Barrow AFC boss David Dunn believes the Football League should relax a rule that he believes is putting his side at a disadvantage this season.

The manager feels the stipulation that at least one “club-developed” player must be in a matchday squad is unfair on clubs like Barrow.

Any side that cannot include a player who has been in the club’s academy must forfeit one of their seven substitute places.

Dunn says he is all for encouraging the development of players but the rule benefits some clubs more than others.

He says AFC’s recent rise from non-league means they are currently less likely to have a home-grown player in the squad who is ready for League Two action.

“I’d certainly like to see them scrap the home-grown player for this season,” Dunn said.

“I think it’s an unfair rule for clubs like ourselves and Harrogate and other teams that found ourselves in non-league for so long, and haven’t got the structure in place to have that.

“It means that every game we go into we’re a sub down, a player down, on our bench.

“There should be some provisions in there for that.”

Dunn now has the capacity to field five substitutes in a game after a rule change was confirmed by the EFL this week.

It comes into operation this weekend with tomorrow’s home clash with Forest Green Dunn’s first opportunity to make five changes.

Asked for his view on the rule change, he said: “I’m unsure about it – are we going to use five subs, realistically, every game? I don’t know. I’d only use subs if I felt it was going to improve us, make us better and stronger tactically, whether that’s going forward or defensively.

“It’s great we can use the five subs – it keeps the players fresh, you might have to make an enforced substitution but then at least you can have an impact with others.

“But I do think the home-grown rule is a bit unfair. I’m all for home-grown talent getting in, but I feel that as long as we’ve got a sub on the bench that’s been through an academy, an u21 squad, we should be able to do that.

“But those are the rules. I keep hearing all the time that rules are rules – it’s all we seem to hear. Then they suddenly change this [substitutions] rule when it suits. But we’ve got to get on with it.”

AFC are preparing for a hectic run of three games in six days, starting tomorrow against Mark Cooper’s side.

Dunn has given his players some rest time this week ahead of the relentless schedule but says the squad have also done some positive work.

He said: “On the days we’ve been in the lads have worked really well.

“Going into this weekend and next week it’s going to be hectic. But we’ve had some good work days, and worked a lot on team play.

“When you’re playing Saturday-Tuesday every week it’s recovery days, go again, the lads who didn’t play top up…

“So have 20 [players] and do a bit of shape this week has been positive. We take each game as it comes but it’s been good.”