Midfielder Tom White is thankful that he's able to focus on football again, after helping Barrow AFC open up a three-point lead at the top of the National League in recent weeks.

White joined the Bluebirds on loan from Championship side Blackburn Rovers midway through last month, with his four outings since being his first taste of senior football this season.

The 22-year-old had previously had to make do with under-23 action with Rovers, who he had signed for during the summer from troubled Gateshead, although AFC boss Ian Evatt was interested in bringing him to Holker Street even then.

White had impressed in the National League with the Heed, whose second half of season was played out against a backdrop of financial turmoil under former owner Dr Ranjan Varghese, which eventually led to them being demoted one division.

White said: "Gateshead will always have a massive place in my heart. As a football club, I hope to go back there one day, but it was heartbreaking what happened, with the way the team got dismantled.

"The disturbances off the field affected everything and their fans thought they might not have a club this year, so I still look out for their results.

"I'm still close with all the players there and I try and get back and watch them whenever I can, so it's good to see them back playing and I hope they have a successful season.

"Right now, I'm just taking each match as it comes. Other people can get excited and the fans keep turning up in their numbers to support us, which is a massive help, and we just need to keep concentrating on doing what we've been doing."

White is getting back to full fitness with the Bluebirds and impressed after being named in the team ahead of Jason Taylor in last Saturday's 4-0 victory at Maidenhead United.

Evatt finally got his man, albeit on a temporary basis, after making a big effort to bring White in to boost his midfield options, only for him to understandably find the lure of the Championship impossible to resist.

White said: "The summer was a difficult one for me because I obviously played against Barrow two times last year and I thought they were one of the best teams in the league.

"I actually played Barrow in the last game of the season for Gateshead and the gaffer came and had a little word with me literally after the game.

"That meant a lot because he's doing a brilliant job here and as soon as he came back in with the opportunity of a loan, I jumped at the chance to work with him."