Barrow announce the decision to sack Andy Whing and appoint Neil McDonald as interim coach following a 3-0 defeat to Tranmere.
The club currently sits 18th in the second division, just four points above the relegation zone, after failing to win in their sixth consecutive league game.
Whing was appointed their coach in January and led them to a 16th-place finish in the 2024/25 season.
Now former Blackpool and Carlisle manager Neil McDonald, who only joined as assistant head coach last month, has been appointed interim head coach.
Club statement: Andy Whinghttps://t.co/p9aV2L4bVe pic.twitter.com/SP1EfytX2q
– Barrow AFC (@BarrowAFC) December 10, 2025
CLUB STATEMENT:
Barrow AFC can confirm the departure of head coach Andy Whing and assistant head coach Craig Pead.
Chief executive Paul Hornby said: “We have taken the decision to part ways with Andy Whing and Craig Pead with immediate effect. This is not a decision we have taken lightly. After careful consideration, we believe that our current position in the league does not reflect the quality and investment that has been put into the squad we have put together. We believe making a change at this stage of the season will give us the best possible chance of moving up the league table.”
Andy and Craig joined us almost a year ago and have conducted themselves with professionalism, commitment and integrity throughout their time here. From the moment they walked through the door they did themselves credit. Unfortunately, football can require difficult decisions and this is one of them.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to Andy and Craig for their hard work and dedication and wish them nothing but success in their future endeavors.”
Neil McDonald will take on the duties of interim first team head coach. He helped bring the club to safety in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons.
Speaking on his return in November, he said: “As soon as I spoke to Andy and Craig I was impressed by their passion and desire to succeed and was a very attractive factor in re-joining the club.”
“I was there this week and was very impressed with the standard of training and quality of our team and am really looking forward to the weekend and what we can achieve together.”
After being asked whether Barrow would appeal Canavan’s dismissal, Whiing said: “I want to appeal all three decisions. This is shocking. These decisions are embarrassing.
“He couldn’t wait to give a penalty. We are punished for stupid decisions.
“But who cares about all that? If we’re up in the first half, we have to score.”
“We just don’t seem to be able to score the early goal. Then we always give ourselves a mountain to climb.”
“We put a lot of balls into the penalty area, but we can’t get to the end of them. We took 14 shots and didn’t score a goal.”
“We were good in the first half, but we didn’t do enough. That’s why I’m very frustrated.”
Tranmere manager Andy Crosby, whose name was also taken by the referee in the second half, said:
“We are making progress and I see that the belief in the group is growing. That’s four games unbeaten and 10 points.”
“We deserved the three points, the three goals and the clean sheet
“It was a good evening but we want more good evenings and it is my job to continue to drive improvement on and off the pitch.
“In the first half we stayed in the game against the wind, showed real stamina, dealt with crosses very well and got a lot of first contacts.
“We showed good organization to ensure we went into half-time 0-0, which was a really important factor.
“In the second half we had to repeat all the basics and not blame the conditions. We found a moment of brilliance from Charlie and real calm from Joe and Kristian to convert penalties.”
Here’s how fans reacted after Barrow sacked Andy Whing and appointed an interim manager following their 3-0 defeat to Tranmere…
@StuartandRosie: It’s a shame it didn’t work, but it had to happen. I have to question Wood’s role. The quality of the player has to be questioned and now these payers are locked into contracts and not exactly an asset at the moment.
@TaylorBAFC: What quality did the investment bring, Paul? Recruiting has been miserable for far too long. A change of manager only covers the gaps – for how long? Next, wood out, or we just keep rinsing and repeating this monotonous cycle.
@DamianReynold16: “Quality investment”, no chance, has thrown him in the face here, basically said he is the whole problem, some of those quality commitments are currently breached, that may be the right decision, but Wood has some responsibility
@RonanMacca99: Wha was someone I really wanted to be successful with. During the conversation the guy really understood what it meant to manage a football club like ours and I can’t lie and pretend I wasn’t a bit disappointed that it didn’t work out. Do I just think the blame lies with him? Absolutely not
@HarveyDale12: Awkward. Wood should have been the first to follow up on his chaotic recruitment!!
@JamesHibbert11: It’s not nice to see someone fired, but it had to be done. Unfortunately one of the main culprits still somehow keeps his job, Holz has to go
@KingyG7: Good luck to Andy Whing at his next club. I hope he does well in the future. Really a shame, but an understandable decision
@biscuitmanDan: Unfortunately, Whing had to go, but he shouldn’t be the only victim. Wood has to go too, he ran the club and signed some real slags
@StandingAlone77: Deceiving themselves if they think they have a good side. Whitfield aside, it’s sad. Lower half L2 at best over the entire playing field. Nobody improves this squad. That is their greatest hope
@riegaan: I wonder how many times they will go through this cycle before releasing their DoF
@BAFCSAMUEL234: Honestly, fuck off, I don’t care how much shit we do, he’s a great guy who wants the best for the club, should have waited until Christmas and at least fucked me
@Lukejst: It’s a shame, because he was a really likeable guy, but his stubborn tactics cost him in the end. He’s not 100% the only problem though, Iain Wood is next to be sacked, otherwise the next one will suffer just like Clemence and Whing. 2 years of shocking recruiting and it shows.
@Dannyowen98: I couldn’t have expressed my thoughts more clearly last night. However, the blame cannot lie solely with Andy Whing. This football club’s recruitment has been appalling for years.
@Adam_2198: Rinse and repeat again. Wood has to go, far too many failures in the last 18 months
@iamtherealgrout: I really liked Andy, but I think it was time for us to part ways. Best wishes Andy & Craig
@Lukejst: Iain Wood next
@dudeville: And Iain Wood stays? Pathetic
@c_f_2023: WOOD NEXT PLEASE! Thanks in advance!!
@CM01__: Only 20% of the problem solved. I have to get rid of that pretender Wood now. Maybe he’s a good agent, but he’s a clueless DOF.
@TaylorBAFC: That’s a great shame. He was a really likeable guy, so I’m disappointed that after such a promising start things didn’t work out when he arrived. Ultimately it’s all about results and this result is probably due to the general mood in the club. But I don’t think anything changes…
