A POTENTIAL new Barrow AFC recruit was left red-faced after arriving for their pre-season friendly at Southport on Saturday – only to discover the Bluebirds were playing at Stockport.

Defender James King was left perplexed on his arrival at Haig Avenue when he did not recognise any of the players in the dressing room, or the manager.

A quick phone call to AFC boss Paul Cox revealed King was almost 60 miles from the rest of the Barrow squad, who were settling in at Edgeley Park for their penultimate friendly against Stockport County.

“I got a call as I was walking on the pitch at Stockport, and he said 'Gaffer, where are you?' I told him I was on the pitch, and he said 'I'm here, I'm at Southport!'," said Cox. “It was amazing, so I gave him the postcode to Stockport.

“He's just a typical footballer. Apart from putting him in my car and driving him there myself, what can I do? Sometimes you have to babysit these players.”

King managed to arrive at Stockport in time to come on as a second-half substitute.

There could still be a happy ending to the tale for the former Bradford City youngster – who Cox looked at as a potential loan signing after Christmas, before his release by the Bantams.

King will be part of the Barrow squad which travels to Witton Albion for the final pre-season match-up on Tuesday night, with Cox assessing the trialists with a view to offering deals to those who impress him the most.