Today I'm going back 20 years to 2001 and an FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round tie between Barrow and Kendal Town at Holker Street, Barrow-in-Furness.
Barrow. Just a couple of years ago I could have written you a long article regarding Barrow's loss of Football League membership back in 1972. They were the victims of the dreaded re-election process which I have written about previously. The vote, which saw Hereford United being given the nod to join the Football League, surely took Barrow's remote geography into account as well as the decision by Barrow's board to install a speedway track around the Holker Street pitch as a desperate revenue generator. Barrow were gone, surely never to return.
Well hold on. Not so fast. Because there is a fairy tale ending here (and not a Grimm one either). In the Covid19 blighted season of 2019/20, under the management of Ian Evatt, Barrow led the National League for much of the season before it was curtailed. A decision was required regarding what should happen next. Would all the results be expunged from the record books and the season be regarded null and void (as was the case for the Northern Premier, Southern and Isthmian Leagues and below) or would the season be played to a conclusion (as was the case for the Premier and Football Leagues). Neither as it turned out. Remarkably it was decided that the three National Leagues (Premier, North and South) would be concluded on a points per game (PPG) basis. Sadly for York City this cost them automatic promotion from the National League North at the expense of Kings Lynn but for Barrow, in the National League Premier, it meant the joy of promotion and a return to the Football League after 48 years in the wilderness of Non-League football.
Now if there was an election to determine the best football club badge in the country, I'd wager that Barrow's would be right up there with the leaders. It features on the programme cover shown and incorporates a nuclear submarine (in recognition of Barrow's place in the world of submarine and ship building), the red rose of Lancashire (Barrow-in-Furness is actually in Cumbria but was historically part of Lancashire), a football and... er...what's that? A bee with an arrow through it? Ah yes! B-arrow! Don't you just love it?
Back in 2001 at the time of this game, Barrow were to be found in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, one level below the Football Conference (now National League Premier division) in the days before the National League North and South. They finished eighth that season, some distance behind champions Burton Albion but one division higher than Kendal Town who finished 21st (out of 22) in the Northern Premier League Division 1. In front of an attendance of 1,180, favourites Barrow made light work of Kendal running in three goals before half time and ultimately won the game 3-0. Barrow would go on to beat Rossendale United on penalties after a replay in the 3rd Qualifying Round and then Chester in the 4th Qualifying Round to earn a place in the 1st Round "Proper" as it is sometimes known (all earlier Rounds are thereby deemed to be somehow "improper"). There, Barrow's luck finally ran out as they succumbed to Oldham Athletic at home by 0-2 after a replay. I wonder if Oldham's club badge depicts an old ham?
CRB Match No. 1239
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