IT’S JUST BARR-ILIANT!
Boss Evatt hails his Bluebirds history makers, ending 48 years of hurt
AT ABOUT 6.45pm on Wednesday night, Ian Evatt got the call everyone at Barrow AFC have been waiting three months for. They are returning to the Football League.
“I was sat at home about to watch the Man City-Arsenal game and I got a call off one of the directors, Sid Blain, who has been a fan for a long, long time and he was in tears,” Evatt tells
The NLP. “It means that much to him. It was very emotional, so happy. We told the players just before it came out on social media.
“Obviously we are delighted with what we’ve achieved. It’s strange that when we found out we weren’t able to be with each other – the players, the staff, the board, the fans. We lost out on that moment.
“But we’re not going to feel too down and sorry for ourselves about that. We are immensely proud of what we’ve done. Winning things and winning promotions isn’t easy, you shouldn’t take it for granted. There will be a time and a place for having a party and enjoying it.”
National League clubs voted through the Ordinary Resolution that concludes the season, subject to FA Council ratification, and promotes the Bluebirds as champions on an unweighted Points-Per-Game basis.
In many ways, it’s been a call Barrow have been waiting for since 1972. It’s been 48 years since they were voted out of the Football League and replaced by Hereford United.
This title means more to a town that has had things tough but has enjoyed being swept along this season by Evatt’s Entertainers.
“That’s what I take the most pride from,” Evatt says. “We train in Manchester for recruitment reasons so it could be difficult to build a connection with the fans. When I took over, the connection wasn’t there. But what we have done is build trust with the support.
“They’ve become proud of their football team again and how we carry ourselves and how we play in the pitch. We’ve built a bond with the community. The change in the community, how happy everyone is and how the success the club has had has made a difference for the town in general is massive.
“We’ve spoken as a club about how far we’ve come in two short years. When I first took over we were averaging under 1,000. Now we’re averaging over 2,500. That’s a huge difference. We’ve got a great platform to kick on from now.
“There is a lot of hardship in football, especially high up the Pyramid, with teams that have overspent and with coronavirus teams are going to find it a struggle.
Blueprint
“However, we’ve managed our accounts and finances really well and we’re going to get a new influx of money from the EFL. We’ve got a really strong base.”
Evatt and his staff always insisted on doing things their way in this division. A stalwart of Blackpool’s rise into the Premier League, the rookie boss’ belief was to play open, expansive football.
Gone are the days of Barrow having a reputation as a brutish team that will try to win the physical battle. This is more the beautiful game and it has brought out the best in a young side – the average age is under 24.
Top performers Scott Quigley and John Rooney have blossomed and there are intriguing emerging talents like Josh Kay and Dior Angus.
A rocky start saw them pick up just two wins and one draw in their opening nine games. Evatt thinks it made them mentally stronger.
The feeling back then was the tide would soon turn and how it did. An 18-game unbeaten run included a statement away 3-0 win at Notts County that signalled they meant business. When they were top, they stayed there.
For Evatt Barrow have been the perfect club to unleash his blueprint.
“When I first took over, people told me we couldn’t win leagues and have success playing that way in the National League – it’s too physical, it’s too dominant, you’ll get beat up,” Evatt says. “But we’ve gone against the grain. What I’m seeing now, especially this season from the National League, is other teams playing the same way and same belief. The standard is great. The amount of good, quality, footballers in the National
League is underestimated.
“I have firm belief in my ability and myself. As a character I like to think I put belief into people I work with. That’s what we’ve done. We’ve coached the players, we’ve made them tactically better, we’ve made them tactically better.
Identity
“But, also, we’ve given them belief. When you get belief mixed with coaching you can have success and we’ve shown that this season.
“That’s the pleasing thing.
We’ve created an identity and a brand. When people speak about Barrow, gone are the days of the long ball. It’s about what a good football team they are, how attractive they are, that’s what we wanted to do.”
Evatt, too, is now one of the game’s hottest properties. Barrow had already swotted away the advances of AFC Fylde but his name is regularly linked with Football League vacancies.
The 38-year-old admits it was a gamble to begin his management career in a division he was initially unfamiliar with and a gamble for Barrow to hand him the keys.
“I’ve had ten National League managers contact me and say we were the best team this season and we deserved it,” Evatt says. “That means a lot to me.
“The National League has given me a platform to come and learn my trade as a manager and show what my teams are about, how we play football. It’s a fantastic division so it’s a massive thanks to everyone associated with Non-League football. It has really shown me there are so many good football people in the Non-League game.
“It was a big gamble for me to take the job and a big gamble for Barrow to give it to me. Luckily for both of us it has paid off and been a marriage made in heaven.
History
“The players have taken everything on board and strive to be better. They’re a credit to themselves and I’m really proud to be their manager and work with them day-in, day-out.”
The players celebrated on Wednesday night with a video call on Zoom. Evatt soon left his squad to it to let off some steam. He wants them to enjoy this moment, however bizarre the circumstances.
Points Per Game, a vote, these Bluebirds will go down in club history.
“Lucky for me I had a great career,” Evatt says. “My wife reminded me last night that I’ve played in the Premier League all the way down to League Two and been promoted out of every league. Now I’ve done it in my first job as a manager and you have to pinch yourself.
“My assistant Peter Atherton, who had a fantastic career himself and played more than 600 games, has never been promoted. It just shows you can’t take these things for granted.
“As a manager, you’re the spearhead to it all. It’s your job on the line if you don’t perform. The players have really bought into what we do. I’d like to think we’ve laid out a new route of how to be be successful and play attacking, expansive football.
“I’m immensely proud of it. And proud of the football club. The fans deserve it after 48 long years of hurt. To be relegated by a vote and now promoted by a vote is kind of ironic.”