AFTER a season as a peripheral figure at Holker Street, Harry Panayiotou hopes to make his mark for the Bluebirds.

Panayiotou played more minutes for St Kitts and Nevis during 2016/17 than he did for Barrow.

The Leicester City youth product arrived at AFC in October with manager Paul Cox saying he could be one of the best players in the squad.

He also arrived in the middle of the 26-game unbeaten run, when Barrow were in unprecedented form and Byron Harrison and Richie Bennett were forming a lethal strike partnership.

That meant his chances of making a breakthrough into the starting line-up – especially with Ross Hannah also waiting in the wings – were slim, and he did not play until coming off the bench in the FA Trophy replay against Harrogate Town on December 13.

Thirty-six minutes in that game, 25 in the next round against Matlock Town and 90 in the Lancashire Cup defeat to Rochdale were his sum total of action for the club before going out on loan to National League North Salford.

Already in pre-season he has bettered that tally, featuring against Crewe Alexandra, Nottingham Forest Under-23s and Lancaster City, among others.

He scored against Lancaster and netted a brace at Witton on Tuesday, and the 22-year-old wants to kick on when the season proper starts.

“I'm hoping I can make an impact this year,” he said. “I'm hoping I can be given a chance of more playing time.

“Last year was different. The team was doing great, they were 27 games unbeaten, and you can't change that team – I get that.

“This is my first proper pre-season with the team. I joined in October, so I didn't have a full season, and now I'm feeling sharper and fitter, and I feel I have been given a chance, like everybody else.”

He added: “The game against Forest was the first time I have started for Barrow. I'm getting into myself, I scored against Lancaster and I'm feeling better with each game.”

The departure of Bennett for Carlisle and Harrison's recovery from ankle surgery mean Panayiotou may have more chances to star right from the start for Barrow this season.

Jordan White and Adi Yussuf have both been brought in, but Panayiotou is also in contention to feature, and knows he must grab his chance when it comes.

“I've got pace running behind, I know Coxy likes to play with a target man, so I'm happy to be running behind, doing the donkey work he wants me to do, and score goals – that's the main thing I like to do,” he said.

“I'm in much better shape now. I'm a stone lighter now than I was last year, I feel fitter and sharper.

“What some people don't understand is that the only time I was playing last year was when I was playing internationals. That's why I was enjoying going on international duty, because I was playing 90 minutes.

“Now it's about gelling with the team. The team know how I play from training, but it's about taking it into the match-day 11 and buying into what the gaffer wants.

“Given the chance, I'll be able to rise to and handle the occasion.

“I've got to take each game as it comes. Every pre-season game hasn't been like that for me, it has been a proper game, because I've had to show the fans and the gaffer that I can handle it and I can make my mark.”