October

Barrow Raiders continued their recruitment for the 2020 season with the signing of former Hull Kingston Rovers prop Lee Jewitt, who was returning to rugby league after a sabbatical brought upon by injuries.

Barrow AFC put themselves on the brink of equalling a 114-year-old club record as victories over Bromley and Boreham Wood made it seven league wins in a row for Ian Evatt’s men.

Back in rugby league, Barrow Ladies reached the play-off final of the Women’s Championship after a tense 14-12 victory in the semis against Stanningley at Rating Lane, but they found Warrington Wolves too strong, as they succumbed to a 40-4 defeat in Manchester.

Barrovian Morgan Knowles had more success in that city as he helped St Helens to the Super League title by defeating Salford 23-6 in the Grand Final at Old Trafford.

The Bluebirds’ hopes of an eighth straight win were denied after their home game with Dover Athletic was postponed due to a fatality on the railway meaning the visitors couldn’t travel up to Barrow in time.

In the aftermath, AFC turned down an approach from AFC Fylde for the services of Evatt, who subsequently signed an improved contract with the club.

Raiders pair Stargroth Amean and Wartovo Puara featured for Papua New Guinea in the inaugural World Cup Nines tournament, while cricketer Liam Livingstone was drafted for £125,000 by Birmingham Phoenix for The Hundred next year.

John Rooney was wrongly sent off in Barrow AFC’s 4-2 defeat at Torquay, but they bounced back with a 2-0 win at Dagenham & Redbridge.

November

Cartmel’s James Moffatt bagged his 50th winner as a trainer as Barrow jockey Charlotte Jones rode Native Fighter to victory in the handicap hurdle at Musselburgh.

Barrow AFC battled through Jason Taylor’s fractured cheekbone and Josh Granite’s broken collarbone to defeat Sutton United 1-0, despite ending the game with ‘nine and a half men.’

Perry Singleton joined hometown club Barrow Raiders after the centre was released by Workington Town due to a change in work commitments.

Liam Livingstone began his stint in South Africa’s Mzansi Super League with Cape Town Blitz, with it being announced he would go on to play for Perth Scorchers in Australia’s Big Bash League the following month.

The Bluebirds signed midfielder Tom White on loan from Blackburn and he made his debut in a stunning 3-0 away win at Notts County that, combined with other results, sent Ian Evatt’s side top of the National League.

Back from a hamstring injury, Georgia Stanway came on as a substitute in front of 77,768 at Wembley in England’s friendly defeat against Germany, while she scored twice in her 100th appearance for Manchester City, against West Ham United, before being later sent off.

Raiders duo Stargroth Amean and Wartovo Puara played in Papua New Guinea’s famous 28-10 win against Great Britain, but their teammate Martin Aspinwall ended his distinguished career by announcing his retirement. Jarrad Stack was announced as Barrow’s new captain.

AFC rounded off a great month with a 4-0 thrashing of Maidenhead United, their biggest win under Evatt.

December

In rugby union, there was an extraordinary scoreline at the start of the month, as Hawcoat Park hammered a depleted Carlisle Crusaders 87-29, with Luke Harrison scoring three of their 13 tries.

Furness quartet John Seal, Andy Pearson, Chris Salmon and Mark Jones won the Amateur Poker Association & Tour’s ‘The Counties’ competition for the Cumbria Sharks.

Amateur rugby league side Barrow Island accepted an invite for their first Challenge Cup campaign for 15 years. They were subsequently drawn at home to Welsh champions Rhondda Outlaws in the first round.

Barrow AFC kept up their winning ways with a 1-0 win against Aldershot Town at Holker Street, as Dior Angus deflected in John Rooney’s effort for the winner.

Furness Raiders rounded off their successful year with a hard-fought 23-16 victory against a strong Hull FC Academy side at Craven Park.

It was a big end to the year for Barrow’s boxers and Liam Conroy got it off to the perfect start by moving into the semi-finals of MTK Global’s light heavyweight Golden Contract tournament with a points victory over London’s Andre Sterling.

Conroy claimed a deserved 98-91 97-92 96-94 unanimous decision at the Brentwood Centre, but there will be no rematch against Northern Ireland’s Stephen Ward, who was stopped in the first round by Latvian Ricards Bolotniks.

Georgia Stanway was on the scoresheet in her final game of 2019, as Manchester City went into their winter break with a 5-0 thrashing of Brighton & Hove Albion.

A thumping strike from Morgan Penfold allowed the Bluebirds salvage a 2-2 draw at Atherton Collieries in the first round of the FA Trophy and secure a replay at Holker Street.

The match had been put back by three days after it was initially postponed due to a waterlogged pitch and the same problem caused their National League fixture at Solihull just before Christmas to also be called off.

Liam Livingstone had a difficult start to life with Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League, as he was out for a duck on his debut - an eight-wicket loss against Sydney Sixers - while his brilliant 69 off 26 balls was in vain against Adelaide Strikers.

But it was a much better night for Mike McGoldrick, who knocked out Harry Matthews in the second round, and Ross Cooksey, a comfortable points winner against Ricky Starkey, as they maintained their undefeated professional records.

Former Barrow loose forward and coach Frank Foster, who was regarded as one of the hardest men in rugby league, died at the age of 79.

Barrow AFC finished the year top of the National League by a point, with two games in hand, following draws against AFC Fylde and Hartlepool United during the festive period.