Barrow AFC have made their sixth signing of the summer after the arrival of midfielder Mark Waddington on a one-year contract.

Waddington, whose deal with the Bluebirds includes the option of a further year, was released by Championship side Stoke City earlier in the summer after being unable to break into their first team.

The 22-year-old came through the youth ranks at Blackpool, one of AFC manager Ian Evatt’s former clubs, and made his senior debut for the Seasiders aged 17 in a League Cup tie against Shrewsbury Town in August 2014.

Waddington made four further first-team appearances before a broken foot in February 2015 ended his campaign prematurely.

It was in the summer of that year that he made the move to then-Premier League Stoke, but he never played a senior game during his four years at the Potters.

He went on loan to Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock in June 2016, but his spell with them was cut short at the end of August after only two appearances.

Waddington returned north of the border in the second half of last season when he was loaned out to Falkirk, where he played alongside fellow Barrow summer signing Patrick Brough.

With pre-season training due to start next Monday, Waddington joins forwards Scott Quigley, Morgan Penfold and Dior Angus and defenders Brough and Brad Barry as new arrivals at Holker Street.