Barrow AFC will have one of their key men back before long, with midfielder Jason Taylor now back in training after his recent bout with pneumonia.

The 32-year-old will be hoping the Christmas period will bring about a change of fortune after a couple of months where very little has gone his way.

When he does return, Taylor will still be playing in a mask to protect the fractures to his cheekbone and eye socket he sustained against Sutton United at the beginning of November, once he's back up to strength.

His illness hasn't kept him out of too many games, thankfully, but it did force him to spend time in hospital and it did cause him to lose a considerable amount of weight.

Manager Ian Evatt said: "Jase is back in full training. He's been back with us for a couple of days now and he's fine. Everyone is fully fit and raring to go. We've a fully fit squad, other than Josh [Granite], who is due to join back in training this week, so other than that we've got a clean bill of health and we're ready to go."

Granite approaching fitness again would be a big boost for Barrow, especially as the club captain wasn't expected to be ready to train again until after the turn of the year.

The 27-year-old broke his collarbone and dislocated his shoulder in that match against Sutton, which came just after he had forced his way back into the starting line-up, following a two-month spell on the bench.

Evatt said: "Everyone knows what Josh is like as a character. He's desperate to get back involved, he lives and breathes the sport, he really wants to play, so he is working very hard on himself.

"He's in the gym a lot, strengthening himself up and he's got himself ahead of schedule, which is full credit to him, his attitude and his mentality."

If Taylor does return against AFC Fylde on Boxing Day, it would mean only Granite and goalkeeper Johnny Saltmer would be unavailable for the game.