POPULAR striker Jason Walker appears to have agreed to give Paul Cox more time to decide his Holker Street future.

The Barrovian’s contract includes a clause that means he will automatically trigger a one-year extension to his deal - stretching it to the end of 2016/17 - if he makes a specified number of appearances this term.

Walker, who has made 21 National League appearances for AFC this term, is close to the threshold and to automatically activating the clause.

But recently-appointed Barrow AFC boss Cox, who is assessing his whole squad, wants more time to monitor Walker before deciding whether to let him take up the third-year option – having rejoined the club in the summer of 2014 – and remain with the club next season.

Cox therefore did not select Walker in his first AFC squad late last month, when his side carved out a 2-1 home victory over Woking.

But Walker has now agreed to extend the appearance clause.

That means he will have to earn the right to play an increased amount of matches this term to secure an extended stay, with Cox ultimately deciding whether he makes it to the new target, with that appearance figure not being disclosed.

And if the amended clause can be formally nailed down this week Walker will come back into first-team contention for Saturday’s FA Trophy tie at Sutton Coldfield Town.

“It looks like we’ve come to an agreement where I think we’re going to extend the games ratio in the contract,” said Cox. “I’ve had a really positive chat with Jason and we’ve kind of met each other at 50/50 (in striking a compromise) so I’d like to think that he will be in the frame on Saturday and onwards which will be positive.

“If we can dot the i’s and cross the t’s and everything, which I don’t think will be a problem before Saturday, then he will be in the frame.

“It is a figure (appearances) that we both came to, it wasn’t me dictating to him or vice-versa.

“We thought it was adequate to both of us, for him to think, ‘yes, I can benefit from that and prove I deserve another year’.

“And it allows for me to say, ‘yes, we can have a good look at you in that period of time’ and see technically, tactically and physically what he has to bring to the table over the next two or three months.”

Centre-back Danny Livesey was ruled out of the Woking victory with a groin injury.

It is still not clear whether he will be declared fit ahead of Saturday’s game, after which AFC will turn their attention to their league clash at Lincoln City the following week.

Cox added: “Danny trained on Tuesday and there was still a bit of soreness in there.

“He pulled out at some point because he felt it a little bit and then came back in a bit nearer the end of the session.

“But the good news is he finished the session, but just felt a bit of tightness halfway through.

“He’s probably going to join in on Thursday (today) but what we don’t want to do with Danny is rush him back and risk losing him for what is going to be a very important festive period.

“So if there’s any doubts about him he won’t take part. But the lad’s an experienced pro and he’ll make the decision. If he thinks he’s right, then it will be great to have him back in the fold.

“I would have thought Danny will be 100 per cent for Lincoln if he doesn’t make this Saturday.”