# 2023–24 Barrow A.F.C. season

The 2023–24 season was the 123rd season in the history of Barrow and their fourth consecutive season in League Two. They participated in League Two, the FA Cup, the EFL Cup, and the 2023–24 EFL Trophy.
Barrow enjoyed one of the best seasons in their history, including a 15-match unbeaten run between October and December, finishing the season in 8th place, narrowly missing out on a promotion play-off spot.

## Squad statistics

    As of 6 January 2024
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | League Two | League Two | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | EFL Trophy | EFL Trophy |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Paul Farman | 25 | 0 | 24+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | IRL | Mazeed Ogungbo | 5 | 0 | 1+4 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | SCO | Dean Campbell | 27 | 3 | 21+5 | 3 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | WAL | George Ray | 25 | 3 | 24+0 | 3 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | IRL | Niall Canavan | 27 | 2 | 26+0 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | ENG | David Worrall | 19 | 0 | 14+3 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Kian Spence | 26 | 4 | 22+3 | 4 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Jamie Proctor | 13 | 1 | 7+6 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Gerard Garner | 20 | 2 | 9+9 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | ENG | Elliot Newby | 26 | 0 | 21+3 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 12 | GK | ENG | Josh Lillis | 3 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 13 | MF | ENG | Tom White | 22 | 0 | 14+7 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 14 | FW | IRL | Courtney Duffus | 8 | 0 | 2+4 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | ENG | Robbie Gotts | 23 | 0 | 12+9 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | IRL | Sam Foley | 27 | 3 | 8+17 | 3 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | WAL | James Chester | 20 | 1 | 17+2 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | ENG | Luca Stephenson | 16 | 0 | 8+7 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | ENG | Dom Telford | 20 | 3 | 13+7 | 3 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | ENG | Emile Acquah | 27 | 5 | 16+10 | 5 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | ENG | Tyrell Warren | 10 | 1 | 6+2 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | IRL | Rory Feely | 19 | 0 | 9+8 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | ENG | Junior Tiensia | 10 | 0 | 5+4 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 34 | MF | ENG | Ben Whitfield | 16 | 6 | 6+10 | 6 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 35 | MF | IRL | Owen Bray | 1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 37 | FW | ENG | Sean Etaluku | 3 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 39 | FW | ENG | Sam Bellis | 1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
* Source:

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Pos | Player | Transferred from | Fee |
| 14 June 2023 | DM | Kian Spence | FC Halifax Town | Undisclosed |
| 28 June 2023 | CB | Mazeed Ogungbo | Arsenal | Undisclosed |
| 1 July 2023 | DM | Dean Campbell | Aberdeen | Free Transfer |
| 1 July 2023 | CF | Courtney Duffus | Morecambe | Free Transfer |
| 1 July 2023 | CF | Jamie Proctor | Port Vale | Free Transfer |
| 1 July 2023 | LB | Junior Tiensia | Solihull Moors | Free Transfer |
| 1 July 2023 | RM | David Worrall | Port Vale | Free Transfer |
| 11 July 2023 | CF | Emile Acquah | Maidenhead United | Undisclosed |
| 25 July 2023 | CM | Owen Bray | Leeds United | Free Transfer |
| 23 August 2023 | CF | Sam Bellis | Southampton | Free Transfer |
| 25 August 2023 | CF | Dom Telford | Crawley Town | Undisclosed |
| 1 September 2023 | CB | James Chester | Derby County | Free Transfer |

### Out

| Date | Pos | Player | Transferred to | Fee |
| 30 June 2023 | LB | Patrick Brough | Northampton Town | Rejected Contract |
| 30 June 2023 | CB | Mark Ellis | Chorley | Released |
| 30 June 2023 | CF | Josh Gordon | Burton Albion | Free Transfer |
| 30 June 2023 | CB | Joe Grayson | Gateshead | Released |
| 30 June 2023 | GK | Scott Moloney | Free agent | Released |
| 30 June 2023 | CF | David Moyo | Chorley | Released |
| 30 June 2023 | AM | Solomon Nwabuokei | Eastleigh | Released |
| 30 June 2023 | CF | Benni Smales-Braithwaite | Vendsyssel FF | Released |
| 30 June 2023 | CM | Jason Taylor | Retired | — |
| 30 June 2023 | CB | Paweł Żuk | FC United of Manchester | Released |
| 10 August 2023 | LM | Josh Kay | AFC Fylde | Free Transfer |

### Loaned in

| Date | Pos | Player | Loaned from | Until | Ref |
| 1 September 2023 | DM | Luca Stephenson | Liverpool | End of Season | |
| 17 January 2024 | CF | Cole Stockton | Burton Albion | End of Season | |

### Loaned out

| Date | Pos | Player | Loaned to | Fee |
| 17 November 2023 | CB | Malakai Reeve | FC United of Manchester | 16 December 2023 |
| 8 January 2024 | CF | Courtney Duffus | Hartlepool United | End of Season |
| 16 January 2024 | CF | Gerard Garner | Morecambe | End of Season |
| 19 January 2024 | CF | Sam Bellis | Kidderminster Harriers | End of Season |
| 8 March 2024 | CB | Malakai Reeve | Blyth Spartans | End of Season |
| 29 March 2024 | RW | Sean Etaluku | Buxton | End of Season |

## Pre-season and friendlies

On 17 May, Barrow announced their first two pre-season friendlies, against Holker Old Boys and Oldham Athletic. In June, the club confirmed further friendlies, against FC United of Manchester, AFC Fylde, Blackpool and Newcastle United U21. On 12 June, the club announced a final pre-season friendly, against Preston North End.
Win  Draw  Loss  Fixtures

## Competitions
### Overall record

| Competition | Starting round | Final position | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| Competition | Starting round | Final position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
| League Two | Matchday 1 | | 45 | 18 | 14 | 13 | 61 | 55 | +6 | 040.00 |
| FA Cup | First round | Second round | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 050.00 |
| EFL Cup | First round | First round | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 000.00 |
| EFL Trophy | Group stage | Group stage | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 033.33 |
| Total | Total | Total | 51 | 20 | 14 | 17 | 68 | 65 | +3 | 039.22 |
Last updated: 23 April 2024 Source: Soccerway

### League Two
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 5 | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 21 | 8 | 17 | 73 | 68 | +5 | 71 | Qualified for League Two play-offs |
| 6 | Crewe Alexandra | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 69 | 65 | +4 | 71 | Qualified for League Two play-offs |
| 7 | Crawley Town (O, P) | 46 | 21 | 7 | 18 | 73 | 67 | +6 | 70 | Qualified for League Two play-offs |
| 8 | Barrow | 46 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 62 | 56 | +6 | 69 | |
| 9 | Bradford City | 46 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 61 | 59 | +2 | 69 | |
| 10 | AFC Wimbledon | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 64 | 51 | +13 | 65 | |
| 11 | Walsall | 46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 69 | 73 | −4 | 65 | |

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 23 April 2024. Source: Soccerway

#### Matches

On 22 June, the EFL League Two fixtures were released.
Win  Draw  Loss  Fixtures

### FA Cup

Barrow were drawn away to Northampton Town in the first round.
Win  Draw  Loss  Fixtures

### EFL Cup

Barrow were drawn away to Bolton Wanderers in the first round.
Win  Draw  Loss  Fixtures

### EFL Trophy

The Group stage draw was finalised on 22 June 2023.
| Pos | Div | Teamvte | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | L1 | Blackpool | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | +6 | 9 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | ACA | Liverpool U21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 3 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | L2 | Morecambe | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 3 | |
| 4 | L2 | Barrow | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 3 | |
Win  Draw  Loss  Fixtures