Barrow Association Football Club is an Englishfootball club based in the town ofBarrow-in-Furness,Cumbria. Founded in 1901, the team began in that season'sLancashire League, joined theLancashire Combination in its newly formed Second Division for the 1903–04 season, and were promoted to its First Division in 1905.[1] In 1909, Barrow moved to theHolker Street ground where they have played ever since.[2] They won the Lancashire Combination title in 1920–21, and were invited to join the newly formedThird Division North of theFootball League for1921–22.[3]
Barrow spent most of the 19 seasons before the Football League was suspended for the Second World War in the bottom half of the table. They finished bottom of the league four times, werere-elected each time, and had three consecutive top-half finishes in the early 1930s, the best of which, fifth place in1931–32, remains the club's highest finishing position.[1] When the regional third tier was reorganised into nationalThird andFourth Divisions in 1958, Barrow were placed in the fourth tier.[1] After one bottom-placed finish and three more in the re-election positions, Barrow finished third in the1966–67 Fourth Division and gained promotion to the third tier. They finished eighth in their first season – their highest finish in the four-tier Football League – but were relegated two years later, finished bottom in1970–71, but in1971–72, at the eleventh time of asking, their application for re-election proved unsuccessful after a second vote. Their place was taken bySouthern League runners-upHereford United, who had received widespread attention during an FA Cup run that includedtheir dramatic elimination of top-flight teamNewcastle United in front of the television cameras.[4][5]
Barrow struggled for seven seasons in theNorthern Premier League (NPL) before joining the newly formedAlliance Premier League (APL), where they lasted four seasons before being relegated back to the NPL. They bounced straight back as1983–84 title-winners, andyo-yoed between the two for the next 20 years, during which time the APL was renamed theFootball Conference. They won further NPL titles in 1988–89 and 1997–98,[1] and won their first national silverware, theFA Trophy, in the1989–90 season, beatingLeek Town 3–0 in the final[6] they would win their second FA Trophy20 years later, with anextra-time victory overStevenage Borough.[7] Barrow were expelled from the Conference in 1999 after financial mismanagement forced the club intoliquidation. The NPL would not initially accept the reconstituted club as a member; it finally did so, under pressure from theFootball Association, eight matches into the1999–2000 season, and it took considerably longer for issues around the club's ownership to be resolved.[8]
The non-league pyramid was restructured ahead of the 2004–05 season, and Barrow became founder members of the sixth-tierConference North.[9] After four seasons they were promoted viathe play-offs to theConference National, from which they were relegated after five years. Barrow won the2014–15 Conference North title,[1] and remained in the newly renamedNational League until the2019–20 season was initially suspended and then ended prematurely because of theCOVID-19 pandemic, with Barrow four points clear at the top of the table.[10] After protracted discussions, the clubs voted to decide the final tables on a points-per-game basis; Barrow's 70 points from 37 games made them champions, and returned them to the Football League after 48 years.[11] They retained their status for the next two seasons, albeit with bottom-four finishes, before moving into mid-table in 2022–23.[1]
Key to league record:
| Key to divisions:
| Key to rounds:
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Details of the abandoned1939–40 Football League season are shownin italics and appropriately footnoted.
| Season | League[1] | FA Cup[12] | League Cup[1][13] | Other[1][13][14] | Top league scorer(s)[15] | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos | Competition | Result | Name | Goals | |||
| 1901–02 | Lancs Lge | 24 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 52 | 58 | 19 | 10th | QR4 | — | — | — | Not known | — |
| 1902–03 | Lancs Lge | 22 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 42 | 24 | 31 | 3rd | QR4 | — | — | — | Not known | — |
| 1903–04 | Lancs C 2 | 34 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 51 | 54 | 33 | 9th | Prelim | — | — | — | Not known | — |
| 1904–05 | Lancs C 2 ↑ | 34 | 22 | 2 | 10 | 73 | 43 | 46 | 2nd | QR3 | — | — | — | Not known | — |
| 1905–06 | Lancs C 1 | 38 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 75 | 78 | 35 | 16th | R1 | — | — | — | Not known | — |
| 1906–07 | Lancs C 1 | 38 | 12 | 4 | 22 | 73 | 95 | 28 | 16th | QR3 | — | — | — | Not known | — |
| 1907–08 | Lancs C 1 ↓ | 38 | 8 | 7 | 23 | 55 | 102 | 23 | 20th | QR1 | — | — | — | Not known | — |
| 1908–09 | Lancs C 2 | 38 | 18 | 4 | 16 | 80 | 85 | 40 | 9th | QR2 | — | — | — | Not known | — |
| 1909–10 | Lancs C 2 | 38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 60 | 78 | 32 | 15th | QR2 | — | — | — | Not known | — |
| 1910–11 | Lancs C 2 ↑ | 38 | 27 | 2 | 9 | 102 | 47 | 56 | 2nd | QR4 | — | — | — | Not known | — |
| 1911–12 | Lancs C 1 | 32 | 15 | 9 | 8 | 66 | 48 | 39 | 4th | QR5 | — | — | — | Not known | — |
| 1912–13 | Lancs C 1 | 34 | 17 | 6 | 11 | 73 | 34 | 40 | 5th | R1 | — | — | — | Not known | — |
| 1913–14 | Lancs C 1 | 34 | 21 | 5 | 8 | 92 | 39 | 47 | 2nd | QR5 | — | — | — | Not known | — |
| 1914–15 | Lancs C 1 | 32 | 11 | 6 | 15 | 59 | 89 | 28 | 13th | QR5 | — | — | — | Not known | — |
| 1915–19 | The Football League and FA Cup were suspended until after the First World War. | ||||||||||||||
| 1919–20 | Lancs C | 34 | 20 | 3 | 11 | 58 | 37 | 43 | 5th | QR4 | — | — | — | Not known | — |
| 1920–21 | Lancs C | 34 | 23 | 6 | 5 | 79 | 28 | 52 | 1st | QR4 | — | — | — | Not known | — |
| 1921–22 | Div 3N | 38 | 14 | 5 | 19 | 42 | 54 | 33 | 15th | QR4 | — | — | — | Bernard Sharkey | 14 |
| 1922–23 | Div 3N | 38 | 13 | 4 | 21 | 50 | 60 | 30 | 18th | QR6 | — | — | — | Billy Kellock | 12 |
| 1923–24 | Div 3N | 42 | 8 | 9 | 25 | 35 | 80 | 25 | 22nd | QR4 | — | — | — | Arthur Ormston | 10 |
| 1924–25 | Div 3N | 42 | 16 | 7 | 19 | 51 | 74 | 39 | 14th | R1 | — | — | — | Charlie Vowles | 13 |
| 1925–26 | Div 3N | 42 | 7 | 4 | 31 | 50 | 98 | 18 | 22nd | R1 | — | — | — | Jim Skillen | 14 |
| 1926–27 | Div 3N | 42 | 7 | 8 | 27 | 34 | 117 | 22 | 22nd | R1 | — | — | — | Alex Bosomworth | 6 |
| 1927–28 | Div 3N | 42 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 54 | 102 | 31 | 19th | QR4 | — | — | — | 7 | |
| 1928–29 | Div 3N | 42 | 10 | 8 | 24 | 64 | 93 | 28 | 20th | R2 | — | — | — | Fred Ferrari | 14 |
| 1929–30 | Div 3N | 42 | 11 | 5 | 26 | 41 | 98 | 27 | 22nd | R2 | — | — | — | Bobby Rock | 11 |
| 1930–31 | Div 3N | 42 | 15 | 7 | 20 | 68 | 89 | 37 | 16th | R1 | — | — | — | Billy Millar | 25 |
| 1931–32 | Div 3N | 40 | 24 | 1 | 15 | 86 | 59 | 49 | 5th | R1 | — | — | — | Billy Millar | 30 |
| 1932–33 | Div 3N | 42 | 18 | 7 | 17 | 60 | 60 | 43 | 9th | R1 | — | — | — | Joe Brain | 17 |
| 1933–34 | Div 3N | 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 116 | 94 | 47 | 8th | R2 | — | Third Division North Cup | R1 | Jimmy Shankly | 38 |
| 1934–35 | Div 3N | 42 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 58 | 87 | 35 | 17th | R2 | — | Third Division North Cup | R1 | Matt Robinson | 11 |
| 1935–36 | Div 3N | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 58 | 65 | 38 | 15th | R2 | — | Third Division North Cup | QF | Tommy Reid | 17 |
| 1936–37 | Div 3N | 42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 70 | 86 | 36 | 16th | R1 | — | Third Division North Cup | R1 | Willie Ouchterlonie | 22 |
| 1937–38 | Div 3N | 42 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 41 | 71 | 32 | 21st | R1 | — | Third Division North Cup | QF | Richard McIntosh | 9 |
| 1938–39 | Div 3N | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 66 | 65 | 41 | 13th | R1 | — | Third Division North Cup | QF | Tom Harris | 24 |
| 1939–40 | Div 3N | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | [a] | — | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 1939–45 | The Football League and FA Cup were suspended until after the Second World War. | ||||||||||||||
| 1945–46 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | R3[b] | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1946–47 | Div 3N | 42 | 17 | 7 | 18 | 54 | 62 | 41 | 9th | R1 | — | — | — | Alf Burnett | 13 |
| 1947–48 | Div 3N | 42 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 49 | 40 | 45 | 7th | R3 | — | — | — | 12 | |
| 1948–49 | Div 3N | 42 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 41 | 48 | 40 | 13th | R2 | — | — | — | Alf Burnett | 10 |
| 1949–50 | Div 3N | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 47 | 53 | 37 | 15th | R1 | — | — | — | George King | 12 |
| 1950–51 | Div 3N | 46 | 16 | 6 | 24 | 51 | 76 | 38 | 19th | R1 | — | — | — | George King | 19 |
| 1951–52 | Div 3N | 46 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 57 | 61 | 46 | 12th | R1 | — | — | — | Billy Gordon | 15 |
| 1952–53 | Div 3N | 46 | 16 | 12 | 18 | 66 | 71 | 44 | 19th | R2 | — | — | — | Billy Gordon | 19 |
| 1953–54 | Div 3N | 46 | 16 | 12 | 18 | 72 | 71 | 44 | 12th | R3 | — | — | — | Andy McLaren | 20 |
| 1954–55 | Div 3N | 46 | 17 | 6 | 23 | 70 | 89 | 40 | 17th | R1 | — | — | — | Billy Gordon | 18 |
| 1955–56 | Div 3N | 46 | 12 | 9 | 25 | 61 | 83 | 33 | 22nd | R3 | — | — | — | Billy Gordon | 19 |
| 1956–57 | Div 3N | 46 | 21 | 9 | 16 | 76 | 62 | 51 | 10th | R2 | — | — | — | Billy Gordon | 27 |
| 1957–58 | Div 3N | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 66 | 74 | 41 | 18th | R1 | — | — | — | Brian Birch | 20 |
| 1958–59 | Div 4[c] | 46 | 9 | 10 | 27 | 51 | 104 | 28 | 23rd | R3 | — | — | — | Jackie Robertson | 12 |
| 1959–60 | Div 4 | 46 | 15 | 11 | 20 | 77 | 87 | 41 | 18th | R1 | — | — | — | 17 | |
| 1960–61 | Div 4 | 46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 52 | 79 | 37 | 22nd | R1 | R1[d] | — | — | Barry Lowes | 13 |
| 1961–62 | Div 4 | 44 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 74 | 58 | 48 | 9th | R1 | R1 | — | — | John Kemp | 15 |
| 1962–63 | Div 4 | 46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 82 | 80 | 50 | 9th | R2 | R3 | — | — | Tommy Dixon | 16 |
| 1963–64 | Div 4 | 46 | 6 | 18 | 22 | 51 | 93 | 30 | 17th | R3 | R1 | — | — | 10 | |
| 1964–65 | Div 4 | 46 | 12 | 6 | 28 | 59 | 105 | 30 | 24th | R1 | R1 | — | — | Bobby Tait | 14 |
| 1965–66 | Div 4 | 46 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 72 | 76 | 47 | 13th | R1 | R1 | — | — | 15 | |
| 1966–67 | Div 4 ↑ | 46 | 24 | 11 | 11 | 76 | 54 | 59 | 3rd | R3 | R2 | — | — | Jimmy Mulholland | 18 |
| 1967–68 | Div 3 | 46 | 21 | 8 | 17 | 65 | 54 | 50 | 8th | R3 | R3 | — | — | David Storf | 16 |
| 1968–69 | Div 3 | 46 | 17 | 8 | 21 | 56 | 75 | 42 | 19th | R2 | R1 | — | — | Jimmy Mulvaney | 16 |
| 1969–70 | Div 3 ↓ | 46 | 8 | 14 | 24 | 46 | 81 | 30 | 23rd | R2 | R2 | — | — | Jimmy Mulvaney | 11 |
| 1970–71 | Div 4 | 46 | 7 | 8 | 31 | 51 | 90 | 22 | 24th | R1 | R1 | — | — | Eddie Garbett | 14 |
| 1971–72 | Div 4 ↓ | 46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 40 | 71 | 37 | 22nd[e] | R1 | R1 | — | — | Mick Hollis | 10 |
| 1972–73 | NPL | 46 | 12 | 6 | 28 | 52 | 101 | 30 | 23rd | QR4 | — | FA Trophy | R2 | Not known | — |
| 1973–74 | NPL | 46 | 13 | 7 | 26 | 46 | 94 | 33 | 22nd | QR1 | — | FA Trophy | R2 | Not known | — |
| 1974–75 | NPL | 46 | 9 | 15 | 22 | 45 | 72 | 33 | 22nd | QR1 | — | FA Trophy | R1 | Not known | — |
| 1975–76 | NPL | 46 | 12 | 9 | 25 | 47 | 84 | 33 | 23rd | Prelim | — | FA Trophy | R1 | Not known | — |
| 1976–77 | NPL | 44 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 58 | 61 | 40 | 21st | R1 | — | FA Trophy | QR3 | Not known | — |
| 1977–78 | NPL | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 58 | 61 | 40 | 18th | QR1 | — | FA Trophy | QR3 | Not known | — |
| 1978–79 | NPL | 46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 58 | 60 | 40 | 17th | QR2 | — | FA Trophy | R2 | Not known | — |
| 1979–80 | APL | 38 | 14 | 6 | 18 | 47 | 55 | 34 | 14th[f] | Prelim | — | FA Trophy | QF | Colin Cowperthwaite | 12 |
| 1980–81 | APL | 38 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 50 | 49 | 38 | 9th | QR3 | — | FA Trophy | R1 | Colin Cowperthwaite | 15 |
| 1981–82 | APL | 42 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 59 | 50 | 65[g] | 8th | QR1 | — | FA Trophy | R1 | Colin Cowperthwaite | 16 |
| 1982–83 | APL ↓ | 42 | 8 | 12 | 22 | 46 | 74 | 36 | 21st | QR4 | — | FA Trophy | R3 | Colin Cowperthwaite | 12 |
| 1983–84 | NPL ↑ | 42 | 29 | 10 | 3 | 92 | 38 | 97 | 1st | QR1 | — | FA Trophy | R2 | Not known | — |
| 1984–85 | APL | 42 | 11 | 16 | 15 | 47 | 57 | 43[h] | 18th | QR2 | — | FA Trophy | R1 | Colin Cowperthwaite | 13 |
| 1985–86 | APL ↓ | 46 | 7 | 8 | 27 | 41 | 86 | 24[h] | 22nd | QR1 | — | FA Trophy | R1 | Colin Cowperthwaite | 15 |
| 1986–87 | NPL | 42 | 15 | 7 | 20 | 42 | 57 | 52 | 15th | QR1 | — | FA Trophy | R1 | Not known | — |
| 1987–88 | NPL P | 42 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 70 | 41 | 71 | 5th | QR4 | — | FA Trophy | SF | Not known | — |
| 1988–89 | NPL P ↑ | 42 | 26 | 9 | 7 | 69 | 35 | 87 | 1st | R1 | — | FA Trophy | R3 | Not known | — |
| 1989–90 | Conf | 42 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 51 | 67 | 52 | 14th | QR3 | — | Colin Cowperthwaite | 12 | ||
| 1990–91 | Conf | 42 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 59 | 65 | 57 | 2nd | R3 | — | FA Trophy | R2 | Colin Cowperthwaite | 18 |
| 1991–92 | Conf ↓ | 42 | 8 | 14 | 20 | 52 | 72 | 38 | 22nd | QR4 | — | FA Trophy | R2 | John Brady | 11 |
| 1992–93 | NPL P | 42 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 71 | 55 | 65 | 8th | QR4 | — | FA Trophy | R1 | Not known | — |
| 1993–94 | NPL P | 42 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 59 | 51 | 64 | 8th | QR3 | — | FA Trophy | QR3 | Not known | — |
| 1994–95 | NPL P | 42 | 17 | 5 | 20 | 68 | 71 | 56 | 11th | QR3 | — | FA Trophy | QR3 | Not known | — |
| 1995–96 | NPL P | 42 | 20 | 13 | 9 | 69 | 42 | 73 | 4th | R2 | — | FA Trophy | QR2 | Not known | — |
| 1996–97 | NPL P | 44 | 23 | 11 | 10 | 71 | 45 | 80 | 5th | QR4 | — | FA Trophy | QR3 | Neil Morton | 22[20] |
| 1997–98 | NPL P ↑ | 42 | 25 | 8 | 9 | 61 | 29 | 83 | 1st | QR1 | — | FA Trophy | QF | Neil Morton | 13[21] |
| 1998–99 | Conf ↓ | 42 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 40 | 63 | 43 | 19th[j] | QR3 | — | FA Trophy | R2 | Andy Mutch | 8 |
| 1999–2000 | NPL P | 44 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 65 | 59 | 57 | 13th | QR2 | — | FA Trophy | R2 | Nicky Peverell | 19[22] |
| 2000–01 | NPL P | 44 | 21 | 9 | 14 | 83 | 63 | 72 | 6th | R1 | — | FA Trophy | R1 | Not known | — |
| 2001–02 | NPL P | 44 | 19 | 10 | 15 | 75 | 59 | 67 | 8th | R1 | — | FA Trophy | R2 | Not known | — |
| 2002–03 | NPL P | 44 | 24 | 12 | 8 | 84 | 52 | 84 | 2nd | R2 | — | FA Trophy | R3 | Not known | — |
| 2003–04 | NPL P | 44 | 22 | 14 | 8 | 82 | 52 | 80 | 3rd[k] | QR3 | — | FA Trophy | R3 | Not known | — |
| 2004–05 | Conf N | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 50 | 64 | 52 | 16th | QR2 | — | FA Trophy | R4 | Not known | — |
| 2005–06 | Conf N | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 62 | 67 | 47 | 14th | QR4 | — | FA Trophy | R2 | Not known | — |
| 2006–07 | Conf N | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 47 | 48 | 50 | 16th | R1 | — | FA Trophy | R1 | Not known | — |
| 2007–08 | Conf N ↑ | 42 | 21 | 13 | 18 | 70 | 39 | 76 | 5th[l] | R1 | — | Matt Henney | 14[24] | ||
| 2008–09 | Conf Nat | 46 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 51 | 65 | 51 | 20th | R3 | — | FA Trophy | R2 | Jason Walker | 11 |
| 2009–10 | Conf Nat | 44 | 13 | 13 | 18 | 50 | 67 | 52 | 15th | R3 | — | FA Trophy | W[m] | Jason Walker | 14 |
| 2010–11 | Conf Nat | 46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 52 | 67 | 50 | 18th | QR4 | — | FA Trophy | R1 | Jason Walker | 11 |
| 2011–12 | Conf Nat | 46 | 17 | 9 | 20 | 62 | 76 | 60 | 13th | R1 | — | FA Trophy | R2 | Andy Cook | 17 |
| 2012–13 | Conf P ↓ | 46 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 45 | 83 | 46 | 22nd | R2 | — | FA Trophy | QF | Adam Boyes | 13 |
| 2013–14 | Conf N | 42 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 50 | 56 | 56 | 11th | QR4 | — | FA Trophy | R2 | Nicky Rushton | 11 |
| 2014–15 | Conf N ↑ | 42 | 26 | 9 | 7 | 81 | 43 | 87 | 1st | QR2 | — | FA Trophy | QR3 | Andy Cook | 23 |
| 2015–16 | Nat | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 64 | 71 | 65 | 11th | QR4 | — | FA Trophy | R2 | Andy Cook | 24 |
| 2016–17 | Nat | 46 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 72 | 53 | 75 | 7th | R3 | — | FA Trophy | QF | Byron Harrison | 19 |
| 2017–18 | Nat | 46 | 11 | 16 | 19 | 51 | 63 | 49 | 20th | QR4 | — | FA Trophy | R2 | Byron Harrison | 8 |
| 2018–19 | Nat | 46 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 52 | 51 | 64 | 10th | QR4 | — | FA Trophy | R1 | Jack Hindle | 12 |
| 2019–20 | Nat ↑ | 37 | 21 | 7 | 9 | 68 | 79 | 70 | 1st[n] | QR4 | — | FA Trophy | R3 | Scott Quigley | 20 |
| 2020–21 | League 2 | 46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 53 | 59 | 50 | 21st | R1 | R1 | EFL Trophy | Group | Scott Quigley | 15 |
| 2021–22 | League 2 | 46 | 10 | 14 | 22 | 44 | 57 | 44 | 22nd | R3 | R2 | EFL Trophy | Group | Ollie Banks | 9 |
| 2022–23 | League 2 | 46 | 18 | 8 | 20 | 47 | 53 | 62 | 9th | R1 | R2 | EFL Trophy | R2 (N) | Josh Gordon | 15 |
| 2023–24 | League 2 | 46 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 62 | 56 | 69 | 8th | R2 | R1 | EFL Trophy | Group | Kian Spence | 9 |
| 2024–25 | League 2 | 46 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 52 | 50 | 59 | 16th | R1 | R3 | EFL Trophy | Group | Emile Acquah | 6 |