Bluebirds soaring again

HE barely had enough players for a five-a-side team when he took over, but now Ian Evatt’s Barrow are on the verge of a longawaited return to the Football League.

And, if the 48-year exile ends next month, the former Blackpool defender will be looking forward to a reunion with his mentor Ian Holloway.

Ollie, Evatt’s boss during their one season in the Premier League (2010-11), is now in charge of League Two Grimsby Town.

“I learned a lot from Ian,” said Evatt, 38. “Mostly it was about the mental side of the game. He came in and changed the whole club and town’s mentality.

“It was about the next step and why can’t you believe you can get to the the Premier League. It was that change in mindset and mentality that really grabbed me.

“That’s what we have done at Barrow – we have changed mindsets.

“When I first went up there, people were miserable, you walked around the town, no one talked and everyone had their head down.

“Now everyone has a smile on their face, people want to talk about the football club. Sport can be amazing in how it can transform towns.”

Among the older Bluebirds fans, there is still rancour and bitterness about their club being voted out of the League in 1972.

Evatt (above) added: “We have lost generations of supporters because of that.

“It’s a long way for most other clubs and that, obviously, was a factor in

Barrow losing their league status. They’ve had to wait 48 years, that’s why everyone is excited, but also nervous at the moment.”

Probably not as nervous as Evatt when he agreed to become manager 18 months ago, Barrow having just stayed in the National League by a single point.

He recalled: “When I took over in the July, we only had four or five players. I had to recruit a full squad, but now it’s been going pretty well.”

They head the table and, so far at Holker Street, Evatt is getting the balance right – something which has been noted in a number of League One and Two boardrooms.

“Every job that becomes available in League One or League Two, I seem to be the favourite or second favourite,” he admitted.

“It’s nice, but right now it’s not about me – it’s about Barrow and what this club can do.”