Exclusive: Barrow’s Luck Has Finally Turned Just as Sam Foley Predicted

Sam Foley revealed the mood has been lifted at Barrow after back-to-back wins eased their relegation fears.

The experienced midfielder has seen it all during his 18-year spell as a professional footballer and suffered four relegations during his time in the Football League.

That is why the 38-year-old midfielder was always confident the Bluebirds would turn their season around before being dragged into a relegation dogfight.

A worrying run of just two league wins in 18, which led to Stephen Clemence’s sacking, saw the club tentatively looking over their shoulders.

But three home wins in their last five league outings since Andy Whing took the helm have helped fire them a welcome 14 points clear of danger.

“It’s been a good week for us,” Foley told SportsBoom.com. 

“Winning two games in quick succession has put a good feeling around the building.”

“When you look at the table, I don’t really pay much attention to it during the season you only look at it at key moments, but the mood has been lifted. That’s what results do for you.” 

“You’re looking at other teams and where they are more so than looking at where you are.”

“You can evaluate where you are as a team with the players you’ve got and how performances have been.”

“If you were really struggling, which I don’t think we were because we knew we had quality, then you are looking at the table because you need help from elsewhere.”

“I don’t think we were ever in any danger of being dragged towards it. There were a few times we looked at the teams around us, but we knew we had the quality.”

“We knew we would get results, and it was a matter of time. It was the small little details we needed to turn around and we’ve done that.”

“Hopefully the couple of wins in quick succession will give us a bounce.”

NEW BOSS, NEW FORTUNES

Whing left Solihull Moors to take his first job in the Football League at Holker Street, and he has breathed a new lease of life into the club to help turn around their misfortunes. 

Foley added: “He’s been good. He’s inherited a good squad which hadn’t been getting the rub of the green. That’s how it’s been this season.”

“You can say you make your own luck but there is stuff that’s out of our control. We’ve had a lot of injuries through the season, and we had a spell where decisions cost us a bit.”

“But that stuff happens in football. It’s credit to the lads that they’ve kept their heads down and kept going.”

“It’s kind of been disjointed. The gaffer’s come in and been fair with everyone.”

“If you look at myself, I was sat on my backside for a couple of weeks watching what was happening and not able to influence it.”

“That’s football, you have to wait for your opportunity and be patient.”

“At my age it’s difficult. All players get frustrated when they’re not playing. At my age you see the bigger picture sometimes.” 

Barrow head to Cheltenham bidding for their first away win for five months at the weekend. 

Victory at Whaddon Road, where they won 2-0 on their only trip to the ground since returning to the Football League in 2020, would mark the first time the club have achieved three straight league wins since December 2023.