Barrow AFC.net

mall wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 12:42 pm

behind the goals wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 11:56 am He's another Mark Cooper will take no blame will be criticising the training facilities next, a lot of his new signings aren't National league level, the Club want a top 7 finish this squad is definitely bottom 7.

" this squad is definitely bottom 7".

That's a fact in my book given the way things are now panning out. Because of one thing and another I have only seen the Workington game and-no disrespect to the Workington team-and contrary to what some people say-I came away from that game thinking to myself, and keeping it to myself, that this new Barrow side are really gonna struggle this season. I've been stood on the terraces since 1968 and this was one of those pre-seasons where I just couldn't see anything there to give me hope.
Again, contrary to what some believe, I really think we will even struggle to beat the teams around us....as we are now.

How can you refer to it as one of the worst pre seasons you've ever seen if you only saw one of seven games we played?

Matty wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 12:57 pm

mall wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 12:42 pm

" this squad is definitely bottom 7".

That's a fact in my book given the way things are now panning out. Because of one thing and another I have only seen the Workington game and-no disrespect to the Workington team-and contrary to what some people say-I came away from that game thinking to myself, and keeping it to myself, that this new Barrow side are really gonna struggle this season. I've been stood on the terraces since 1968 and this was one of those pre-seasons where I just couldn't see anything there to give me hope.
Again, contrary to what some believe, I really think we will even struggle to beat the teams around us....as we are now.

How can you refer to it as one of the worst pre seasons you've ever seen if you only saw one of seven games we played?

ok, pedantic - I'm not talking about a portfolio - I should have said 'one game'
Like I say, I just couldn't see anything in that one particular game to give me hope and with respect, Workington were no great shakes.

bluessupporter wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 8:51 am

Bingo wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 6:33 am What do people expect

You wouldn’t buy a house built on sand and each manager will have the same problem the club isn’t ran as a real football club.

Until these things are sorted and the club is ran by professionals the same result is going to happen and we will continue replacing the managers until we sort out the route issues

Which positions within the club are lacking 'professionals'?

Joe Harvey head of football operations - who is he and why what qualifies him for that positon

General manager an ex policeman

This has been the issue for years people who aren’t qualified to do those jobs put in positions

Absolutely no structure at the club.

Bingo wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 1:46 pm

bluessupporter wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 8:51 am

Which positions within the club are lacking 'professionals'?

Joe Harvey head of football operations - who is he and why what qualifies him for that positon

General manager an ex policeman

This has been the issue for years people who aren’t qualified to do those jobs put in positions

Absolutely no structure at the club.

Jobs for the boys?
There's enough retired footballers out there who at least know something about the game.

ex-policeman turning a blind eye to the dodgy dealings

Bingo wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 1:46 pm

bluessupporter wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 8:51 am

Which positions within the club are lacking 'professionals'?

Joe Harvey head of football operations - who is he and why what qualifies him for that positon

General manager an ex policeman

This has been the issue for years people who aren’t qualified to do those jobs put in positions

Absolutely no structure at the club.

The last season in the EFL I looked at the “who’s who” on the official website’s of clubs I considered to be a similar size as ourselves and we probably had the smallest “football operations” staff network across the league. The first year in EFL we were close to setting up an Academy but the club pulled the plug on that to focus financial resources into the first team. Ultimately we are a one team club.

Reality is, for 6 EFL seasons we rubbed shoulders with teams that had multiple squads, academies, and vastly larger resources/ infrastructure. Im suprised we lasted as long as we did. Promotion gave us some good games and it was nice to compete alongside the likes of Notts and Bradford for a couple of seasons and give them a bop on the nose, but it was never going to last.

I would rather see the club build a footballing identity beyond a one team club and have multiple age group teams boys and girls teams, a proper competitive league B team and a women's team. That would be a longer lasting legacy for the owners. I’ll never forget only a few seasons back when a youth team was doing the flag bearing for the teams entering the pitch, when Darren (Tannoy) was welcoming the children “where are you from?” “Barrow”… and who do you play for “Morecambe”. Every one of them.

Jonty wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 5:05 pm I’ll never forget only a few seasons back when a youth team was doing the flag bearing for the teams entering the pitch, when Darren (Tannoy) was welcoming the children “where are you from?” “Barrow”… and who do you play for “Morecambe”. Every one of them.

Sobering. And reminded me of the time at Fleetwood when they paraded several youth teams past us that time. We applauded but we were generally green with envy and thinking 'why can't we have something like this?' That was approximately 15 years ago and nothing has changed.

In my interview with Paul Hornby in the summer he said that we would be going back down the performance centre type route and are looking into having junior teams which would eventually progress up to U21

Wintergreen wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 6:41 pm

Jonty wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 5:05 pm I’ll never forget only a few seasons back when a youth team was doing the flag bearing for the teams entering the pitch, when Darren (Tannoy) was welcoming the children “where are you from?” “Barrow”… and who do you play for “Morecambe”. Every one of them.

Sobering. And reminded me of the time at Fleetwood when they paraded several youth teams past us that time. We applauded but we were generally green with envy and thinking 'why can't we have something like this?' That was approximately 15 years ago and nothing has changed.

I think it did for Fleetwood Gaz. Their chairman was jailed for fraud!

Adam29 wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 6:45 pm In my interview with Paul Hornby in the summer he said that we would be going back down the performance centre type route and are looking into having junior teams which would eventually progress up to U21

Sounds expensive for a club that have got so many things expensively wrong over the last few years.

Listened to the Murray interview tonight.
I was quite confident with the way we played pre season but it's really poor at the moment.
A leader is someone who assesses the situation and rectifies it .Murray has got rid of those he can ,yet still blamed others.
He is the Captain he lives and falls by his decisions.
He needs to stop the blame game .
Still early days but we all know no decent forward or midfield general.
We keep being told we are big physical side and the donkey at left back let's the over his head allowing them to get the second goal.
We have to act like a wounded animal and suprise Harrogate.
I hate this we've just played the lonely league winners so what.

Adam29 wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 6:45 pm In my interview with Paul Hornby in the summer he said that we would be going back down the performance centre type route and are looking into having junior teams which would eventually progress up to U21

The 2026/27's ship sailed so we'll have to wait until next year/season now before anything materialises. Workington have a well organised youth set-up..Workington!

A point away from relegation to NPL West last season

His interviews smack of getting excuses in early. Yea, last year was a disaster but he’s been brought in to rectify that. He’s brought a lot of his own players in already. The worry is that Kiddy fans didn’t seem too upset he left and the comments they’ve made about him wanting a vast number of players and playing the blame game are already looking to be coming true in recent interviews. Simple fact is, Murray has to win over fans and the first 2 games have been a million miles away from doing that.

dodger wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 7:19 pm

Wintergreen wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 6:41 pm

Sobering. And reminded me of the time at Fleetwood when they paraded several youth teams past us that time. We applauded but we were generally green with envy and thinking 'why can't we have something like this?' That was approximately 15 years ago and nothing has changed.

I think it did for Fleetwood Gaz. Their chairman was jailed for fraud!

I know.
l believe he was placed in the cell vacated by our very own beloved ex-owner SV or so rumour had it. Vaughan was a model prisoner and released early following his sterling work in the laundry.