BARROW AFC skipper Niall Canavan says head coach Stephen Clemence has brought a fresh viewpoint to the club.

The defender is enjoying life under the new Bluebirds boss, and he feels having led Gillingham in two games against Barrow last year could help.

He said: “He’s obviously played us last year.

“He will have done his analysis on us, and how he can try to beat us when he was at Gillingham.

“So, I think he will have things from that which he will want to change in terms of how we set up.

“That can only help us. It's good to have a fresh set of eyes and change of perspective, and we are all enjoying it.”

Canavan is well aware that the arrival of a new man at the head of any football club will mean changes.

But he is encouraged by the fact that Clemence is looking to tweak things rather than undo everything that has gone before.

“He's very approachable and he’s not come in and said forget everything you’ve done before.

“I think there will be changes tactically, but in general we’ve got the core of the same group of people and a lot of the staff have remained, so it’s kind of the case of looking to improve on what was already working well,” he said.

“And those tweaks the gaffer can see that will improve us he will be looking to apply.

“It’s been good to be back, like I say the core of the group is still here, and it’s a good group of fellas.

“Anyone who has spent any time around us, either at training or at games, you can see that it is a close-knit group, and a group full of good people.

“That’s remained and it still stays as a good place to come and work.

“It's been good to be back and working hard in training. Now we are all just gearing up for the start of the new season and hopefully we can kick on again this year.

“Everyone is focused on going that step further this time.”