PAUL Cox is taking a wealth positives from his first full season in charge of Barrow AFC.

The Bluebirds ended the campaign with a 3-2 home defeat against Dover Athletic to finish seventh in the National League – their highest-ever placing in non-league football.

Ricky Miller took his season’s tally to 40 goals for Dover with a hat-trick to ensure they finished one place above their hosts – but just out of the play-offs – while Jordan Williams scored a stunner for the home side, and Mouusa Diarra netted in the week he became a father for the first time.

Cox said he and chairman Paul Casson had already had productive talks in planning for the next campaign, and looked back on this one on a happy note.

He said: “I was sat talking with the chairman on Friday night and, if I’m honest, it’s the most positive I have seen him since I have been at the club.

“He knows what we’ve done, but more importantly, he knows what needs to be done now.

“I’ll start with the positives, and I think it’s been a fabulous season. I’ve said time and again that we are a year ahead of ourselves. I think we’ve got everything to be proud about, I think the base has been laid, the infrastructure has been laid, and now it’s about taking it on.

“The negatives you saw in the game today. If you look at the game, you could be picky enough to say that our inadequacies today have been our inadequacies throughout the season.

“I’m well aware of what needs doing, Those discussions with the chairman have been really positive.

“Today was one of those games where we really went for it again. We chucked three centre-forwards up there, and you’ve got to look at the other end at a striker who is destined to play League football. When you get somebody of that quality at this level, he stands out like a sore thumb. I’ve said to him that I hope he gets everything he deserves in the summer, because he is a fabulous footballing talent. All three goals may have looked simple, but the technique and the movement were excellent.

“Going back to ourselves, I know where we are and I’ve probably know for six to eight weeks now – the fundamentals of where we can improve and how we can become stronger.

“The hard work starts now for me to improve on a number of things.”

Cox is hopeful he and Casson will build a squad capable of going further next year, and added: “My learning was to do with my relationship with Paul. I’ve been totally honest with Paul, and I think my relationship with him is key in terms of a trust between ourselves – him trusting me and understanding me, and me working hard for him and trusting in his decisions.

“I’ve said before that he is a million per cent behind this place and taking it forward. He is a very, very logical thinker, and people of that ilk usually succeed in the medium to long-term.

“What we’ve done over the last 17 or 18 months is put a foundation in place, and I think that needs building on now.

“He has been realistic to know about the infrastructure of our football club, and I think the most positive thing about it all is that he knows what needs doing.

“I’m hoping it’s a positive summer and I’m hoping that there is a realistic expectation next season – given the amount of good clubs there will be, and I think it’s going to be a harder league next year – that we want to be competitive.

“I make no bones about it, that I want to be up there and I want to be winning. Overall, it has been a really, really positive season.”