THERE are more diamonds in the rough waiting to be unearthed by the Barrow AFC back-room team as their lower-league recruits glisten on the big stage.

Manager Paul Cox brought in striker Dan Cockerline from Northwich Victoria last weekend to join a roster filled with players snatched from further down the pyramid.

Jordan Williams and Richie Bennett were another pair snapped up from the Vics.

The former has since been called up by England C and was the subject of several transfer bids from Football League clubs in August, some reaching six-figures but none matching a believed asking fee of around £250,000.

Bennett, meanwhile, has bagged six goals so far in his first National League season, earned himself a starting spot in the front line, and kept proven Conference goal-scorer Ross Hannah out of the team.

At the other end of the field, Moussa Diarra was the division’s player-of-the-month for September and has built on those displays with a superb start to October. His defensive skills have come on immensely and he is firmly established as a fan-favourite.

Harry Panayiotou has yet to be seen in a Barrow shirt, but has Cox purring over his potential, with the same true of Cockerline. Both are the products of youth systems at higher-league clubs – Leicester City and Sheffield United respectively – but were released in the summer, allowing the Barrow boss to pounce.

Loan recruits Ryan Yates, Dom Smith and Akil Wright have also been watched over an extended period of time by the Barrow boss and his staff, with Cox stringent in his belief there are many more players ready to be shaped and to star for the Bluebirds just waiting to be discovered.

“I think I’ve always tried to find the diamonds in the rough out there,” said Cox. “It’s hard sometimes, because we cover a lot of games – it’s not just me, it’s my backroom staff, Simmo (assistant boss Gary Simpson), Ben (Marvin, the club analyst), Paul Ogden (the chief scout) – we work extremely hard, and we go to some games that some people probably wouldn’t want to be seen at.

“That’s where you find a Jordan Williams, that’s where you find a Richie Bennett. We’ve just signed another one. They’re out there, the likes of Moussa Diarra, they’re out there.

“We’re all working extremely hard. The one thing I like about it, is when a Moussa Diarra, when a Richie Bennett, a Jordan Williams gets the accolades, it’s because of their desire and hunger to become better, to love playing football. That sometimes rubs off on the rest of the group.

“I’m over the moon for Moussa, because he is probably one of the most generous, honest people I have ever met in football. He deserves his accolades.

“You saw on Saturday after he got the player-of-the-month, sometimes it could be after the Lord Mayor’s Show, but I thought he was outstanding again. Him and Danny Livesey were outstanding.

“I’m really chuffed for the group at the minute, because they deserve all the accolades they are getting.”

He added: “I get a sense of pride in finding these diamonds in the rough.

“It takes me back to when I first started in management – some of the grounds you have to go to and stand up, some of Bovril you’re drinking, and there is usually one man and his dog there. But this is where you have to go.

“We’re covering games because we want to work hard to try and improve this football club.

“It’s nice when it comes about. I’m really chuffed for the two ex-Northwich boys, because we kept an eye on them for a while and we knew they’ve got potential.

“The potential is frightening with both of them at the minute.”