SURVIVE this season and thrive next is the mantra of new Barrow AFC keeper Steve Arnold.

The former Gillingham stopper arrived at Holker Street two weeks ago, and is set to have his first chance of seeing action at Torquay United this afternoon, after back-to-back postponements (3pm kick-off).

Arnold has arrived at a Bluebirds side who sit a single place and a solitary point above the National League relegation zone, and who face a battle to maintain their status in non-league's top-flight.

But manager Ady Pennock has overseen an upswing in away form and has brought in four new faces in the past month – with Luke James, Chris Humphrey and Ollie Cook all joining on loan to complement Arnold's 18-month deal.

AFC will look to make it eight games unbeaten on the road this afternoon, and Arnold knows the main aim is to stay up this season, before looking to build and progress next.

“This season, we just need to stay in the league and get as far away from the relegation zone as possible,” he said.

“Going into next season, we have definitely got to be up there or thereabouts. I would like to think so anyway, that would certainly be my ambition; having worked with the gaffer, I know that would be his ambition as well.”

Arnold has experience of being at the sharp-end of affairs in the National League with both Forest Green Rovers and Dover Athletic.

He played in the play-offs twice for the former, and last season was part of the Dover side who narrowly missed out on the top-five, finishing just above Barrow in sixth.

Arnold sees that experience as valuable, and hopes he can use that to the benefit of his new club.

“At Forest Green we had relative success,” said the 28-year-old, who played 45 games for Rovers, having moved there while Pennock was in charge. “The first season, we got in the play-offs, then the second season we got to the play-off final and narrowly missed out to Grimsby, which was a bit annoying.

“I'd like to think I have what it takes to push the team up there a bit.”

As for what else he brings to the table, he added: “As a keeper, shot-stopping is one of your main attributes, but I love coming for crosses; I'm quite a big lad, so – for me – that's one of my big pluses. I command the area well. There's distribution as well, I can get it down to the lad up top or whoever wants it.”

Hertfordshire-based Arnold is looking for a home in Manchester, close to AFC's training base at Hopwood Hall College, to make life easier – though not with his team mates, as he says he 'likes my own space'.

But he is complimentary about those same team-mates as well, and can see them all pushing in the same direction as Pennock and his coaching staff.

“It's a footballing cliché, but they are all a great bunch of lads,” said Arnold, who travels three hours to training and has a five-hour journey back from home games at present. “You can see their desire to want to win and do well.

“With the gaffer coming in, and with them taking his advice on, you can see the direction the club want to go in.”