Barrow AFC fans have reached end of their tether

 Source: North West Evening Mail

 Barrow AFC fans have reached end of their tether

 By David Pickthall

CHANTS of “what a load of rubbish” and “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” belted out of the away end at Gigg Lane at the final whistle of Sunday’s match against FC United.

Before leaving the field, a handful of Barrow players – I can’t remember who – clapped in the direction of the travelling fans to acknowledge their commitment to the cause.

But it didn’t stop the verbal onslaught and boos.

The chants were venom-filled, heartfelt and borne out of an eight-match winless streak that the players had appeared to show no desire of stopping against FC United.

It was clear in that exact moment on Sunday that Barrow fans had reached the end of their tether with the way this season is unfolding.

Karl Marginson, like the Barrow fans, probably thought FC United would lose on Sunday.

The home manager wrote in his programme notes: “We’re in for a very tough game against Barrow today.”

How wrong he was.

What made the performance difficult to swallow was the fact this was no low-key FA Cup fourth round qualifier on a poor pitch in front of a low gate.

Quite the opposite.

Sunday’s match was played in an all-seater Football League stadium in front of more than 3,200 vocal supporters and Barrow’s biggest travelling support of the season by far.

It didn’t feel like your average Conference match.

It had that big game, big stage FA Cup atmosphere and yet Barrow fell flat.

Add that to the winless run and the fact Barrow lost to a team two tiers below them, and you can begin to understand the fans’ unrest – even though these results do happen, the history of the FA Cup will tell you that.

There is no FA Cup “distraction” now for Barrow as there probably has been for the past two years.

They need to ensure that is a good thing, especially given the difficulty of the upcoming league games.

THE Barrow fans were on top form midway through the second half on Sunday when they gave the current chart hit Barbra Streisand a Bluebirds twist.

Singing all the “oo’s” in the same high-pitched style as the original, they then inserted the words “Barrow Soccer”.

It summed up the day, though, when FC United scored as they were in full voice.

First published at 13:07, Thursday, 28 October 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk