CAPTAIN fantastic Danny Livesey hopes he has at least another year in a Barrow AFC shirt after landing five prizes at the club’s end-of-season awards.

For the second year in succession, Livesey was one of the major winners at the Bluebirds’ ceremony – picking up the Players’, Fans’ Bluebirds Trust, National Supporters’ Club and Radio Lonsdale player-of-the-year gongs.

The 32-year-old, who has spent the past three seasons at Holker Street, is out of contract this summer, but after a season in which AFC went closer than ever before to a return to the Football League, he wants to return for the 2017/18 campaign and help push them a step further.

“Of course I’m hoping I’ll be here,” said Livesey, who received widespread praise from a packed Nines venue at the club’s awards night. “I don’t think anyone has had any sort of discussions yet, but I love the way the club has progressed, I love what they are trying to do, and hopefully we will have positive talks.

“It’s up to the gaffer and the chairman to say if they still want me here next season. I’m sure they’ll have a chat and discuss what direction they want the club to go.”

Livesey, who alongside fellow players Liam Hughes and Alex-Ray Harvey, manager Paul Cox and chairman Paul Casson, spent time answering questions on stage at the end-of-season event, believes he still has a lot to offer Barrow.

He added: “I’m 32 years old, I’ve had probably one of my best seasons for a couple of years. I think I’ve been fairly consistent since I’ve come here – in three years, I think I’ve been fairly consistent in all of them.

“I’m feeling probably the best, the fittest, I have through my whole career, because I’ve had to work really hard this year. As you get older, you’ve got to work really hard to keep up with the younger lads and the quicker lads. That’s something I have taken immense pride from this year, I have worked that hard to make sure I’m ready for the games on Saturdays – I feel that it has paid off.”

Livesey’s central defensive partner Moussa Diarra also picked up a pair of awards at the Nines – the Phil Collier Associates Sponsors’ Man-of-the-Match Award and the Evening Mail player-of-the-year – while Jordan Williams was the Programme Star Man.

Ross Hannah took the goal of the season prize for his stunning 40-yard free-kick in the 2-2 draw at Aldershot.

Livesey had particular praise for Diarra, who has made the step-up to the National League with Barrow from Hampton and Richmond, and who has been a revelation in defence.

“He’s been amazing,” said the Barrow skipper of Diarra. “He started off a little bit nervous, which you would expect when you are finding your feet, and then he showed really good form and he carried that on. He has been brilliant.

“There are things that he needs to work on – not a lot of stuff – but he has all the basics there to be a very, very successful footballer. I’m sure he will benefit Barrow and it will definitely benefit him.

“He’s going to have a good career out of it, because he’s willing to listen, he’s willing to ask questions.

“He’s been brilliant. For someone in their first year at this level, he’s been very good.”

Livesey hopes their partnership at the back will continue to develop next year, and added: “You want a settled defence. As much as you want to rotate the squad and the team you want as much of a settled defence as you can.

“We’ve started to build a good partnership, and overall it has not been too bad. We’ve done fairly well, we probably couldn’t have done much more.

“We haven’t conceded that many, we’re sixth in the conceded table and we can really build on that. If we are together next year, whatever happens, then I think it can only be positive.”

Also at the end-of-season night, Ian Carruthers took the Clubman Award, while former Evening Mail and Advertiser journalist Bob Herbert was made a life member of Barrow for his years of service.

Herbert, who is stepping down as programme editor, was the subject of a special presentation from Casson, who said: “We have a very limited number of life members at Barrow, which is an award we give to people who have given meritorious service over a long period of time.

“It’s my honour to be able to confer that honour on Bob Herbert for his 50 years of service to the club.

“Fifty years is a long time and it is my great honour to be able to award another great legend at Barrow with a life membership.”