ADY Pennock has added a key component to his Barrow AFC back-room staff.

The new Bluebirds boss has brought in former Oxford United and Glenn Hoddle Academy fitness coach Lindsay Davis to Holker Street.

Davis, 50, has worked with clubs in Spain, Indonesia and the Caribbean, and has a wealth of experience in the game, which Pennock hopes to utilise at Barrow.

The new arrival was part of AFC's training sessions at Hopwood Hall on Monday and Tuesday, getting stuck right into the job alongside Pennock.

The the expectation is former Bluebird Grant Holt will join them as a player/coach by the end of the week, once the period of his seven days notice from former club Kings Lynn is up.

Pennock is happy to have Davis, whose last job was with Bharat FC in Indonesia, as part of the team, and said: “I'm very pleased he's on board. He's got a wealth of experience, and to have him full-time is great – it's a big signing for us and I'm very pleased. He's settling in very well.

“He's worked abroad, he's worked in the Football League and non-league, he has been part of Glenn Hoddle's football academy. He has a wealth of experience, and it's a coup for us.

“I knew him through other people, but I met him for the first time while I have been talking to him in the last week or two. Two or three people who I know very well, and trust, have said this is a no-brainer, get him in, he's fantastic. He's a hard-worker and, more importantly, he's very, very good at his job.”

Pennock and Davis have already drawn up their plans for working with the AFC squad, with the manager having stated since his arrival that fitness levels need to be improved, and fast.

“We've got together and I've said what I want, and he has some good, fresh ideas as well, which is perfect,” said Pennock. “Already, we've been putting plans in place for what we want and the boys are all ready for a change, which is good.

“He was 100 per cent straight in and working – there's no point hanging around. He started yesterday, he was in today.

“We wanted things done properly. We need a full-time fitness coach. He;s a conditioning coach, he's a masseuse, he does a bit of physiotherapy as well – he's got a lot of tools.”

While Davis has experience with physiotherapy, his appointment will not mean a departure for Matt Butterfield, brought in before the start of the season to fill that specific role.

Instead, he will now be able to focus more on his core duties, having been spread thin while staff have come and gone, and Pennock added: “Matt has been doing loads of different jobs here with the changes of manager that we have had, but now he can just concentrate on being a physio. We can take a lot of pressure off Matt – he has done unbelievably well, but now he can just concentrate on being a physio and getting these boys fit. It's a big help for him.”

An announcement on Holt being appointed as player/coach is expected on Thursday or Friday.