BARROW AFC manager Pete Wild has piled the praise on 'outstanding' Chelsea loanee Sam McClelland.

The Northern Ireland international joined the Bluebirds on loan from the West London Premier League club last summer.

Since his arrival at the club, the 21-year-old defender has started 19 matches for the Bluebirds, playing a total of 1,724 minutes in his first-ever loan spell.

Wild expressed how impressed he has been by McClelland after his positive performance in Barrow's latest victory over AFC Wimbledon. 

He said: "Young Mc has been outstanding since he got here. To come from the environment he has come from in his first loan, I think has been outstanding.

"He has got real good aerial qualities and physical qualities. He is coming into a league that is very physical, completely the opposite to what he has been brought up on and I think he has adapted to the environment ever so well and I think he brings so much physicality and quality to us.

"He is happy to go put his head on it in both boxes and we have been really pleased with how he has matured across the season."