21 Questions With... Scott Barlow

Scott Barlow is Trafford FC’s all-time top scorer with 100 goals for the club. Scott arrived at Shawe View in 2007 as a teenager from local amateur football and took to the North West Counties League like the proverbial “duck to water” scoring goals for fun as Ged Kielty’s side won promotion to the Northern Premier League. The step up in levels was no problem as Scott hit 40 goals in all competitions in his second season (2008/09) including two in the NPL President’s Cup Final win. He was crowned Players AND Supporters player of the year to underline the impact he had made. Under Garry Vaughan, Scott continued to score a decent amount of goals and over the next 3 seasons he reached a century for the club. He moved on to Chester during the 2011/12 season.

1 1. It’s well known that you joined Trafford from Broadheath Central, an amateur club in Altrincham. There’s also info on the internet that suggests you played for Altrincham FC. Can you tell us a bit about your football career prior to Trafford?

That’s right I was at Broadheath Central before Trafford, I joined them at 15. I went down to Altrincham FC youth team and I didn’t really hit it off so I left for Broadheath!!

  2. So how did it come about that you joined Trafford?

Well I played for Broadheath and Tony Coyne played a few games for us so I sort of knew him from playing there as his dad Pete Coyne was coaching us down there!! I remember being told he got the coaching job at Trafford and Ged becoming manager. I was playing in the Umbro tournament and Tony came down to watch one of our games, which wasn’t very entertaining until I scored to make it 1-0, and that’s when I think Tony made the call to Ged to get me to come down!!!

  3. How easy did you find the step up in that first season?

I thought it was tough as I’d not played at that level before but the lads welcomed me with open arms, so 28 goals in my first season I didn’t think that was too bad!

  4. And what about the 2nd season! The club was promoted to the Northern Premier League and you kept scoring – even more so! How easy did you find the next step up in level?

Just the same really. I was 20 just enjoying my football, I knew we had the team to compete with anyone in that league and to have got 40 was something else!!

  5. What would you say your strengths were as a player (apart from the obvious - goalscoring!!)

I would say dribbling with the ball, some might disagree but I can’t think of anything else.

  6. What’s the best goal you can remember scoring for Trafford?

Too many to think of! One was against Lancaster City when I came off the bench at 2-1 down. Vaughnie said “go and get me a goal”, we got a corner and I remember being just outside the 18-yard box the ball got put in and the defender headed it clear up in the air. I just remember thinking to myself ‘just hit it’ and it flew right into the top corner! The other was probably Quorn FC in the President’s Cup Final – my second goal. The ball got crossed in and it bounced to me, I threw my left foot at it, bottom corner, shirt came off and everyone ran to the fans!!!

  

  7. What do you remember of Trafford as a club? The people behind the scenes etc.

Brilliant club – best club I’ve played for personally, the people behind the scenes make Trafford FC what it is! The fans were amazing – I even had a few songs which was always good to hear!!

  8. Did you have a day job while playing for Trafford? – how did you find balancing work & life with having to also train & play at a decent level of football?

Yes I worked so I told them I couldn’t work on Saturdays to which they were really good with me, and as for Tuesdays I’d have to finish early for the night games!!

  9. You were Players’ player of the year AND Supporters’ player of the year in 2008/09. How did it feel to get such recognition?

Yes it was a pretty good feeling, not only the players I’d played with all season seeing what I had done and voting for me, but the amazing fans recognised what I did that season as well.

1 10. Aside from the PoY trophies in 08/09, did you win any other personal awards in your career?

Plenty at Broadheath and previous clubs when I was younger!

1 11. What’s the best moment or memory from your Trafford career? What’s the worst?

A couple for the best memories – obviously winning the league 07/08 season, getting the 40 goals in 08/09 and winning the Final against Quorn and scoring both goals!! Probably the worst was when Ged and Coyney announced that they would be leaving at the end of the season!!

1 12.   We sometimes hear old stories around the club about things that happened on the team coach or at Players’ nights out – Ged Kielty told us a few in his “21 Questions” – Any you’d care to share with us?!!?

Probably the same ones as Ged to be honest! Scott Metcalfe falling asleep against the biggest speaker in a club!! Away games on the way home were always good bantering about City and United!!

1 13.   What do you remember of your team-mates? Who were “top guys” back then? Who would you say was your best team-mate?

Think it’s hard to answer this – I got on with all of them. Andy Lundy because of our partnership!! Tom Read and Scott Metcalfe as we always travelled to games together!!

1 14.   Any “worst team-mates” / players who shouldn’t have put a pair of boots on?!!!

Maybe a few but I’m not going to throw them under the bus haha!!

15. What do you remember of the two trophies you won – The NW Counties League Title in 2007/08 and the NPL President’s Cup in 2008/09?

I remember the night we won the league title it was against Formby at home on a Tuesday night. 5-1 we won and the celebrations were brilliant! I think we went straight out to Birdcage after it!!! For the President’s Cup I remember not playing so well in the last 16 and the quarter final – I was happy we were winning and going through but wasn’t happy I wasn’t scoring. Coyney came over to me and said ‘don’t be worrying about anything, you will do your business in the next rounds’ and he was right – getting into the final and scoring both goals, so all good memories!

Trafford FC 2009 - with the President's Cup (Scott is on the front row, 1^st on the left)

   16. What would you say was the best game you were ever involved in?

For me personally I was on 36 goals with 1 game to play at home to Clitheroe. We won 5-0 and I scored 4 which took me to 40 goals!

17. You left Trafford in 2011/12 to join Chester – what was the reason for that?

The manager at Chester was Neil Young – he had been after me for a while at other previous clubs and Chester shown interest and I thought the time was right to leave!!!

  18. What did you do after leaving Trafford? Which clubs did you play for?

After Chester I went to Mossley and Woodley!! Biggest mistake was leaving Trafford – fell out of love with football straight after leaving!!

  19. What are you up to these days? Are you still in the game of football?

Yeah trying to as I love my food too much so I waddle around the pitch now!!

  20. Ever been back to watch a game at Shawe View? Are you still in touch with any of your old Trafford team-mates?

Yes I’ve been back to watch a couple of games. I do miss playing for Trafford especially on that pitch!! Speak to a few of them now and again!!!

  21. How does it feel to have that honour of being Trafford FC’s top goalscorer, even after all these years?

Yeah still can’t quite believe it after all these years I’m still the top goalscorer! Records are there to be broken so hopefully it will be soon!! 

THANKS VERY MUCH TO SCOTT FOR ANOTHER BRILLIANT SET OF ANSWERS TO OUR “21 QUESTIONS” AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT SHAWE VIEW WATCHING A GAME, AND CAPPY CAN LEAD US IN SINGING YOUR SONGS AGAIN!!

Record   Lge(Sub)Cup(Sub)Total Apps LgeGls CupGls   Goals
2007/08     31(6)            5(3)               45                 22                 6            28
2008/09     37(2)           10(1)              50                 28                12           40
2009/10     34(2)            7(1)               44                 18                 3            21
2010/11     16(10)          5(3)               34                  8                  2             10
2011/12      2(5)             0(0)                7                   1                  0             1
TOTALS   120(25)        27(8)             180                77                23           100