Barrow's Phil Bolland targets top-half finish

Bolland has no plans to hang up his boots in the immediate future

Barrow defender Phil Bolland has played down his side's chances of reaching the play-offs this season in favour of another season of steady improvement.

The Bluebirds, who are 16th in the Blue Square Premier, have lost just two of their last 19 matches and are now 15 points off the top five.

"We should be pushing to finish in the top half of the league," Bolland told BBC Radio Cumbria.

"I think we are progressing and that's what the fans want to see."

The 32-year-old has returned to the Bluebirds' starting line-up after a spell on the bench earlier in the season.

The former Cambridge United defender, who has also had spells with Oxford, Peterborough and Chester, has also taken over the captaincy role.

"I missed out on quite a bit of game-time before the start of the season so when I did come back I was playing catch-up a bit," he said. "I feel like I've got over that now and I've been doing okay."

I still feel quite good and really enjoy the day-to-day training and I just want to keep on going for as long as I can

Phil Bolland

"At our level, you've all got to be mucking in together. There's no time for any egos or sulking because it's only a small squad. We're all keeping on our toes."

Bolland said he is enjoying his time at Holker Street after leaving Cambridge during the summer and has no immediate plans to retire.

"It's been great," he said. "I've been really impressed with the club, the facilities and the fans."

"I came into full-time football quite late, I still feel quite good and really enjoy the day-to-day training and I just want to keep on going for as long as I can."

Bolland is also a fully-qualified physiopherapist which he intends to fall back on when he finally decides to retire from the game.

"I actually had a choice to go to play for Preston full-time when I was 18, at the same I was offered a chance to go to university in Manchester," he added. "So I chose to do my physio degree for three years."

"I knew if I could get that under my belt I could go on to enjoy full-time football if the chance came around again which it did with Oxford."

The Bluebirds skipper is also determined to help guide Barrow to a Wembley final in the FA Trophy this season.

Barrow will be at home to either Gateshead or Chippenham Town in round three should they get past Maidenhead United in their twice-postponed second round tie.

"It's amazing how a lot of the teams in this league don't take it too seriously," Bolland said.

"You don't want to take away from the league but it is a big carrot at the end of it."