There have been many ‘firsts’ throughout the history of Barrow Association Football Club.
1901 saw our first game. Better still, 1921 saw our first game in the Football League. 1963 was witness to our first game under floodlights.
The year of 1979 had its own first, with David Busby’s debut in a Barrow shirt.
18th August 1979, to be precise. A day of history, for it was the first game in the inaugural season of the newly formed Alliance Premier League (now known as the National League).
It was a brace from Colin Cowperthwaite that was the talking point after the match; his duo of goals the topic of conversation of the 2,000 Holker Street faithful that had witnessed Brian McManus’ side’s performance.
However, it was another Barrow striker that had just been etched into the headlines of history: 22 year old striker David Busby.
David had just become the first black player to play for Barrow.
Before joining Barrow, he'd played for Worthing, Blackpool and Brighton; also making history as Albion's first black player too.
The former motor mechanic only played in ten league games for The Bluebirds, but he will be forever remembered for paving the way for generations of black players to follow.
On that day, his debut, Busby was featured in the matchday programme:
