Barrow Raiders are an
EnglishEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional
rugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
team from
Barrow-in-FurnessBarrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
,
CumbriaCumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, who are coached by Dave Clark. Formed in 1875 as Barrow Football Club, the club is the oldest of the current professional sports teams in
CumbriaCumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
.
Barrow Raiders currently compete in the Co-operative Championship 1, the third tier of European rugby league (behind only the
Super LeagueSuper League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
). They were demoted to the Championship One at the end of the 2011 season for a breach of salary cap rules. They had previously won the second tier Co-operative Championship in 2009, and finished fourth in 2010.
Early years
Barrow Football Club were formed in 1875. It is thought that Tom H. Baynes, a shipping clerk, was the driving force behind the club's foundation. As well as being a player, he was probably also the first Barrow team coach. Games were mainly played at Cavendish Park but also (until 1880) at the Parade Ground.
In April 1897 the team switched from
rugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
to
rugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
following a unanimous vote at the club. Barrow joined the Lancashire Senior Competition Second Division and became champions in their first season. However, they lost a challenge match against Morecambe, the bottom club in the First Division and they failed to gain promotion. They were finally promoted in the 1899–1900 season, by defeating Tyldesley in the challenge match.
In 1914, Cavendish Park was requisitioned by the authorities for the war effort. Barrow moved to Little Park, Roose, three miles from the centre of town. The league at this time was suspended and clubs were forced to arrange their own fixtures in an unofficial war league. Barrow were champions in 1917/18, losing just twice in 22 matches.
After World War I, Barrow had mixed fortunes and when the league resumed in 1919–20, they managed to finish fifth. However, over the next decade, despite having several county and national players, Barrow’s form suffered and its league position was poor.
In 1929, it had been realised that rugby league in Barrow was approaching a precarious period, as the attendances at Little Park were gradually decreasing. This was in part due to industrial depression but also Little Park's location. The directors made an appeal to the town, and approached the mayor, Alderman John Whinnerah who was to be an ardent supporter. Commander G. W. Craven, a local war hero, started an appeal fund with a donation of £500. In a short time the club bought a central site, where the Jute Works stood for £2,500.
Craven ParkCraven Park is a rugby league stadium in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. It is the home of Barrow Raiders rugby league team.Craven Park was built in 1931, largely as a result of the efforts of supporters of Barrow RLFC, 500 of whom volunteered to construct the ground...
was built in 1931, largely as a result of the efforts of supporters, 500 of whom volunteered to construct the ground. The total cost of the building project came to £7,500 which was an unbelievable figure in those days (based on average increases in earnings, this would be approximately £1,470,000 in 2009).
1937–38 saw Barrow reach the finals of the
Lancashire CupHistorically, British rugby league clubs competed for the Lancashire Cup and the Yorkshire Cup, known collectively as the county cups. The leading rugby clubs in Yorkshire had played in a cup competition for several years prior to the schism of 1895...
for the first time, losing narrowly 4-8 to
WarringtonWarrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
. That season was a time of great opportunity for the Barrow team but was to end in disappointment. After playing seven matches in just ten days, they lost 7-4 to
SalfordSalford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
in the final of the
Challenge CupThe Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
at
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
; they also lost in the Championship play-off semi-final 13-7 against
HunsletHunslet Hawks is a professional rugby league club based in Hunslet, West Yorkshire, England. The club, sometimes known as 'the Parksiders' after their former stadium, are currently champions of Championship One.-History:-Early years:...
.
Post World War two
Barrow dropped out of the wartime Lancashire league in 1940-41, they did not return to league competition until 1945-46. As many of the pre-war players had retired, this was an era of rebuilding and recruiting.
The 1950s were the club's heyday. The team was captained by
Willie HorneWillie Horne was an English rugby league footballer. He played for Great Britain, England, Lancashire and Barrow between 1943 to 1959 and captained all four sides. He captained Great Britain in a test series against Australia in the days when Great Britain could beat the Aussies...
and Barrow appeared no less than three times at Wembley. On 5 May 1951, Barrow made their second appearance at Wembley and were beaten 10-0 by
WiganWigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
. On Saturday 27 October 1951 13,319 spectators were at Barrow to watch the home side beat
New ZealandThe New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
9-5. On 30 April 1955, Barrow made their third appearance at Wembley. This time, they won the Challenge Cup 21-12 against
Workington TownWorkington Town is a professional rugby league club playing in Workington in West Cumbria. They play in the Championship 1. Their stadium is called Derwent Park, which they share with Workington Comets, a speedway team....
, later that year they added the Lancashire Cup after a 12-2 win over
OldhamOldham Roughyeds is an English professional rugby league club based in Oldham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Championship One. Oldham is one of the original twenty-two rugby clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895....
.
On 11 May 1957, Barrow played again in the Challenge Cup final at Wembley against
LeedsLeeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
and were narrowly beaten 9-7. 1957 signalled the end of the golden era of the club and most of the star players retired after this time.
The league split into two divisions in 1961-62 and because of a poor finish in the previous season, Barrow was forced to play in the second division.
Their last appearance at Wembley Stadium was in 1967, where they were strongly tipped to win the Challenge Cup final again, but were beaten by
Featherstone RoversFeatherstone Rovers are a semi-professional rugby league club, based in Featherstone, West Yorkshire, England. They currently play in the Championship. The Rovers are one of the last vestiges of "small town teams" that were once common in rugby league during the early twentieth century...
17-12. A crowd of 77,000 paid a then record £54,435 to watch the game (based on average increases in earnings, this would be approximately £1,480,000 in 2009).
1973 saw Barrow appoint former player,
Frank FosterFrank Foster is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s and 1970s, and coach of the 1970s and 1980s who, at representative level, played for Great Britain, and Cumberland, and at club level for Workington Town, Hull Kingston Rovers, Bradford Northern, Barrow, and Oldham,...
, as coach. He built a side which won the Second Division championship in 1975-76 and reached a John Player Trophy final in 1981 only to lose 5-12 to Warrington.
Phil HoganPhilip "Phil" G. Hogan is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s and '80s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Barrow, and Hull Kingston Rovers, playing at , or , i.e...
was transferred to
Hull KRHull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
in 1978 for a then world record fee of £33,000 (based on average increases in earnings, this would be approximately £228,000 in 2009). Latterly with good 'hard' forwards and fast talented 'union' backs this team were known as the 'Harlem Globetrotters' of rugby league, always trying to keep the ball alive and exciting to watch. The only problem was inconsistency and stabilising the club in the 'Premier league' was too difficult to achieve.
Barrow fluctuated between divisions but had three consecutive years in the top flight between 1980 and 1983.
Frank FosterFrank Foster is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s and 1970s, and coach of the 1970s and 1980s who, at representative level, played for Great Britain, and Cumberland, and at club level for Workington Town, Hull Kingston Rovers, Bradford Northern, Barrow, and Oldham,...
was eventually replaced by Thomas "Tommy" Dawes in 1983.
The season 1983-84 saw Barrow win the Second Division title and the Lancashire Cup against favourites
WidnesWidnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
12-8. Thomas "Tommy" Dawes, despite his initial success, was sacked in 1985.
In 1988-89, Australian
Rod ReddyRod "Rocket" Reddy is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the St. George Dragons between 1972 and 1983 and the Illawarra Steelers between 1984 and 1985...
took on a player-coach role at Barrow in 1987. Barrow earned promotion to Division One but that campaign saw Barrow manage only one league win and suffer a club record 90-0 defeat at Leeds. Reddy was sacked and Denis Jackson took over as a caretaker coach for the rest of 1989-90.
After relegation in 1990, Barrow appointed a new coach in
Steve 'Knocker' NortonSteve 'Knocker' Norton is an English former rugby league footballer. He represented Yorkshire, England and Great Britain and played club football for Castleford before moving to Hull, and Wakefield Trinity. Norton was widely regarded as one of the greatest exponents of the game, with a distinctive...
but finished 17th out of 21 in Division Two.
Summer era
In 1996, the first tier of British rugby league clubs played the inaugural
Super LeagueSuper League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
season and changed from a winter to a summer season. When the Super League competition had been proposed, part of the deal was that some traditional clubs would merge. Barrow were down to merge with
WhitehavenWhitehaven RLFC is a rugby league club playing in Whitehaven in West Cumbria. They play in Co-operative Championship. Their stadium is called the Recreation Ground...
,
Workington TownWorkington Town is a professional rugby league club playing in Workington in West Cumbria. They play in the Championship 1. Their stadium is called Derwent Park, which they share with Workington Comets, a speedway team....
and
CarlisleCarlisle RLFC were a rugby league team based in Carlisle, Cumbria.-Early rugby league in Carlisle:Carlisle City, based at Harraby Greyhound Stadium close to Gillford Park, were admitted to the Northern Rugby Football Union for the 1928-29 season. They withdrew on November 8, 1928 after only ten...
to form a new club called
Cumbria based in Workington which would compete in the Super League but ultimately this did not happen and Barrow were not part of the new competition.
Until 1995 the team was simply titled
Barrow RLFC, but they adopted the nickname
Barrow Braves to coincide with rugby league’s switch to a summer season. Peter Roe was head coach for an 15-month period, ending in January 1996.
In 1997 they merged with
CumbriaCumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
n rivals
CarlisleCarlisle RLFC were a rugby league team based in Carlisle, Cumbria.-Early rugby league in Carlisle:Carlisle City, based at Harraby Greyhound Stadium close to Gillford Park, were admitted to the Northern Rugby Football Union for the 1928-29 season. They withdrew on November 8, 1928 after only ten...
to form
Barrow Border Raiders. Carlisle's
Paul CharltonHarry Paul Charlton is an English former professional Rugby League World Cup winning footballer of the 1960s, '70s and '80s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Workington Town , and Salford, playing at , i.e...
became coach of the new team. The new team played all its matches in Barrow; the merger was essentially a financial arrangement only. Barrow enjoyed mixed fortunes under Paul Charlton with two top-ten finishes in the Northern Ford Premiership in 1999 and 2000, before the club's fortunes took a turn for the worse in the 2001 season, which resulted in Paul Charlton not being offered a new contract.
http://www.eladvertiser.co.uk/charlo_bids_for_barrow_return_1_476332?referrerPath=home/search_results_2_3314 In 2002 the
"Border" part of the name, which was never that relevant to Barrow, which is in south Cumbria, was dropped.
Under Peter Roe's second spell at Craven Park, they were National League Two champions in 2004, their first trophy for 20 years. They were promoted to National League One. However, they were relegated back to
National League TwoThe Championship, known as Co-operative Championship due to sponsorship by The Co-operative Group, is a professional rugby league competition based in the United Kingdom. It is currently contested by ten teams from England. It acts as Europe's second-tier competition below the Super League, and has...
at the end of the 2005 season after winning just one of their 18 matches. The financial situation at the club forced a review of the coaching structure and the position of head coach was made part-time and the club parted company with
Peter RoePeter Roe may refer to:*Peter Roe , former Canadian soccer player*Peter Roe , English former rugby league player and coach...
. In October 2005 local ex-player
Paul CrareyPaul Crarey is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s, and coach of the 1990s and 2000s who at club level has played for Barrow, playing at , i.e. number 9, and at representative level has coached for Cumbria, and at club level for Barrow Raiders, and...
was appointed as head coach. In his first season as coach of the Raiders he guided them to the National League Two play-offs on a very limited budget. After the end of the 2007 season
Paul CrareyPaul Crarey is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s, and coach of the 1990s and 2000s who at club level has played for Barrow, playing at , i.e. number 9, and at representative level has coached for Cumbria, and at club level for Barrow Raiders, and...
controversially resigned from Barrow Raiders, after guiding them to a second succsesive play-off position.
Barrow initially had lined up former Widnes coach
Steve McCormackSteve McCormack is the former head coach of National League One club Widnes. He is currently head coach of Scotland RL and SwintonHis first coaching appointment had been at Salford, who made him the youngest coach in Super League at the age of just 28 in 2001 but was sacked just 10 months later.He...
to take over but after receiving a better position with struggling Super League club Hull KR. On Thursday 2 November 2007 Barrow Raiders announced that former player Welsh-born Aussie
Dave ClarkeDavid "Dave" Clarke is a professional rugby league footballer who at representative level has played for Wales, and at club level for Barrow Raiders, playing at , i.e. number 9.-International honours:...
would take over, with Dean Marwood as his assistant. On 23 August 2008, Raiders gained automatic promotion from National League Two by beating
SwintonSwinton Lions is an English professional rugby league club from Swinton, Greater Manchester. The club has won the Championship six times and three Challenge Cups. They currently play in the Championship.-Early years:...
12-32 to clinch second place in National League Two. On 5 April 2009, Barrow played
WiganWigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
of the
Super LeagueSuper League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
in one of the biggest matches to be played at Craven Park, and pushed the Warriors all the way in a titanic struggle with Ian Lenagan, Wigan's owner, admitting later that he had been worried about a shock cup exit for his side. On 21 July Despite the club being 2nd in the league and having made The Northern Rail Cup Final coach Dave Clark stepped down and became assistant to new head coach Steve Deakin
On 31 August 2009, after just 6 weeks in charge, Steve Deakin left the club and Dave Clark reclaimed the head coach role, leading the club to the 2009 Co-Op Championship league leaders trophy and a grand final appearance versus Halifax. In the 2009 Co-Op Championship Grand Final, a closely matched game was fought between Barrow and Halifax, but a try in the 77th minute settled the game once and for all in Barrow's favour. The final score was Barrow 26-18 Halifax.
Barrow finished fourth in 2010 with coach
Steve McCormackSteve McCormack is the former head coach of National League One club Widnes. He is currently head coach of Scotland RL and SwintonHis first coaching appointment had been at Salford, who made him the youngest coach in Super League at the age of just 28 in 2001 but was sacked just 10 months later.He...
leaving the club to take up a teaching post. After a lengthy search for a new coach, Barrow plumped for
Garry SchofieldGarry E. Schofield OBE is an English retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 1990s. At the time of his retirement he was the most-capped Great Britain player of all time along with Mick Sullivan, with 46 appearances. He also won three England caps, making him the highest...
. Schofield was sacked as coach after only five games in 2011 and his assistant Nigel Wright was appointed as head coach. With 6 games to go in July Barrow sacked Nigel Wright and appointed old coach Dave Clark as their manager for the rest of the season. The on-field problems were matched by off-field difficulties, with the club accused of breaking salary cap rules. This was eventually found to be so and all of Barrow's points were deducted for the 2011 season, relegating them to the Co-operative Championship 1 for the 2012 season.
2011 Squad
Players earning international caps while at Barrow
- Robert "Bob" Ayres
Robert "Bob" Ayres is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s and '40s, who at representative level has played for England, and at club level for Barrow, playing at , i.e...
won caps for England while at Barrow 1938 Wales, France, 1945 Wales
- William "Bill" Burgess won caps for England while at Barrow 1923 Wales, 1924 Other Nations, 1925 Wales (2 matches), 1926 Wales, Other Nations, 1928 Wales, 1930 Other Nations won caps for Great Britain while at Barrow 1924 Australia (3 matches), New Zealand (3 matches), 1926-27 New Zealand (3 matches), 1928 Australia (3 matches), New Zealand (2 matches), 1929-30 Australia (2 matches)
- William "Bill" Burgess
William "Bill" Burgess is an English former rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s and '70s who at representative level has played rugby union for Lancashire, and at club level for , and Fylde RFC, and at representative level has played rugby league for Great Britain,...
won caps for England while at Barrow 1962 France, 1969 Wales, France won caps for Great Britain while at Barrow 1962 France, 1963 Australia, 1965 New Zealand (2 matches), 1966 France, Australia (3 matches), New Zealand (2 matches), 1967 France, Australia, 1968 France, while at SalfordSalford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
1969 France
- David Cairns
David Cairns is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Barrow, and Salford, playing at , i.e...
won caps for England while at Barrow 1984 Wales won caps for Great Britain while at Barrow 1984 France (2 matches)
- Chris Camilleri won caps for Wales while at Barrow in 1980 against France, while at Widnes in 1982 against Australia, and while at Cardiff City (Bridgend) Blue Dragons in 1984 against England, and won caps for Great Britain while at Barrow in 1980 against New Zealand (2 matches)
- Charles "Charlie" W. Carr won caps for England while at Barrow 1924 Other Nations, 1925 Wales (2 matches), 1926 Wales, Other Nations, 1927 Wales, 1928 Wales won caps for Great Britain while at Barrow 1924 Australia (2 matches), New Zealand (2 matches), 1926-27 New Zealand (3 matches)
- Frank Castle
Frank Castle is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Barrow, playing at , i.e...
won caps for England while at Barrow 1951 France, 1952 Other Nations (2 matches), Wales, 1953 Other Nations won caps for Great Britain while at Barrow 1952 Australia (3 matches), 1954 Australia
- David "Dave" Clarke
David "Dave" Clarke is a professional rugby league footballer who at representative level has played for Wales, and at club level for Barrow Raiders, playing at , i.e. number 9.-International honours:...
won caps for Wales while at Barrow Raiders 2004(…2005?) 2-caps
- Val Cumberbatch
Val Cumberbatch is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s, who at representative level has played for England, and at club level for Barrow.-International honours:...
won caps for England while at Barrow 1938 France
- John Cunningham
John Cunningham is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s, who at representative level has played for England, and at club level for Barrow, playing at , i.e. number 11 or 12.-International honours:...
won caps for England while at Barrow 1975 France, Wales
- Roy Francis won a cap for Great Britain while at Barrow in 1947 against New Zealand
- Harry Gifford
Harry Gifford was an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1900s, '10s and '20s who at representative level played for Great Britain, England, and Lancashire, and at club level for Barrow, playing at , or , i.e. number 1, or, 3 or 4, and latterly in the Forwards, e.g...
won caps for England while at Barrow 1908 Wales, 1909 Australia (3 matches) won caps for Great Britain while at Barrow 1908-9 Australia (2 matches)
- Dennis Goodwin
Dennis Goodwin was an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s and '60s who at representative level played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Barrow, Leeds, and York, playing at , or , i.e...
won caps for England while at Barrow 1955 Other Nations won caps for Great Britain while at Barrow 1957 France (2 matches), 1958 France, New Zealand (2 matches)
- John "Jack" Grundy
John "Jack" J. Grundy is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and at club level for Barrow, playing at , i.e...
won caps for Great Britain while at Barrow 1955 New Zealand (3 matches), 1956 Australia (3 matches), 1957 France (4 matches), Australia, New Zealand (World Cup 1957 3-caps, 1-try)
- George Gummer
George Gummer is a Welsh former professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s who at representative level has played for Wales, and at club level for Barrow.-International honours:George Gummer won caps for Wales while at Barrow 1936 2-caps....
won caps for Wales while at Barrow 1936 2-caps
- Philip "Phil" Hogan
Philip "Phil" G. Hogan is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s and '80s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Barrow, and Hull Kingston Rovers, playing at , or , i.e...
won caps for England while at Hull K.R.Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
1979 France won caps for Great Britain while at Barrow 1977 France, New Zealand, Australia (2 matches), 1978 Australia (sub), while at Hull K.R.Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
1979 Australia, Australia (sub), New Zealand, New Zealand (sub)
- William "Willie" Horne
Willie Horne was an English rugby league footballer. He played for Great Britain, England, Lancashire and Barrow between 1943 to 1959 and captained all four sides. He captained Great Britain in a test series against Australia in the days when Great Britain could beat the Aussies...
won caps for England while at Barrow 1945 Wales (2 matches), 1946 France (2 matches), Wales (2 matches), 1947 France, Wales , 1949 Other Nations, 1952 Other Nations, Wales, 1953 France, Wales, Other Nations won caps for Great Britain while at Barrow 1946 Australia (3 matches), 1947 New Zealand, 1948 Australia, 1952 Australia (3 matches)
- Frederick "Fred" Hughes
Frederick "Fred" Hughes was a Welsh professional rugby league footballer of the 1940s who at representative level played for Great Britain , Wales, and at club level for Barrow, and Workington Town.-International honours:...
won caps for Wales while at Barrow, and Workington Town 1945…1946 3-caps
- George Hughes
George Edgar Hughes was a rugby union footballer of the 1890s who at representative level played for England, and at club level for Barrow, playing in the Forwards, e.g. Front row, Lock, or Back row...
, won a cap for England (RU) while at Barrow in 1896 against Scotland
- Phil Jackson won caps for England while at Barrow 1955 Other Nations won caps for Great Britain while at Barrow 1954 Australia (3 matches), New Zealand (3 matches), 1954 France (2 matches), Australia, New Zealand, 1955 New Zealand (3 matches), 1956 Australia (3 matches), 1957 France, New Zealand, France (5 matches), 1958 France, Australia (2 matches), New Zealand (World Cup 1954 4-caps 3-tries, 1957 2-caps, 2-tries)
- Keith Jarrett
Keith Jarrett was a Welsh international rugby centre who played union for Newport and league with Barrow. Jarrett is most notable for his early appearances for the Wales national rugby union team where he set point scoring records...
won caps for WalesThe Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
(RU) while at Newport RFC (RU) 10-caps, won caps for British LionsThe British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
(RU) while at Newport RFC (RU) ?-caps, won caps for Wales while at Barrow 1970 (1?)2-caps 1-try 3-points
- Joseph "Joe" Jones won caps for Wales while at Wigan and Barrow 1940…1949 15-caps, and won a cap for Great Britain while at Barrow in 1946 against New Zealand
- Bryn Knowelden
Brindle "Bryn" Knowelden was an English professional rugby league and association football player of the 1940s and '50s who played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Barrow, Warrington, and Hull Kingston Rovers. He played at , i.e. number 2 or 5...
won caps for England while at Barrow 1944 Wales, 1945 Wales , 1947 France won caps for Great Britain while at Barrow 1946 New Zealand
- James "Jimmy" Lewthwaite
Jimmy Lewthwaite was a rugby league for Great Britain, Cumberland, and Barrow.- Barrow :...
won caps for England while at Barrow 1952 Other Nations
- William "Billy" Little
William "Billy" Little is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s who at representative level has played for England, and at club level for Barrow, playing at , i.e...
won caps for England while at Barrow 1933 Other Nations, 1934 Australia, France
- Mark McJennett
Mark 'Macker' McJennett is a former first class rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s and '80s who at club level has played rugby union for Cardiff RFC, and Newport RFC , and for the invitational team Crawshays RFC, playing Flanker, or Wing, i.e...
won caps for Wales while at Barrow 1980…1984 2-caps + 1-cap (sub), Australia, France and England
- Reg Parker won caps for England while at Barrow 1955 Other Nations
- Gordon Pritchard
Gordon Pritchard is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s who at representative level has played for Wales, and at club level for Barrow, and Cardiff City Blue Dragons, playing at , i.e...
won caps for Wales while at Barrow, and Cardiff City (Bridgend) Blue Dragons 1978…1981 1(3?)-caps + 2-caps (sub)
- Barry Pugh
Barry Pugh is a professional rugby league footballer who at representative level has played for Wales, and at club level for Barrow Raiders, playing at , i.e. number 13.-International honours:...
won caps for Wales while at Barrow Raiders 2004(…2005?) 2-caps
- Edward "Eddie" Szymala
Edward "Eddie" 'Smiler' Szymala is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s and '80s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Barrow, playing at , i.e...
won caps for England while at Barrow 1979 France (sub) won caps for Great Britain while at Barrow 1981 France (sub), France
- Edward "Ted" Toohey
A. Edward "Ted" Toohey is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1940s and '50s, and coach of the 1970s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Wigan, and Barrow, playing at , i.e...
won caps for England while at Barrow 1952 Other Nations (2 matches) won caps for Great Britain while at Barrow 1952 Australia (3 matches)
- Alec Troup
Lindsay Alec Troup is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Barrow, playing at , or , i.e...
won caps for England while at Barrow 1934 Australia, France, 1935 Wales, 1936 Wales won caps for Great Britain while at Barrow 1936 New Zealand (2 matches)
- John "Jack" T. 'Tank' Woods
John "Jack" T. 'Tank' Woods is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Barrow, playing at , i.e...
won caps for England while at Barrow 1930 Other Nations, 1930 Wales, 1933 Other Nations won caps for Great Britain while at Barrow 1933 Australia
Other notable players
These players have either; won or played in the final of
Challenge CupThe Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
, Rugby Football League Championship,
Lancashire CupHistorically, British rugby league clubs competed for the Lancashire Cup and the Yorkshire Cup, known collectively as the county cups. The leading rugby clubs in Yorkshire had played in a cup competition for several years prior to the schism of 1895...
,
Lancashire LeagueThe Yorkshire League and the Lancashire League formed two sections of the Rugby Football League Championship for much of its history. Initially, the 22 clubs that broke away in 1895 played in one combined league, however the following season saw the addition of many clubs, and the League was split...
, have received a
Testimonial matchA testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
, were international representatives before, or after, their time at Barrow, or are notable outside of rugby league.
- Harry Atkinson 1951 Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
- Brian Backhouse circa-1967 Harry Bath
Harry Bath , was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach who rose to prominence in the mid-Twentieth Century...
- Les Belshaw 1955 Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
Left-
- xClive Best 1955 Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
- Cliff Beverley
Cliff Beverley is a former professional rugby league player. His preferred position was Five Eighth, although he was somewhat of a utility and spent considerable time at fullback.-Early years:...
- Matthew Blake
Matthew Blake is a professional rugby league footballer who at club level has played for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, and Barrow Raiders, playing at , i.e. number 8 or 10.-External links:********...
- Wally Bowyer 1951 Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
(reserve)
- Andy Bracek
Andy Bracek born 21 March 1987 in Leigh, Greater Manchester, England is a Welsh rugby league footballer for Crusaders who at representative level has played for Wales, and at club level for St. Helens, and Warrington Wolves in Super League, and Barrow Raiders in the Championship, playing at .Bracek...
- Gary Broadbent
Gary Broadbent is an English rugby league footballer of the 1990s, 2000s, and '10s who at representative level has played for England, and at club level for Salford City Reds in the European Super League, and Widnes Vikings, Whitehaven, and Barrow Raiders in National League One, playing at , , or ,...
- Andrew Brocklehurst
Andrew Brocklehurst is a second row rugby league player.Brocklehurst joined Salford City Reds in 2004 from London Broncos . He has also played for Halifax and is a coach at his former amateur side....
- Thomas "Tom" Brophy 1966-1972
- Liam Campbell
Liam Campbell is a professional rugby league footballer who at club level has played for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Barrow Raiders , and Workington Town, playing at /, i.e. number 7.-External links:***...
- Keale Carlile
Keale Carlile is a rugby league player for Huddersfield Giants in the Super League. He plays as a . Keale made his Bradford Bulls debut against St...
- Mick Cassidy
Michael "Mick" D. Cassidy, is an English former rugby league player. Cassidy is currently the fitness coach for the Widnes Vikings after retring from the game in 2008. Cassidy had a wealth experience with the dominant Wigan side of the early to mid-90s. Cassidy is a Great Britain representative...
- Ned Catic
Ned Catic is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays for Barrow Raiders after being released by Castleford Tigers at the end of the 2008 Super League season...
Robert "Rob" Cummins
- James "Jim" Challinor
James "Jim" P. Challinor was an English professional Rugby League World Cup winning footballer of the 1950s and '60s, and coach of the 1960s and '70s, who at representative level played for Great Britain, and at club level for Warrington, and Barrow, playing at , or , i.e...
circa-1967
- David Chisnall
David "Dave" Chisnall is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Leigh , Warrington, St. Helens, and Barrow, playing at , i.e...
- Paul Crarey
Paul Crarey is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s, and coach of the 1990s and 2000s who at club level has played for Barrow, playing at , i.e. number 9, and at representative level has coached for Cumbria, and at club level for Barrow Raiders, and...
- Henry Delooze circa-1967
- George Dobson
George Dobson was an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1900s, '10s and '20s who at representative level played for Lancashire, and at club level for Barrow, playing at , i.e...
(Testimonial matchA testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
1922)
- Robert "Bob" Eccles
W. Robert "Bob" Eccles is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s, and coach of the 1990s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and at club level for Warrington, Springfield Borough, and Barrow, playing at , i.e...
circa-1993
- Andrew Ellis
- Malcolm Flynn (Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
1986)
- Frank Foster
Frank Foster is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s and 1970s, and coach of the 1970s and 1980s who, at representative level, played for Great Britain, and Cumberland, and at club level for Workington Town, Hull Kingston Rovers, Bradford Northern, Barrow, and Oldham,...
- Fred French circa-1938 Ade Gardner
Adrian Antonio Gardner is an English professional rugby league footballer for St. Helens of Super League. A Great Britain representative winger, he previously played for Barrow Raiders. He is the older brother of Ex-Salford City Reds winger, Mat Gardner.Gardner went to St Columba's Roman...
- Ken Gill
Ken Gill is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s. A Great Britain and England international representative /, he played club level for Salford, and Barrow....
- Derek Hadley (Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
1983)
- Roy Haggerty
Roy Haggerty was a rugby league player for St. Helens and Barrow who began his career at centre before moving into the .His was a popular figure amongst the St. Helens supporters who respected his fitness and commitment to the club....
John 'Dinks' Harris
- Liam Harrison
Liam Harrison , is an Irish rugby league player for Barrow Raiders in the Co-operative Championship. He plays as a centre. He is a current Ireland international...
- Ralph Hartley 1951 Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
Kevin HastingsKevin 'Horrie' Hastings is an Australian retired multi-award winning rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He played in Australia's New South Wales Rugby League Football Competition...
- Bill Healey 1955 Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
- Andrew Henderson
Andrew Henderson is an English Professional rugby league footballer for Sheffield Eagles. A Scotland international representative hooker, he previously played for Gateshead Thunder, Castleford Tigers, Balmain Tigers, Salford and Barrow.Henderson began his professional career in England in 2001...
- Cavill Heugh
Cavill Heugh is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A prop forward, he played in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership for Easts, winning the Rothmans Medal with them in 1984. The following year he made his State of Origin debut for the Maroons from the...
- Frank Hill circa-1954
- John Holmes
John S. Holmes was an English Rugby League World Cup winning footballer of the 1960s, '70s and '80s, who at representative level played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Leeds, and Barrow.-International honours:...
- Darren Holt (Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
2009)
- Raymond "Ray" Hopwood circa-1967
- Adam Hughes
Adam Hughes is a professional rugby league and rugby union footballer who at representative level has played for Wales, and at club level for , Leeds Rhinos, Leeds Tykes , Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Halifax, Widnes Vikings, Leigh Centurions, Oldham Roughyeds, and Barrow Raiders, playing at , or ,...
- Harry Hughes circa-1967
- Robert Irving
Robert "Bob" A. Irving was an English professional Rugby League World Cup winning footballer of the 1960s and '70s...
- Matt James
- Michael "Mick" James (Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
1990)
- Ivor Kelland circa-1967 David "Dave" Kendall (#10) circa-1987
- James King
James King is a professional rugby league footballer who at representative level has played for Ireland, and at club level for Barrow Raiders, and Leigh Centurions, playing at , i.e. number 11 or 12.-International honours:...
- Michael Knowles
Michael Knowles is a professional rugby league player who currently plays for Barrow Raiders in the second tier of European rugby league - the Co-operative Championship. Knowles is primarily a second-row and has one first-grade honour to his name from when he played for Castleford Tigers...
- Simon Knox
Simon Knox is a professional rugby league footballer and coach, who at representative level has played for Scotland, and at club level for Hensingham ARLFC, Bradford Bulls, Salford City Reds, Workington Town, Halifax, Widnes Vikings, Leigh Centurions , Swinton Lions, and Barrow Raiders, playing at...
- Sevania Koroi
Sevania Koroi is a rugby league player. He is a Fijian international, and represented his country at the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. Koroi has signed with the British side Barrow Raiders for 2009.-External links:*...
- Danny Leatherbarrow circa-1954
- Hugh Lloyd-Davies
R. Hugh Lloyd-Davies was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1940s who at representative level played rugby union for Wales XV, at university for Cambridge University RFC, and at club level for Ammanford RFC, playing at Fullback, i.e. number 15, and at club level...
Frank Longman http://www.totalrl.com/features/content.php?feat_id=268&featcat_id=32 (#8) circa-1948 → 1951 Challenge CupThe Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
- Zebastian Lucky Luisi
Zebastian Lucky Luisi, born 22 December 1984 in Auckland, New Zealand, is an New Zealand rugby league player.Lucky Luisi played for Doncaster in National League Two having signed in February 2008 from Harlequins RL.At the start of the 2009 Season he joined championship club Barrow RaidersLuisi's...
- Matthew McConnell
Matthew "Matt" McConnell is a professional rugby league footballer who at representative level has played for Ireland, and at club level for Barrow Raiders, playing at , i.e. number 11 or 12.-International honours:...
- Hughie McGregor 1951 Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
- Joseph "Joe" McKeever
- Jack McKinnell 1951 Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
- Martin McLoughlin
Martin Paul McLoughlin is a professional rugby league footballer who at representative level has played for Ireland, and at club level for Wigan Warriors, Barrow Raiders, Oldham Roughyeds...
- R. McLester circa-1922
- John Mantle
- Iain Marsh
Iain Marsh is a professional rugby league footballer who at representative level has played for Scotland, and at club level for Salford City Reds, St. Helens, Barrow Raiders, Oldham Roughyeds, Batley Bulldogs, Rochdale Hornets, and Workington Town, playing at , or , i.e...
- Steve Mossop (Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
1990)
- Michael "Mike" Murray circa-1967
- James Nixon
James Nixon , is a Scottish rugby league player for Barrow in the Co-operative Championship. He plays on the wing. He is a current Scotland international.-External links:*...
James Peters
- Ron O'Regan
Ronald Phillip O'Regan is a New Zealand former rugby league player and coach who represented his country between 1983 and 1986. His nephew, Daniel, played for the New Zealand Warriors.-Playing career:...
Steve Rae (#6) circa-1987
- Rod Reddy
Rod "Rocket" Reddy is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the St. George Dragons between 1972 and 1983 and the Illawarra Steelers between 1984 and 1985...
- Maurice Redhead circa-1967
- Damien Reid
Damien Reid is a professional rugby league footballer, who at representative level has played for Scotland, and at club level for Gateshead Thunder, Barrow Raiders, Castleford Tigers, Widnes Vikings, and Rochdale Hornets, playing at , i.e. number 3 or 4....
- John Risman
John Risman is President of Scotland Rugby League. He is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s and '80s who at representative level has played for Wales, and at club level for Workington Town, Fulham RLFC, Blackpool Borough, and Carlisle, playing at , or , i.e. number 1, 3, 4...
- Jason Roach
Jason Roach is a professional rugby league footballer, who at representative level has played for Scotland, and at club level for Swinton Lions , Castleford Tigers, Warrington Wolves, and Barrow Raiders, playing at , i.e. number 2 or 5....
- Gilbert Robinson (#3/#4) circa-1932
- Jamie Rooney
Jamie Rooney is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Barrow Raiders in the Championship. He is also a former England international, being an integral part of the 2006 Federation Shield winning side. Rooney is equally at home in both the stand-off and scrum half positions...
- Paul Salmon
Paul Salmon is a professional rugby league footballer who at representative level has played for Ireland, and at club level for Barrow Raiders.-International honours:Paul Salmon won a cap for Ireland while at Barrow Raiders 1999 1-cap ....
- Michael "Mike" Sanderson circa-1967 Thomas "Tommy" Smales
- Gerald "Ged" Smith circa-1967
- Harry Stretch 1951 Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
- Waisale Sukanaveita
Waisale Sukanaveita is a rugby league/union player for the Terrigal Sharks. He is a Fijian international. In Rugby League he plays at hooker and in Rugby Union he is a utility back . Sukanaveita is currently plying his trade in Rugby Union with French club Lyon...
- Alipate Tani
Alipate Tani Noilea is a rugby league player. He is a Fijian international and represented his country at the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. He was one of Fiji's stand-out players in the tournament and earned widespread praise for his performances from the stand-off position...
- Edward "Eddie" Tees circa-1967
- Steve Tickle (Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
1988) Cec ThompsonCec Thompson was a British professional rugby league footballer of the 1940s, '50s and '60s.He was born in County Durham, the son of a mother from Durham and a Trinidadian father. His father died when he was very young and his childhood was spent in a succession of orphanages.Thompson took up...
(#11/#12)
- Frederick "Fred" Tomlinson circa-1967
- Hugh Waddell
Hugh Waddell is a Scottish former rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s who at representative has played level for Great Britain, England, and Scotland, and at club level for Blackpool Borough, Oldham, Leeds, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Sheffield Eagles,...
- Michael "Mike" Watson circa-1967
- Robert "Bob" Wear http://www.totalrl.com/features/content.php?feat_id=269&featcat_id=32 circa-1967
- Pat Weisner
Pat Weisner is a rugby league player who currently plays for Hull Kingston Rovers but previously played for Barrow Raiders, and the Harlequins RL in the European Super League.-External links:***...
- Alan Whittle
Alan Whittle is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s and '70s who at club level has played for St. Helens, and Barrow playing at , /, or /, i.e. number 2 or 5, 3 or 4, 6, or 7.-External links:**...
The club launched their Hall of Fame in 2001 with 1950s legends
Willie HorneWillie Horne was an English rugby league footballer. He played for Great Britain, England, Lancashire and Barrow between 1943 to 1959 and captained all four sides. He captained Great Britain in a test series against Australia in the days when Great Britain could beat the Aussies...
, Phil Jackson and
Jimmy LewthwaiteJimmy Lewthwaite was a rugby league for Great Britain, Cumberland, and Barrow.- Barrow :...
its inaugural inductees.
Honours
- Rugby League Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
- 1954-55
- Division Two Championship
- Champions - 1975-76, 2009
- Minor premiership
A minor premiership is the name of the title given to the team which finishes a sporting competition first in the league standings after the regular season but prior to commencement of the playoffs....
- 2009
- Rugby League National League Two Championship
The Championship, known as Co-operative Championship due to sponsorship by The Co-operative Group, is a professional rugby league competition based in the United Kingdom. It is currently contested by ten teams from England. It acts as Europe's second-tier competition below the Super League, and has...
- 2003-04
- Lancashire Cup
Historically, British rugby league clubs competed for the Lancashire Cup and the Yorkshire Cup, known collectively as the county cups. The leading rugby clubs in Yorkshire had played in a cup competition for several years prior to the schism of 1895...
- 1954-55, 1983-83
External links