Congratulations Bluebirds

We send our congratulations to our south of the county neighbours, Barrow, who have been elected to the EFL, forty-eight years after their failure to win re-election and harsh demotion to the Northern Premier League.

The irony won’t be lost on Reds supporters that their long-awaited jubilation coincides with the 43rd anniversary of our own demotion from the League – five years after Barrow, in fact.

Barrow’s last victory in the Fourth Division was at our expense when they emerged 2-0 winners at Holker Street on 22 April, 1972.

It was a peculiar end to the ’71-72 season with Reds and Barrow, after meeting each other, ending their campaign with matches against Brentford and Exeter City.

We travelled to Exeter City in mid-week and won whilst Barrow hosted Brentford and lost.  Then, on the final Saturday, we emerged victors against Brentford and Barrow lost heavily at Exeter City.

Barrow had slipped into the re-election zone at the eleventh hour and finished level on points (37) but below Northampton Town in 22^nd position.  Stockport County (32 points) and Crewe Alexandra (29) finished 23^rd and 24^th respectively. Despite the defeat at Holker Street, Reds finished a commendable 6^th that season although, thereafter, we were living on borrowed time.