Last updated at 10:21, Saturday, 19 January 2013

BARROW AFC have missed out on centre-half Danny O’Donnell as they close in on a new striker.

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Boss Dave Bayliss has meanwhile confirmed loan pair Tom Anderson and Joe Jackson will not be back at Holker Street as he looks to build on a bare bones squad.

O’Donnell had been due to sign for AFC two weeks ago, but Barrow were then under a transfer embargo which meant he could not be recruited.

Now, the Stockport County defender has chosen to stay with his current club after they sacked manager Jim Gannon this week.

O’Donnell, had been out of favour and wants to prove himself to his new boss rather than join the Bluebirds.

One new player was set to be unveiled today, as the centre-forward aspect of Bayliss’s four-pronged player bid – which also includes two centre-halves (one of whom was O’Donnell) and a right-back – became reality.

A loan deal until the end of the season with a ‘tall striker’ currently in the Football League was due to be announced by the end of the day, with a deal until April 20 agreed in principle. The teenage Burnley duo of Anderson and Jackson had been involved with the Bluebirds since August, but both saw their loans expire at the start of the month.

While Bayliss would like to keep Anderson in particular, neither are set to return.

“We’d love to get Tom back,” said the AFC manager.

“Tom is another one of those lads who wears his heart on his sleeve and is a very honest kid.

“But Tom did so well for us that the reports going back to Burnley were very good and they want to have a look at him now for the next few months.

“His contract is up in the summer, so they want to make a decision on Tom.”

The soon-to-be-announced striker would be a replacement for Jackson, who will definitely not be back at Holker Street this term.

The hometown youngster made just eight appearances in his latest spell with the Bluebirds, scoring three goals to add to the three he netted in seven games last season, and was often left as an unused substitute.

Bayliss feels Jackson is not what the club are looking for at the minute, and said: “Joe, I just think Joe needs to go and play regular games of football.

“He has done well for us, but coming off the bench doesn’t really suit him – he needs to play regular matches where he is going to get a run of games and show people what he can do.

“I’ve had a couple of phone calls about Joe and I’ve given him a good reference. He’s a good, honest kid, but we need physical men at this moment in time and he just wasn’t that type of player that we needed at this time.

“It was different last year. He came into a better side, he got more chances, but we need someone with bigger stature now.”

l Barrow’s away matches against Alfreton Town and Dartford have been rearranged for March.

The Alfreton game, which was postponed on December 22, will now be played on Tuesday, March 5, with the trip to Dartford – delayed from next weekend due to FA Trophy clashes – will occur two weeks later.

First published at 17:18, Friday, 18 January 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk