Canavan wants action to save 'bonkers' Barrow season

Barrow captain Niall Canavan says the time for talking is over as they try to prevent a "bonkers" season from ending in relegation out of the English Football League.

The Bluebirds now have a fourth permanent boss of the season after Sam Foley was appointed as player-head coach until the end of the campaign.

The 39-year-old has stepped up following the departure of Dino Maamria after only six games in charge.

It is a situation that Canavan has called "stressful", but with Barrow outside the relegation zone only on goal difference, it has to be all hands to the pump to prevent relegation to the National League.

"It's never really helpful," Canavan told BBC Radio Cumbria.

"You want to have things in order to allow your process to drive you in the direction you're looking to travel.

"But it's just been a bonkers year. I'm sick of having to come out and say it but it's just time to get it done."

Andy Whing began the season in charge at Holker Street but he departed in December following a home loss to Tranmere Rovers at the end of a six-game winless run.

At that stage, they were 18th, but things have got progressively worse in the past three months with Whing's replacement Paul Gallagher losing all five of his games which prompted Maamria's appointment in his first job since 2023.

The Tunisian lasted only one more game and collected just four points during that period, with his final game Tuesday's 2-0 home defeat by Bristol Rovers, after which the players were booed off the field.

Since winning away at Walsall on 18 October, Barrow have only won twice and collected 11 points from 22 games - that is relegation form across almost half a season.

But one of their biggest problems has been in recent matches with other sides in the bottom six - Barrow lost to Shrewsbury, Crawley, Harrogate before their defeat by Bristol Rovers.

Now Foley, who has returned to action after over six months out after thigh surgery, has been handed the baton of trying to preserve Barrow's six-year stay in the EFL.

"We've got to get back to who we are and what we're about," said Canavan.

"Sam is at the front of leading that and I'm sure he knows which direction we want it to go in."

The first of Foley's 11 games is at home to Accrington Stanley on Saturday (15:00 GMT) with Barrow level on points with Newport County and one point clear of bottom side Harrogate.