Barrow AFC.net

REMARKS FROM THE CHAIRMAN
By Paul Casson, from the Barrow v Woking programme

And so we move on.

We are exactly at the half-way point of our season, and so have 23 League games left to contest before we wrap up our first season in the Vanarama National League. Realistically, although we are still only ten points out of the play-off places, it is now a very big ask indeed. Typically 78 points will get a team in the play-off conversation and so we would need 50 out of a possible 69. That's championship pace over a full season.

We welcome a new era under a new manager. Paul Cox joins Barrow AFC in what we hope is the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship. Paul brings with him an impressive track record of promotions, including the one we covet - entry into the Football League.

In his first season in League 2 he guided Mansfield to a creditable top-half finish. The AFC historians would probably know the last time Barrow had a manager with a recent Football League pedigree, I do not.

He brings the enthusiasm of a young man with something to prove. Barrow, at its heart, possesses a young team that needs moulding into an operating outfit that teams are uncomfortable playing, particularly at Furness Building Society Stadium. The team reflects the manager and so it appears that this next generation of Barrow AFC will be tough, no nonsense, competitive, pacey and difficult to overcome. It will take time for him to impose his personality on the team and so I would ask for patience during the transition period.

As we play this game, we cross the threshold from last season to next. As much as we treasure the memories of last April, they are now a building block for the future and we must press on to new adventures.

Today we welcome Woking and while not a short journey, pales somewhat to the rigors of travelling to Dover, so thanks to all our supporters who made that long trip last week. So, a warm (in Barrow in late November, that's probably asking a lot) welcome to those who have followed their team from Woking, and our best wishes for a safe journey home.

Ralph wrote: In his first season in League 2 he guided Mansfield to a creditable top-half finish. The AFC historians would probably know the last time Barrow had a manager with a recent Football League pedigree, I do not.

Shane Westley?

Shane Westley at Lincoln and Mike Walsh at Bury.

(Prev post now edited)

I think PC was referring to Barrow managers who had previously managed in the league. I'm pretty sure Shane Westley had a brief spell at Lincoln before coming here, and Richard Dinnis certainly managed Newcastle for a while. From the same era, Mike Walsh, who managed us briefly, had worked as manager at Bury before coming up here. Apart from those, I'm struggling...Ron Yeats?

Pretty sure Shane Westley was the last manager that had football league experience when he arrived at Barrow.

Shane was manager of Lincoln between March 1998 to November 1998, was sacked with them bottom of division 2. He joined Barrow in January 1999.

Interesting that (according to Wikipedia) Westley had a worse win ratio at Barrow (25%) than he had at Lincoln (30%).

What Shane Westley achieved at Barrow was nothing short of a miracle given that so many players left

Bingo wrote:What Shane Westley achieved at Barrow was nothing short of a miracle given that so many players left

Yes, definitely a miracle. The long ball game worked for him. That aside, he did get points needed... shame about what followed.

BAFC Exile wrote:

Bingo wrote:What Shane Westley achieved at Barrow was nothing short of a miracle given that so many players left

Yes, definitely a miracle. The long ball game worked for him. That aside, he did get points needed... shame about what followed.

It was a season of terrible turmoil, but I always remember Westley and Beck with fondness. The football was not pretty, but it was us against the world at the time, and we survived to the end of the season, avoiding mathematical relegation against all the odds.

That final game against Kidderminster.... and the feeling of elation knowing that we hadn't been relegated on the field. Sadly, off the field events conspired against us.

The lads on the field did us proud, though. They may not have been good enough, but they played with pride & passion. Can't ask for more than that.

Then there were the handful of players who stayed loyal to the club when all the rest buggered off....Ian Foster, Dave Higgins, Jonah....and was the other one Eddie Johnston?

Yeah they were class acts the lads that stayed; that period was special too...winning our last battle and enjoying the spoils before inevitably losing the war.