Brian Arrowsmith | |
Fullname: | Brian Arrowsmith |
Birth Date: | 1940 7, df=y |
Birth Place: | Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire, England |
Position: | Defender |
Youthclubs1: | Vickers Sports Club |
Years1: | 1961–1971 |
Years2: | 1971–1974 |
Years3: | 1974–1978 |
Clubs1: | Barrow |
Clubs2: | Netherfield |
Clubs3: | Barrow |
Caps1: | 378 |
Caps2: | ? |
Caps3: | 134 |
Goals1: | 3 |
Goals2: | ? |
Goals3: | ? |
Manageryears1: | 1974–1975 |
Managerclubs1: | Barrow |
Brian Arrowsmith (2 July 1940 – 12 April 2020) was an English footballer and manager. Born in Barrow-in-Furness, he spent his entire professional career at his hometown club Barrow.[1] He made 512 appearances for Barrow, including 378 in the Football League, the most at that level for the club.
Arrowsmith started his career as a right back, but played across the defence when required. He captained Barrow during the 1966–67 season in which they won promotion from the Fourth Division,[2] [3] and stayed with the club for a total of eleven seasons. After leaving Barrow in 1971 Arrowsmith joined Northern Premier League club Netherfield,[4] [5] but returned to Barrow – who by then had been voted out of the Football League and placed in the Northern Premier League themselves – in 1974 as player-manager. He resigned as manager in November 1975, but continued playing for the club until 1978.
After retiring from football, Arrowsmith ran a DIY shop in Barrow, regularly attending Barrow matches as a fan. His son, Mark, made six appearances for Barrow in the 1980s.[4] In January 2017, the main stand at Barrow's Holker Street stadium was renamed the Brian Arrowsmith Stand in his honour.[6]
Arrowsmith died in hospital on Easter Sunday in 2020 having contracted COVID-19.[7]