FOUR are already here and three are due to arrive next week, but there could still be some more new faces joining Barrow Raiders ahead of the 2019 Betfred Championship season.

The success of the club’s sponsorship drive and selling out the corporate packages for the upcoming pre-season match against Wigan Warriors – believed to be the first time the club have done so for a friendly – has contributed to chairman Steve Neale making extra funds available to boost the squad.

With Jarrad Stack, Luke Cresswell and Shane Toal still recovering from long-term injuries, plus one or two others carrying the usual pre-season niggles, there is a need to bring in cover for some positions.

“Steve has given us the green light to have a look at a couple more players, so we’re looking for a little bit more,” said Barrow head coach Paul Crarey.

“He’s been brilliant since he’s taken over and the board are so proactive in what they’re trying to do, and with things going well off the field we might be able to bring in another player or two.

“We’re running on 25 or 26. If we can bring somebody in it would be great and we’re looking forward to it.”

Another possibility is bringing in some players on loan from Wigan as part of the deal which took Joe Bullock to the Super League champions.

However, they would have to be on a season-long loan rather than as part of any dual-registration agreement, which Crarey has always eschewed, and the Barrow boss will speak to the Warriors’ assistant coach, Cumbrian John Winder, ahead of the match between the two.

“There are a couple of lads there we’d like to take if we could have them on a season-long loan,” said Crarey. “That’s what we want, really, we’re not into the dual-registration market.

“I know there is an option there, but I’ve not spoken to anyone from Wigan about that yet. I know John Winder and get on well with him, so we’ll have a look at that.

“We just want some good players and we don’t want to have to start educating them. We’re educating our own players, so there are a couple we’d have.

One Wigan player Crarey would seize the opportunity to bring in is Liam Paisley, having coached the second row as a youth player at Dalton.

But the priority is bringing in players contracted to Barrow.

“I’d have Liam Paisley at the drop of a hat if he became available for us,” said Crarey. “I’ve known him since he was five and looked after him, so it would be great to get him in and he’s a good player.

“That would be an option for me if that was possible, but again we’re in the market for our own players and we might be able to bring one or two in because we are looking light and some of the lads have got injuries which are clearing up.”