IAN Evatt is eager to see Barrow AFC’s young prospects be able to make the next step after earning a chance with the club’s senior squad.

Goalkeeper Sam Stephens and striker Tom Dawson became the latest players from the Bluebirds’ under-21 side to sign first-team forms last Friday, following midfielder Christian Sloan doing likewise in November.

Stephens and Sloan were both on the bench for last Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Bromley in the Vanarama National League and, while he was not included in that squad, Dawson caught Evatt’s eye in training.

But the Barrow boss does not just want to stop there and is keen to see them kick on to establish themselves as fully-fledged professionals.

“Young Tom trained with us last Friday; he is just 16 and I’m impressed,” said Evatt. “It is good to see the local talent as the football club moves forward.

“We need to tap in to what is available in the area, get them up to speed and our professional standards.

“We need to produce good young players. There is a big catchment area of talent and we need to get people to train full-time.

“It is a credit to the players themselves. We want them to dedicate themselves to football to give themselves the best opportunity not only to play for Barrow, but to have a full-time professional football career.”

Evatt recognises the trio face the challenge of having to find time to train with the first-team around work and other commitments, although he is impressed with the commitment they have shown in trying to do that.

He has made no secret of the fact he is willing to give them game-time this season if the opportunity arises too, and hopes this is just the start of more players from Barrow and the surrounding area coming through.

“We need to get and tap into local talent in the area and get them up to speed with our professional standards because obviously they don’t train full-time, which is difficult,” said Evatt.

“But if they can sacrifice, which they are doing, some of their work days to come and train with us and get them up to speed then certainly there will be opportunities for them and for others in the area.

“I’ve said all along that we needed to start this season getting some assets on the pitch and I think we have got some.

“We need to produce young players in a huge catchment area of talent and move things on off the pitch in terms of an Academy set-up to get them ready for this – because it’s a very tough league, it’s demanding and the standards we set are high.”