Quigley Desperate To End Barrow's Long 48-Year Wait

A lead nobody imagined them having while playing with the carefree swagger of an underdog who could be about to have its day.

It’s a dangerous game making any comparison to the Leicester City side who wrote what is surely football’s greatest story ever told back in 2016.

True as well it’s too early to start making any type of assumptions about the current state of play.

But for Barrow, this is as good as it’s got for many, many years.

Victory over fourth place Bromley in Saturday’s live BT Sport fixture may have the dreamers seriously believing.

Striker Scott Quigley told us: “I didn’t see the exact odds, but from what I make out a lot of bookmakers has us at around sixth favourites to go down.

“I wouldn’t say we were ever feeling we were going to win it but we thought we were better than that.

“I think maybe after last year, the teams with the biggest support and biggest budgets were high up in the thinking.

“Maybe that’s why it was more your Notts Countys, Chesterfields, Fylde and Wrexhams that were attracting the attention in the summer.

“But it shows, doesn’t it? Three of those teams are right down the bottom. It’s always such a difficult league to call and the quality gets better and better.

“It’s one of the brilliant things about football. We’ve surprised a few people and that’s fantastic.”

So has he. The division’s top scorer alongside Rhys Murphy on 17, Quigley has put his form - his best ever scoring return in English football - down to style of play.

Great management? A tight-knit squad? Goals galore? The reasons behind Barrow’s blistering charge up the National League table usually begin with one of them.

Quigley knows exactly why they are so well placed.

“From the moment we came back in the summer the manager made one thing very clear,” he said ahead of the teatime clash.

“He said there’s no room for arrogance. Since then he has built into us that although we are in a good place, there is going to be times times along the way.

“It’s easy to say when things are going well, I get that, but everyone gets on so well - it’s a great group.

“There are no egos, just good mates. I have been in some dressing rooms where that is far from the case.”

The Bluebirds last enjoyed League football back in 1971-72, they ending the season voted out and replaced by Hereford United.

Times have changed, so 48 years on how could the club cope in the EFL should they keep the pace?

“I think the fans have shown lately that the club wouldn’t be out of place in League Two should the time ever come that Barrow earn a promotion,” he adds.

“We’ve had over 2,000 at three or four homes games in a row now - the support is there.

“The club just has a nice feeling, and that goes up to the boardroom as well. It’s a family atmosphere but if you have a problem, it’s not just the manager you can go to.

“The directors’ doors are open and that shows everyone is in it together.

“We can’t wait for Bromley this weekend. We have gone up a notch in recent weeks - in our last two games we have scored 14 goals!

“But there’s no pressure on us and we’re playing some really good football. That why I came here. It’s not been like that at some of the other clubs I have been at.

“We play attractive football, but make no mistake, we’re not a soft touch either! We know how to battle and we will dig in and get a result when we need to.

“Saturday is the type of game you’re in football for. A big match in front of the cameras with everybody watching.”