There was some surprise amongst Barrow AFC fans that new striker Scott Quigley was given a three-year contract upon signing, but manager Ian Evatt believes it has put the club in a strong position.

It’s the first time any player has been handed that length of contract since Evatt took charge just under a year ago, with 26-year-old Quigley hopefully heading towards his peak years as a player.

Quigley was one of two new players to arrive at the Bluebirds on Monday, with fellow forward Dior Angus coming back to Holker Street on a permanent deal, following a previous loan.

He’s had some success in the National League before, particularly during a loan at Wrexham, and Evatt is hoping he can become part of an attack that will be more clinical in front of goal next season.

Evatt said: “I’ve read things on social media and I’ve seen people surprised at the fact that he’s got a three-year contract, but we have to protect ourselves as a football club now.

“To get these better players, we have to make sure that the club’s covered. We can’t pay them what other teams can pay them, but we can certainly offer them a longer contract on less money, as it gets the commitment on both sides.

“The fact is that if another club comes in to take him off our hands then it’s not going to be as simple as it has been in the past.

“Hopefully we’ll see the best years out of him – that number nine position is a key to how we play and he has all the attributes to be a star for us next season.”

At 6ft 4in, Quigley will play through the middle of the front in Evatt’s preferred 4-3-3 system and he’ll likely be supported down the wing by the quicksilver Angus.

The 25-year-old scored twice in 11 appearance during his loan from Port Vale, although the back end of his season was disrupted by a couple of ankle injuries, one of which he tried to return from a little too soon, which resulted in a setback in his recovery.

Evatt said: “He had a nasty ankle injury that he kept trying to come back from too quick, just so he could play, when he wasn’t quite healed, so the summer will do him good.

“I love the fact that he was going all out to try and get back out on the football pitch because you want that kind of desire and commitment to the football club.

“It was always in the pipeline that Dior was coming back to us. I think he’s got a lot of potential and there’s a lot of improvements still left in him and I think he is going to be a very good player for us.

“I’m looking forward to working with him when he’s fully-fit and has a good pre-season behind him.”