Brighton & Hove Albion striker Glenn Murray has credited a prolific spell with Barrow AFC for kick-starting a career that eventually led to him thriving in the Premier League.

Murray, who was born in Maryport, has had an excellent start to the season by scoring five goals in eight games, which includes strikes in the Seagulls’ victories over Manchester United and West Ham.

This came after his 14 goals helped Brighton survive their first campaign in English football’s top flight in 34 years and, at 35 years of age, he is enjoying an Indian Summer in his career.

But it’s a far cry from its foothills, with Murray combining playing for Workington Reds with his day job as a plasterer.

A trial with Sunderland, who he had impressed during a spell playing in America, came to nothing, but it led to their manager at the time, Mick McCarthy, putting him in touch with his counterpart at Carlisle United, Paul Simpson.

Murray said: “I trained there for ten weeks but Paul just couldn’t make his mind up.

“He said ‘Barrow have been on the phone’ and they had been in the Conference North — Carlisle were in the Conference at the time, so they were only one league above.

“He said ‘I can’t make my mind up on you at the minute. I understand you’re using a lot of petrol money and you’re not making any money. I know you’re living with your parents but you need to earn.’

“He said ‘Lee Turnbull has been on the phone from Barrow, why don’t you go down there and play on Saturdays but train here during the week’, so I was happy to do that.”

It proved to be extremely successful for Murray, who struck ten goals in ten games for the Bluebirds, who eventually finished third in that season’s Northern Premier League.

“I Paul Simpson no option but to give me a contract,” Murray said.

“He gave me a contract until the end of the season. I scored on my debut and got promoted. I then got a new contract and the rest is history.

“The ten goals for Barrow were critical. I don’t know if four goals in ten games would have done it for him, I’m not sure if he was looking for a goalscorer or a target man.

“Those ten goals in ten games earned me that opportunity to progress. Non-league football was huge for me.”