IAN Evatt is poised to bring in Barrow player-coach Sam Hird to boost his Wanderers backroom in League One.

The Bolton News understands talks have taken place with the former Leeds United and Doncaster Rovers defender, who also played alongside Evatt at Chesterfield and for him at Barrow.

Hird was registered as a player last season, making 19 appearances and scoring once in League Two. But he saw out the second half of the campaign in the dugout as caretaker manager Rob Kelly’s assistant, going on to help the Bluebirds stave off relegation from the EFL.

Kelly has since indicated that he does not want be considered for the job full-time but Barrow announced yesterday that they were “reviewing” their backroom team and that “further discussions are due to take place” with Hird and goalkeeper coach Josh Lillis.

Wanderers kept a slim backroom staff last season, with Evatt joined by assistant manager Peter Atherton, goalkeeper coach Matt Gilks and first team analyst Lewis Duckmanton from Barrow, inheriting several existing staff at the Lostock training base.

Andy Fairman was promoted from a goalkeeper coaching position in the academy to work with the first team after Gilks dedicated more of his time to playing from November onward.

It is expected that Hird will join the club as a first team coach, although it is unclear at present whether his remit will include the planned ‘B Team’ for next season.

Evatt has spoken at length about wanting to re-install another level of competitive football between the Under-18s and the senior side, following last summer’s decision to end the Under-23s team as part of a decision to downgrade the academy to category three.

Extra coaching staff could be a first step towards that target, with Evatt confirming in an interview with the club earlier this week that there were changes being made away from the public eye.

“There are lots of things going on behind the scenes and areas where I feel the club could improve,” he said.

“There is lots of hard work, lots of investment and lots of development and we’ll be in a better place for it next season.”