FA Cup: 20 handy facts on Barrow AFC

Barrow knocked League Two promotion hopefuls Brentford out of the FA Cup on Friday night through goals by David Brown and Matt Henney. Their reward is a lucrative trip to Gareth Southgate’s Middlesbrough. Here are 20 handy facts on the Cumbrian side and town.

1.       Barrow AFC was formed on July 16^th 1901 and are nicknamed the Bluebirds.

2.       They play in the Blue Square Conference and are currently (as of December 1, 2008) 17^th in the table, just five points off the drop zone.

3.       Barrow play at Holker Street in Barrow-in-Furness. This has been their home ground since 1909.

4.       The capacity at Holker Street is 4,256.

5.       However, their biggest attendance was 16,874 against Swansea City in the third round of the FA Cup in 1954.

6.       They won their first ever game at Holker Street 5-2 against Eccles Borough.

7.       Barrow were promoted to the Conference last season after beating Stalybridge Celtic in the play-off final.

8.       The club is managed by the pairing of David Bayliss and Darren Sheridan.

9.       Bayliss is only 32 and has played for the likes of Luton Town, Rochdale and Wrexham.

10.   Sheridan, 40, is the younger brother of former Sheffield Wednesday and Oldham ace John Sheridan. Darren has played for Wigan, Barnsley and OIdham during his career.

11.   Their last appearance in the third round of the FA Cup came in 1991 where they lost to Bolton 1-0.

12.   People from Barrow are affectionately known as barrovians.

13.   The legendary Liverpool and England captain Emlyn Hughes was born in the town in 1947. He died of a brain tumour in 2004.

14.   Barrow is also the home of another footballer Gary Stevens. He earned countless trophies during his time at Everton and Glasgow Rangers.

15.   Barrow won the FA Trophy in 1990 at Wembley by beating Leek Town 3-0.

16.   The club’s highest finish in league football was in the 1967/68 season when they finished eighth in Division Three.

17.   Jason Walker is the club’s top scorer this season with eight. The Barrow-born striker joined Dundee at 16, but failed to make a breakthrough.

18.   Shrewsbury Town and former Nottingham Forest marksman Grant Holt spent three years of his career at Barrow. He scored 35 goals in 69 starts for the Bluebirds.

19.   Brian Kidd, one time assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, began his managerial career at the club. He spent one season at Holker Street in 1984/85.

20.   Barrow’s home kit is white shirt, blue shorts and white socks.