PAUL Cox wants to create some special FA Cup memories with Barrow AFC this season as they prepare to start their campaign against Tranmere.

The Bluebirds have been knocked out at the first time of asking in each of the last two seasons – against Runcorn Town and AFC Fylde – but Cox is hopeful of better this time around.

The Bluebirds welcome National League rivals Rovers to Holker Street for a game which sees the first return of striker Andy Cook to his old club, with the Barrow boss looking for a good run in the competition (3pm kick-off).

“The FA Cup always creates a buzz about a football club,” said Cox, who took Mansfield Town to a third-round tie against Premier League Liverpool in 2013, with Barrow winger Lindon Meikle among the Stags team that day. “I’ve been lucky enough to have been involved in some great runs and some great memories in the past. They’re in the past and I want to create new memories.

“The FA Cup is still the best cup competition in the world to be involved in and, if we could, we’d love to have a good cup run this year as well as being competitive in the league and improving on our position from last year.”

He added: “I want big games to come to this football club. Tranmere, I’m hoping there will be a big crowd.

“It’s a big week, but I want to get into the mind-set of this football club that every week is a big week for us. Every game is a massive game, and hopefully that will enthuse some of the people who aren’t coming into the ground at the minute, get this crowd rocking and hopefully a few smiles on the locals’ faces.”

With midfielder Liam Hughes suspended for tomorrow’s match after picking up five yellow cards this season, Cox has a selection headache when it comes to picking a replacement.

Meikle, Andy Haworth, Alex-Ray Harvey and Fleetwood loanee Akil Wright all played in midweek in the 4-2 Lancashire Senior Cup win over Bury.

Wright was on target with his first goal for the club – Ross Hannah scored the other three to stake a claim to play a part against Tranmere – while Meikle and Haworth both played 90 minutes on the wings.

Harvey, who has been left waiting for a first-team recall after a knee tweak saw him pull out of the match against York City last month, with Paul Turnbull taking his place ever since.

Cox was happy to see them all feature in the Bury match ahead of tomorrow’s test, and he said: “There are a number of the first-team players who got a lot out of the game. Whether it was a little bit of rustiness or sharpness, whether it was just a good blow-out, or whether it was just that little bit of confidence and push in the right direction mentally that they needed.

“Hopefully that will bode well for Saturday, in terms of my replacement for Liam Hughes and, as well as that, the positive substitutions we can make for that game.

“It has given me a headache. Lindon Meikle has done well, worked extremely hard, Andy Haworth looked sharp, and I thought Akil grew into the game and did extremely well. Al-Ray was Al-Ray – it was just nice to have back, totally injury-free. It will have done him the world of good as well.”