Barrow
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“Attendances last season were a little
worse than our first year in National
North. You would have thought, with us
in the mix pushing for a play-off place
and having a good team, gates would be
up in the 1,500-1,600 territory.
“It is easy to believe if you move up
a division then more people will come
to games but that is not necessarily true
so we have to do more off-the-pitch
entertainment to attract fans.
“We are happy with the ground
as a whole, where everything is, but
individual pieces need upgrading and
brought up to the modern age – such as
toilets and the floodlights. There is a lot
of work to be done in that area.”
An even bigger project will be
building a new Cross Bar social facility.
It could mean the capacity trebled,
meaning more scope for events and
more potential income from hospitality
packages.
It will also mean the Barrow players
having better dressing-room facilities .
. . “but I’m not sure we will update the
visitors’ dressing-room,” jokes Andrew.
“I might leave that as it is!”
What about ambitions? “To get
into League Two and stay there
and establish ourselves as a viable
League Two team,” says Andrew.
“The business has to be sustainable
so the club is making enough money to
pay for its upkeep.
“We also want to maintain our
reputation for finding and improving
young talented players, who have been
lost in the system and are a league or two
below where they should be.
“I want agents willing to send their
players here because they know they
will be looked after and well coached. It
might be that one step back to go three or
four steps forward.”
Phil Collier Associates: Project Catalyst
Any time an organisation starts a new project
that doesn’t fall under ‘business as usual’ there is
a risk of it stalling or failing.
That’s why I focus on being a ‘Project Catalyst’,
to help organisations limit the risks of projects
failing. For 35 years I have worked as a senior
executive, a business owner and a consultant to
multi-million pound businesses. I can honestly
say I know why projects can fail… and how they
can succeed!
Speaking of success, Barrow AFC are doing
great things in the local community, acting as a
catalyst to bring the town together and bring a
sense of pride in the accomplishments of team
and club.
I can see the vision, the people and the team-
work at the club doing amazing things. I’m proud
to associate my business with them, and with the
other businesses that help support Barrow AFC
realise it’s ‘goals’.
46 Issue 73
Don’t just manage an important project,
drive it foward with a Project Catalyst.
If you have a business critical project,
contact us today on 07768 207517
to find out how we can help.
www.philcollierassociates.com