Harrogate Town and Barrow made the step up from the National League to League Two this season, but not many will be familiar with these two clubs. Those of a certain age might remember when Barrow last played league football back in the early 1970s.
However, Harrogate Town had never played league football and are embarking on a historic season in their 106-year history.
Here is all you need to know about the two newest additions to League Two.
Founded: 1914 as Harrogate Town AFC
Nickname: Town and/or Sulphurites
Ground: Wetherby Road, which holds a capacity of 3,800. Due to the ground previously having a synthetic grass pitch, Harrogate Town have been playing their home games at Doncaster Rovers’ Keepmoat Stadium until a real grass pitch is laid.
Manager: Simon Weaver, 42. Weaver signed for Harrogate Town as a player-manager in 2009 and officially hung up his boots in 2012. Having taken charge of over 500-games and a 42% win rate,
Weaver knows the club inside out and will be aiming to avoid relegation this season and establish Town as a football league side.
Honours: Harrogate Town the 2017/18 National League North and the 2019/20 National League play-off finals on their way to reaching the football league. In 2001/02 they won the Northern Premier League Division One title and in 1989/90 claimed the Division One Cup.
Town have also won the West Riding County Challenge Cup on eight occasions, most recently in 2007/08. In 2019/20 the club claimed their first-ever silverware, picking up the Whitworth Cup.
Founded: 1901 as Barrow AFC
Nickname: The Bluebirds
Ground: Holker Street, which holds a capacity of 5,045. Before restrictions came into place, Holker Street saw its highest capacity of 16,874 in the FA Cup third-round tie between Barrow and Swansea Town in 1954.
Manager: David Dunn, 40. Dunn will be a familiar name to many Premier League fans, having played for Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City from 1998-2007. Dunn has one England cap to his name and has been in charge of Barrow since July 2020.
With eight games under his belt, the Barrow Manager is yet to win a game, suffering two defeats and six draws. Dunn replaces the successful Ian Evatt, who took charge of Bolton Wanderers after a 2-year spell with the Bluebirds.
History: Barrow won the National League title in 2019/20, the Football League Fourth Division in 1966/67, and the Conference North in 2014/15. The club have also claimed two FA Trophies in 1990 and 2010 and the Lancashire Senior Cup in 1955.
During the 1980s Barrow won the Lancashire Junior Cup, the Peter Swales Shield, the Northern Premier League Challenge Cup, and two Northern Premier League title. In the early years, Barrow also claimed the Lancashire Combination Division One title once and the Division Two title twice. More recently, Barrow have claimed two Northern Premier League President’s Cups.
Remember, we're recording a Q and A with boss David Dunn later this afternoon and you've still got a chance to send in your questions for him!Here's how...#BarrowAFC https://t.co/xq4dxilsCO— Barrow AFC (@BarrowAFC) October 14, 2020
Remember, we're recording a Q and A with boss David Dunn later this afternoon and you've still got a chance to send in your questions for him!Here's how...#BarrowAFC https://t.co/xq4dxilsCO
Harrogate Town and Barrow lock horns in League Two on the 17th October and then against on the 2nd March. So far this season, Harrogate have made the better start to life in the football league, picking up 8pts from their opening five matches, while Barrow sit in the relegation zone with just 3pts to their name.