PAUL Cox expects more new faces to arrive at Holker Street over the next few days after a positive meeting with Barrow AFC owner Paul Casson.

The pair sat down to talk all matters Bluebirds earlier this week, with the need to strengthen the squad high on Cox's agenda.

Already, Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Jon Flatt has arrived on loan until the end of the season, with more set to follow.

Cox has been operating with a threadbare squad at times in recent weeks, after knee injuries ended the seasons of keeper Joel Dixon, midfielder Andy Parry and striker Dan Cockerline. Nottingham Forest loanees Ryan Yates and Tim Erlandsson have both returned to their parent clubs – the former with an injury of his own and the latter to pursue new opportunities elsewhere.

That left Barrow with just 14 fully-fit players on Boxing Day – with the ill Andy Haworth and minor injury victim Myles Anderson on the bench and Jordan Williams suspended – and had Cox emphasising the new for reinforcements.

Speaking to the Evening Mail earlier this week, Casson was cagey when it came to stating if he would open his wallet to pay transfer fees for new players, but acknowledged Cox – still one of the favourites to take over at League Two battlers Notts County – would want extra manpower.

The manager is set to sit down for a second round of talks with his chairman today, but reported positive progress from the first meeting.

He said: “It was a really positive meeting. I told him my thoughts from my experience of being here and how I believe the season will pan out. I tried to get my thoughts across in terms of foreseeing any problems before they arise, just so we are competitive until the end of the season.

“Paul was very productive and very pro-active with what he had to say. I would like to think there will be some fresh faces coming in. The goalkeeper will be the first. There might be another two coming in even before Saturday who will help us out – if not, then we should see some movement early next week after the positivity of the conversation we had.

“I found the whole conversation very productive. Now, we need to work together to put together a sense of realism in terms of the blueprints and the plans we have between now and the end of the season. It was all positive.”