PIC: Andrew Vaughan
LIAM HUGHES says the feeling at Barrow reminds him of Cambridge United’s double-winning season.
The 24-year-old was part of the United squad that won the FA Trophy and Conference promotion final in 2014.
Hughes, who scored in the opener in their 2-1 win against Gateshead that sent the U’s back to the Football League after nine seasons away, had a brief spell with Inverness Caledonian Thistle before joining Barrow in the summer.
Paul Cox‘s Bluebirds stretched their unbeaten run to 14 games last weekend by thrashing Eastleigh – and Hughes believes they’ve got the right chemistry to stay in the promotion hunt.
“I had the chance to come to Barrow in January and I spoke to Paul, but then the opportunity arose to go up to Scotland,” Hughes told The NLP.
“I was at the stage of my career where I wanted to have that experience. But I always knew from the word go that I wanted to work with the gaffer here.
Togetherness
“The project is something I firmly believe in – this really isn’t much different to what I’ve been involved with before.
“People will look at us as ‘Little Old Barrow’ but there is a lot of hard work that goes in behind the scenes and is unseen.
“The league table doesn’t lie and we’re all working hard for each other. This league gets better every year – it’s always developing.
“We’re a team that fits into that category. We’re developing ourselves. We’ve recruited well with the likes of Bryon Harrison, Paul Turnbull, Shaun Beeley, Ross Hannah – added to those already here.
“There are quality players at the club and as a group the togetherness is there. It’s like what we had in a successful season at Cambridge. The minute I came here I felt like I’d been here a long time.”
Last Saturday’s win kept Barrow in the top five and boss Cox thinks there’s plenty more to come. Hughes agrees they’re heading in the right direction.
“We’re trying to do the right things,” Hughes said. “Everyone at this level will tell you it’s hard. The work people put in and the desire they have for the football club to achieve makes the difference.
“There’s no reason why we can’t be up there. I’m not saying our hard work is different to every other team.
“But that’s got to be your base. You’ve got to work hard to get results. Then you look at individuals to win you a game. It’s that bit of quality. And we’ve got it in abundance.”
