Barrow AFC.net

I hope you don't mind me asking for details on a few former Liverpool players who later played for Barrow. I am currently writing my second book on Liverpool FC - "Liverpool Encyclopedia". It will contain all players that have played for Liverpool and include details of their other clubs as well.

What I need is when the following players were featuring for Barrow and if possible are there any playing stats available for them when they were at your club? Also.. were they simply players or player-managers... After searching your forum it seems that Ron Yeats and David Johnson were both player-managers at Barrow. If you have any anecdotes concerning these players' time there that would also be most appreciated. Especially important for me to establish if John McLaughlin ever featured for Barrow.

Tony Hateley 1976 - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/314
David Johnson 1985-1986? - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/334
Alan Kennedy 1994-1996 - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/342
Brian Kettle 1980's - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/345
Mike Marsh 1998-1999 - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/373
John McLaughlin did he play for Barrow in the 70's? - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/370
Mark Seagraves 1998? - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/408
Ron Yeats 1976 - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/450

Cheers, Arnie
editor of http://www.LFChistory.net

Not a Barrow player but Bill Shankly did play against Barrow in an All Star game

Arnie wrote:
Tony Hateley 1976 - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/314

I thought Tony Hateley was later than that? - I seem to remember him playing in 1985 alongside Kevin Reeves (two multi million pound players on the same Barrow team!) although he would have been 44 years old at that time. Maybe my memory is playing tricks, but I'm sure there are people who will be able to confirm or refute this.

Barrow Bluebirds wrote:Not a Barrow player but Bill Shankly did play against Barrow in an All Star game

Did you not read what the guy said ?

Alan Kennedy joined after the 94/95 season had started aged over 40 he played 29 games for Barrow which was his seventh non league club.
Mike Marsh was unfortunately dogged by injury at Barrow, but played 27 times in the 97/98 season later went on to win the Conference with Kidderminster
Mark Seagraves joined injured but eventually played 17 times in 1998 and retired.

Marc Seagraves was a former Liverpool player that played for Barrow. Sadly he was just here for the money though. Not sure if he ever played a first team game for LFC though.

Peter McDonnell former Liverpool keeper played for Barrow for a number of years from mid-80's to early 90's. Not sure if he is what you want as he never actuallly played a first team game for Liverpool, although he was on the bench in the 1977 European Cup Final. I don't have any stats on him although there is a wiki page here. I recall him being ever present during 2 seasons, rested only for the likes of lancashire cup games against local sides. Probably the best keeper in the conference in his day. EDIT: I think he may have managed Barrow for a short while in the 80's but I'm not sure about that.

K_BFC wrote:Probably the best keeper in the conference in his day. EDIT: I think he may have managed Barrow for a short while in the 80's but I'm not sure about that.

Yes, Peter did manage Barrow for a while, in 1984. He took over after Vic Halom, having taken the club to what is now the BSP, left for Rochdale and remained in charge until November that year when he was replaced briefly by Joe Wojciechowicz and then Brian Kidd.

Thanks for your great response.. This info will be very useful to me. Keep 'em coming!

I did know about McDonnell but he won't be included in the book as he didn't make an appearance - he still has a profile on my site as he made the bench so I would need the info there ... I haven't got anything on when he was there just that he had two spells.. http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/496.

According to "Steelworks End"
"Yes, Peter did manage Barrow for a while, in 1984. He took over after Vic Halom, having taken the club to what is now the BSP, left for Rochdale and remained in charge until November that year when he was replaced briefly by Joe Wojciechowicz and then Brian Kidd."

So I guess it would be incorrect to include his second spell at Barrow under "other clubs" on his Liverpool profile page as he only managed the club when he was there the second time. "Other clubs" only include clubs he played for.

Regarding Tony Hateley - in my records he would have been at Barrow from April 1976 - August 1976 (this is info that was passed down to me so I am not sure how valid that is). Prior to Barrow he was playing for Bromsgrove Rovers. See here the last clubs in his career.

00/05/1974-00/04/1976 Bromsgrove Rovers FC (signed) - 6/6
00/04/1976-00/08/1976 Barrow AFC (signed) - *
00/08/1976-00/12/1978 Prescot Town FC (signed) - *
00/12/1978-00/08/1979 Keyworth United FC (signed) - *

So according to the replies here + a personal message I just received in my Barrow forum mailbox:

Tony Hateley http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/314
1976/77 11 games / 4 goals

David Johnson http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/334
1985 25 games / ? goals

Alan Kennedy - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/342
1994-1995 29 games / ? goals

Brian Kettle - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/345
1985 19 games / ? goals

Mike Marsh - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/373
1997/98 27 games / ? goals

Peter McDonnell http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/496
"I recall him being ever present during 2 seasons, rested only for the likes of lancashire cup games against local sides. Probably the best keeper in the conference in his day."

Two spells at Barrow but only a manager in 1984 (quit November 1984)

John McLaughlin - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/370
1976/77 8 games /0 goals

Mark Seagraves 1998? - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/408
1998 17 games / ? goals

Ron Yeats http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/450
1975-1976 46 games / ? goals

Arnie, I’ve been checking a Barrow book called “The Definitive Barrow AFC” by Michael Gardner which is a bible for stats concerning our club, especially for the period up to 1972 when we were in the Football League.

There was a J. McLaughlin who seems to have played just a handful of times for us (8 to be exact I reckon) in the 76-77 season. Given that I never missed a match I will have seen him play but I can’t say I remember him. I thought there was a John McLaughlin that played full-back for Everton in the 70’s, but you won’t want to know about that I guess. Is it the same one?

This J. McLaughlin seems to have made his debut for us on November 1st 1976, wearing number 7; this was a Lancashire Combination match away at Gateshead in front of a crowd of - - - wait for it - - - 60. Barrow lost 6-1. After that he seems to have disappeared for a couple of months and resurfaced on New Years Day 1977 for his League debut in a home match against Netherfield, wearing number 8. That finished 2-2. Then on 8-1-77 he played in a Lancashire Junior Cup match in which we beat South Liverpool 4-0. Next up was a home league 2-2 draw against Gainsborough on 15-1-77. On 22-1-77 came the return match away to Gainsborough and we lost 4-0. On 29-1-77 he featured in a 3-3 league draw away to Scarborough. On 5-2-77 he played in our 0-1 defeat at home to Worksop in the league. Then on 19-2-77 he played in our 4-3 home league win against Macclesfield. As far as I can see that seems to have been it. He was playing alongside Ron Yeats in most of those matches and also a guy called Derek McClatchey who I’m sure was a Liverpool lad (but never featured of course in the 1st team at Anfield). Tony Hateley’s brief spell with us had ended before McLaughlin’s arrival; he seems to have played his last match for us on 2nd October 1976.

There were a few other Anfield feet who, in ancient times, walked upon Holker Street’s pastures green but I don’t know if they ever featured in the first team at Liverpool:

Tom Morrison played just one match for us in 1925-26 after leaving Liverpool.
W.T. (Billy) Millar played 103 times for us between 1929 and 1932, joining us from Liverpool.
W.T. (Bill) Murray played for us 137 times between 1929 and 1933.
Another Miller, (this time with an “e”), Jack, played one season and 13 games for us in 1930-31.
Bobby Murdoch played for us 41 times in 1959-60.
Goalkeeper Phil Dando played 9 times for us on loan from Liverpool in 1970-71.

As far as I can see that seems to be the lot.
Of all the ex-Liverpool players who joined us I was probably most impressed with David Johnson who had a spell as player-manager. In the time he was with us he seemed to have a good attitude and was honest in his approach.

DaveC wrote:Marc Seagraves was a former Liverpool player that played for Barrow. Sadly he was just here for the money though. Not sure if he ever played a first team game for LFC though.

Agreed Dave. He should never have appeared in a BAFC short either.

Yes I am aware there are a number of other players who have played in the past for Barrow ... but I have better info on them because then the club was part of the Football League so stats and such are more readily available. I might have a few questions concerning them later on in the process.

I think this might be Liverpool's McLaughlin rather than the bluenose - he went to Falkirk in December 1975 and was there until 1977. The Red McLaughlin fith with the timeframe you gave me.. Thanks very much for that.

As you noticed I put a question mark with the number of goals these respective players might have possible scored.. Is there any goal info in "The Definitive Barrow AFC" book? and more specific time frame regarding when they appeared as with Mclaughlin. just dates would do..

Tony Hateley http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/314
1976 11 games / 4 goals - last match on 2nd October 1976.

David Johnson http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/334
1985 25 games / ? goals

Alan Kennedy - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/342
1994-1995 29 games / ? goals

Brian Kettle - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/345
1985 19 games / ? goals

Mike Marsh - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/373
1997/98 27 games / ? goals

Peter McDonnell http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/496
"I recall him being ever present during 2 seasons, rested only for the likes of lancashire cup games against local sides. Probably the best keeper in the conference in his day."

Two spells at Barrow but only a manager in 1984 (quit November 1984)

John McLaughlin - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/370
1976/77 8 games /0 goals

Mark Seagraves 1998? - http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/408
1998 17 games / ? goals

Ron Yeats http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/450
1975-1976 46 games / ? goals

Regarding Tom Morrison he was with St Mirren in 1925 and until he joined Liverpool in November 1927... so this might not be "my" Morrison.

xerxes wrote: I thought Tony Hateley was later than that? - I seem to remember him playing in 1985 alongside Kevin Reeves

Actually I think I must have confused Tony Hateley with Dave Johnson. Apologies, a senior moment.

Arnie wrote:I did know about McDonnell but he won't be included in the book as he didn't make an appearance - he still has a profile on my site as he made the bench so I would need the info there ... I haven't got anything on when he was there just that he had two spells.. http://www.lfchistory.net/Players/Player/Profile/496.

According to "Steelworks End"
"Yes, Peter did manage Barrow for a while, in 1984. He took over after Vic Halom, having taken the club to what is now the BSP, left for Rochdale and remained in charge until November that year when he was replaced briefly by Joe Wojciechowicz and then Brian Kidd."

So I guess it would be incorrect to include his second spell at Barrow under "other clubs" on his Liverpool profile page as he only managed the club when he was there the second time. "Other clubs" only include clubs he played for.

Peter McDonnell joined Barrow in the summer of 1983, making 41 (out of 42) league appearances and 32 the following season, initially (in 1984/5) as player-manager. He stepped down as manager in November 1984 although he remained as a player, but subsequently left towards the end of the season as part of a mini-exodus of Barrow players to join Morecambe.

He subsequently returned to Barrow in August 1988, quickly establishing himself as regular first team 'keeper, and remained with the club until the summer of 1993, although in his final season his appearances were restricted.

So, only part of his first spell at Barrow saw him act as player-manager; for most of that spell and all of his second period at the club he was a player only.