All Bluebirds Column #5 – Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now

The man next to me was apoplectic. “FOUR OPPORTUNITIES TO CHALLENGE! FOUR!” as Carlisle waltzed untroubled down our right-hand side and unchallenged into the box for their third. Brunton Park roared with joy whereas in the away end, numbness descended. And there was still worse to follow.

It had been a busy week at Barrow. First on Friday we had Pete Wild and the Board in good form, with a fair assessment of where we are (work in progress) and what we are aiming for (top 10 to go with the budget was my take). There was much talk of consolidation, stability, the journey and how far we’d come. We even had some long-awaited news on seating. All sensible cheerful stuff.

There’d been an EFL video of our team and town that managed to capture us on the move pretty well. Pete praised the support, the hardworking town, the hostile atmosphere we could create and the fact we stick together. He said he wanted a team in our image. That too is a work in progress.

Northampton at home offered us some hints of what was to come. A first half where we moved the ball around fairly brightly, pressed when necessary and tried to get round the sides. Hardly domination but the more positive team. Half time brought strange lassitude- where we stepped off and conceded yet another cheap goal from a set piece, then one at the end when we were chasing the game to little effect. Ho hum.

Still, optimism abounded when we set off on the buses for the shortish trip up the road. Carlisle, top of the form table but not infallible, a good atmosphere and a good away support could galvanise us. We were buoyed by a new deadline day signing and spirits were good although we waved goodbye to an honest, hardworking Connor Brown.

Carlisle? Rousing themselves from stagnation with a large crowd expected. The fanzone was busy, the Rugby Club full of Barrow mostly queuing. It was all good humoured.  

That is, unless you were a younger man travelling by car. 950-odd filled the away end but about 40 of our most vociferous fans were turned back to Barrow by Cumbria Police at some point in their journey. All had match tickets and searches indicated no pyrotechnics etc. Anyone who believes in civil liberties might expect questions be asked about this. One for the lawyers, perhaps.

On to the ‘Classico’ (please). We started reasonably, pressing at the right time and counter attacking with quick breaks up the side. Carlisle looked strong, confident and resolute, but a little uncomfortable.

However, Paul Simpson is an experienced manager who knows what’s required and despite denials to the contrary has clearly squeezed a fair wage bill for his squad. One cross come shot hit the bar. But for all our buzzing it was us who were swatted by a simple through ball, marginally offside, which flummoxed George Ray and was confidently dispatched.

So which version of the work in progress would enter the second half? The X Rated one, it transpired. Goals two, three and four followed similar patterns of ineptitude. Individual mistakes and weak challenges led to a turnover in possession where they worked the ball around our right side of defence. Carlisle would play it quickly around and effectively, slickly finish. Brunton Park rocked and mocked- we had little answer in our corner. Our performance was woeful, poor and weak. They’ll go up, I think.

Games like these you have a number of choices at this point. One, gallows humour, ‘we’ve scored a gooooal’ sang when an OG gave us a consolation. Two, complete, furious meltdown, “I’m never coming again you *******s”. Three, sideways tactical muttering, “where is Tyler Warren now..” Most just stood in misery or got an early dart into the bleak February night. Perhaps Cumbria Police could have deported the whole support from Cumberland pre-match- it would have been a comfort.

I left the apoplectic man straining his vocal chords, and trudged away. We sat on the bus, staring into space or reading out complaints of RC commentator James Phillips’ classless onanism as he expired with delight on line, ably handled by ‘Lummy’. It sounded almost as bad as being there.

Pete Wild was right to apologise and the players need to atone for that performance. Never mind work in progress. Work to progress, on and off the pitch. I’m away to consider my life choices and going to Essex. Nurse!