sides in the division and we can't even manage three thousand people for a home game against Chesterfield, five hundred of which were from the away side. The directors and the team must wonder if it's really worth all the trouble, in case you were wondering l travelled from York to support Barrow..

Don't forget it was a normal working day for most at BAE and other places

[Steeley]

Thought the attendance was alright all things considered.

[Scott5]

If we were playing for points for the play offs like two seasons ago crowds would be much higher. Fans are fickle and the football served up this season has been mostly dire, that’s why crowds are down. Weather, TV etc may impact a handful of people but a lot are just not attending as we just aren’t very good and can you blame them! People want to be entertained, I’ve not seen us win in over a calendar year now and have missed a couple myself where the enthusiasm just wasn’t there.

[Olderbarrowfan79+]

With the size of our population you would think we should average 3k to 4k i dont understand why we dont really I dont know what the answers are barrow fans are thikle though we have lost 800 to 1k home fans this season a big financial loss you dont turn your back in bad times yes it's been bad this season but what about the good times we have had i cant see any season ticket prices until it's decided what league we will be in this season

[blue nige]

If we were playing for points for the play offs like two seasons ago crowds would be much higher. Fans are fickle and the football served up this season has been mostly dire, that’s why crowds are down. Weather, TV etc may impact a handful of people but a lot are just not attending as we just aren’t very good and can you blame them! People want to be entertained, I’ve not seen us win in over a calendar year now and have missed a couple myself where the enthusiasm just wasn’t there.

You don't even go to holker street like a few others on here who contribute nothing to keep our club alive!

[Leo]

Irrespective of the result the attendance at Holker street yesterday was abysmal. Four points from the last two games against the two top sides in the division and we can't even manage three thousand people for a home game against Chesterfield, five hundred of which were from the away side. The directors and the team must wonder if it's really worth all the trouble, in case you were wondering l travelled from York to support Barrow..

Don't forget it was a normal working day for most at BAE and other places

False

[Cromwell58]

The gates were poor when we were top of the league before we played Chelsea we have fantastic away support but for some reason never get the gates we deserved at home even when we are doing well.

[Barrowabc]

so happy with this change as love elliot think he's class

Really? My heart sinks every time I see him involved if I’m honest. Doesn't contribute enough on or off the ball. Would much rather have seen Smith in there.

Barkhuizen must be injured hasn’t been seen since Grimsby and he missed a match before that was it Accrington. Walker also is he out of favour again now Malcolm is back or injured?

i just belive theres aplayer in there and can run at teams when his confidence is high and sadly our whole team is the same at the moment low confidence from front to back

[pjdaly]

Having had nearly two days to simmer down after the bitter disappointment of the Chesterfield defeat it's a very minor consolation to seemingly learn from the views of others that the Rose "penalty" was not a penalty and that their keeper got his hand to the ball. At the time I was beyond rage. So it seems that at least we weren't robbed after all. But the other elephant remains in the room and that elephant is our overwhelming unlikeliness to score goals ourselves. That Bromley game was a freak in so far as we scored two and could have scored four. I was a big fan of Canavan until this bitterly disappointing season but, even so, I just hope him and McDonald can be fit to play as the prospect of both missing from the centre of defence could be the final nail. I hope not.

[pjdaly]

The problem is 48 years of non league has seen 2 generations grow up supporting United or Liverpool and not the local team. I know loads of lads my age that are genuine football fans and take an interest in the soccer but very rarely go as their allegiances are elsewhere.

Yes. there is truth in this of course. However, back in 1972 I was at school and I can vouch for the fact that even back then it was absolutely precisely the same, and that most of the lads just followed the likes of Man Utd or Liverpool (nobody for Man City back then!) - - - yes, even in that pre-global-coverage era of football. Even those lads who were the best footballers (and the most interested in football) didn't bother to go along to Holker Street but banged on relentlessly about Man Utd. In fact, I remember clearly "bribing" a couple of my school pals to go along to Holker Street by paying their entrance fees out of my own paper-round earnings! I did this for critical fixtures near the end of that 1971-72 season when we played matches in which wins would have ultimately kept us clear of the bottom four. And what happened in those matches? We got well beaten at Holker Street twice, one being a 0-3 defeat to Brentford and the other being a 0-4 defeat to Darlington! It's no wonder I have always maintained that that team of '72 didn't deserve to stay in the League as there were too many who didn't put in shifts when it mattered most. No wonder my pals never returned to Holker Street again and continued sticking pictures of yer Red Devils on the front of their school books . . . none of yer Eddie Garbetts to be seen anywhere on the front of Geography exercise-books . . .

[oldtimer]

Got to agree with 45 Years +. ( Can your check your pms 45 Years + ? ). Sadly our current fan base is essentially only mid table National League. We've always suffered from lack of support. This is nothing new and has always been the case over the last 125 years irrespective of results. Back in 1967, needing 1 point for promotion, we attracted a gate of 8,769 against Brentford in a ground with what was then a 16,000 capacity. I have no solutions to this problem.