Next Barrow AFC Manager Odds

Barrow AFC are on the lookout for their fifth manager since earning promotion back to the Football League in 2020, following the departure of Mark Cooper from Holker Street after his side’s 2-1 defeat to rivals Carlisle United on Saturday, leaving the Bluebirds just six points above the relegation zone in 21st place.

Former Hull City and Southend United manager Phil Brown has emerged as the early bookmakers' favourite for the job at Barrow.

Ironically, Brown suffered relegation at Holker Street with Southend last season having arguably taken the role at Roots Hall too late to make significant changes, before being dismissed by the Shrimpers last October, with United, sat 20th in the National League having been tipped as one of the early season favourites for promotion.

Brown’s CV is a decent one though, having earned two promotions, most recently at Southend back in 2015 from League Two via the play-offs, as well as to the Premier League with Hull City in 2007/08.

Ex-Morecambe manager Jim Bentley has also been linked to the managerial vacancy at Holker Street.

The 45-year-old Liverpudlian was sacked by National League North outfit AFC Fylde earlier on this month with the Coasters looking unlikely to gain automatic promotion from their respective division, as they were fourth-place, 14 points off the top of the table.

Bentley is a club legend of Morecambe, arguably Barrow’s biggest rivals alongside Carlisle, having played and managed at the Mazuma Stadium between 2002 and 2019. In his managerial reign which started in 2011, Bentley was mainly tasked with trying to keep the Shrimps in League Two with what was a small budget.

Former Fleetwood Town boss Simon Grayson has been rumoured to be interested in the job at Barrow.

Simon’s son, Joe Grayson currently plies his trade at the Bluebirds, whilst Simon himself will be a candidate that would likely interest Barrow due to the experience the 52-year-old has in management.

Prior to his role at Fleetwood that saw the Cod Army win just 13 from 43, Grayson had a good reputation, as prior to his time at Sunderland, he had earned four promotions from League One, doing so with Blackpool in 2007, Leeds United in 2010, as well as with both Huddersfield Town and Preston North End in 2012 and 2015.

Paul Tisdale is another manager that is in the mix for the job at Barrow and is also unemployed, having been sacked by Stevenage this month.

The 49-year-old will mainly be remembered by fans of Exeter City having managed the Grecians for 12 years between 2006 and 2018, managing to earn the St James’ Park club promotions from the National League all the way up to League One having finished as runner-up in the 2008/09 League Two season.

Since leaving Exeter, the Maltese manager went on to win promotion from League Two with MK Dons, finishing third in 2018/19, but, has since been sacked by the Dons, following one point from nine matches at the start of the following campaign, as well as by both Bristol Rovers and Stevenage having managed 26% and 14% win percentages from 19 and 21 fixtures.

The final manager on this list is one who Barrow fans will have fond memories of in the shape of Rob Kelly.

Kelly managed to lead the Bluebirds to safety in League Two last season from what looked like an awkward position when taking over, winning eight and drawing three of his 19 matches in charge between February and May of last year, as well as also winning two of his three Caretaker Manager matches earlier on in the campaign, prior to the disastrous appointment of Michael Jolley.

The 57-year-old is steeped in experience and is currently Wigan Athletic’s assistant manager and has names such as Nottingham Forest, West Brom, Leeds, Blackburn, Malmo and Fortuna Dusseldorf on his coaching CV.
If he was to re-join Barrow, then there would be some reception for the man who once had a flag titled “Kelly’s Heroes” behind the goal at the Holker Street end of the stadium.