As Newport County prepare to take on Barrow AFC, we take a closer look at Saturday’s opposition.
What’s their story?
Barrow AFC, nicknamed "The Bluebirds," first joined the English Football League in 1921, competing consistently in the Fourth Division. Their breakthrough came in 1967 when they earned promotion to the Third Division, and the following season saw them achieve their highest-ever league finish—an impressive eighth place.
Unfortunately, Barrow's success was short-lived. By the end of the 1971-72 season, their fortunes declined, and they were voted out of the Football League through the re-election process. This led to a 48-year exile, during which Barrow played in non-league football, though they celebrated two FA Trophy victories, in 1990 and 2010.
Barrow's long wait ended in the 2019-20 season when they won the National League title, marking their return to the Football League. Now a strong League Two side, Barrow finished eighth last season and are emerging as serious promotion contenders this year.
Who’s the boss?
Stephen Clemence, now in his second managerial role, is currently leading Barrow AFC. His 13-year playing career began at Tottenham Hotspur, where he made 91 appearances and scored three goals, debuting in a 2-0 defeat against Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United.
In 2003, after a series of injuries, Clemence moved to Birmingham City for around £900,000, making 121 appearances and scoring eight goals. He later joined Leicester City in 2007, but persistent injuries, including a severe heel issue, forced him to retire at 32.
Clemence transitioned into coaching, working under Steve Bruce at several clubs. He took his first managerial role at Gillingham in 2023 but was dismissed after finishing 12th. He quickly rebounded, becoming Barrow’s head coach this season.
Who’s the captain?
Niall Canavan, a seasoned and commanding defender with extensive experience in both League One and League Two, currently captains Barrow. Canavan began his career in the youth ranks of Scunthorpe United, making his first-team debut in 2009, coming on as a substitute for Robert Jones in a 4-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday. He became a key figure during Scunthorpe’s 2013-14 promotion campaign to League One, making 48 appearances that season. Over the course of his time with Scunthorpe, Canavan amassed 170 appearances and netted 16 goals.
Canavan also had loan spells at Shrewsbury Town in 2011 and Rochdale in 2016, with his move to the latter becoming permanent. At Rochdale, he made 44 appearances, further establishing himself as a reliable presence in defence. He later moved on to play for Plymouth Argyle, where he made 78 appearances, and then Bradford City, where he featured 33 times.
In 2022, Canavan signed for Barrow, and he now finds himself in his fourth season with the club, where his leadership and defensive experience have been invaluable to the team.
Key Players
Dom Telford (pictured) is a key player for the Bluebirds and will need no introduction to Newport fans. After joining the Exiles in January 2021, the striker went on to have a prolific goalscoring spell, scoring 26 times in 52 games. After surpassing 20 league goals during the 2021-22 campaign, Telford became the first Newport player to hit this target in the top four divisions since John Aldridge in the 1983–84 season.
In April of that season, Telford and Newport County teammate Finn Azaz were named in the EFL League Two team of the season, and Telford finished the 2021–22 season as the top scorer in League Two with 25 league goals before joining Crawley.
Ben Jackson, in his debut season with Barrow, has made an impressive start to the 2024-25 campaign, providing three assists in just six league appearances from the left-back position. A product of Huddersfield Town’s youth system, Jackson gained early experience with a loan spell at Darlington during the second half of the 2018-19 season, making seven appearances. The following season, he joined his boyhood club, Stockport County, where he proudly made 26 appearances for the Hatters. Jackson continued his development with loan stints at Bolton Wanderers and Doncaster Rovers.
In the two seasons before joining Barrow, Jackson appeared to have cemented his place in the Huddersfield Town squad, featuring 47 times for the Terriers. However, at the start of the 2024-25 season, he made the switch to Barrow, where he has already played nine matches across all competitions, contributing one goal and four assists, proving to be a key asset for the Bluebirds.
