GRAHAM Barrow already has his eye on next season as the Shakers enter the final seven matches of this campaign.

Barrow, and assistant boss Kelham O'Hanlon, signed new full-time 'rolling' contracts on Wednesday and both are wasting no time in planning ahead for next term.

Of the sixteen full time professionals on the club's books, no fewer than eight could be free agents in the summer.

With that in mind, the management team will be looking long and hard at their out-of-contract players, while casting an eye on those they'd like to bring to Gigg Lane.

"Obviously, we'll still be focusing on the job in hand but now we can look beyond the summer," said Barrow.

"We had one eye on next year anyway but after being given the green light we're really working towards next season.

"I don't think it's a bad thing for the club that eight players will be out of contract, either.

"We have been holding meetings and talking to the players quite a bit over the last few months.

"Now we've finally been appointed it might hit home to one or two that they need to pull their socks up!"

One player who Barrow would definitely be keen to bring to the club in the summer is on-loan central defender Dave Challinor.

He returns to Stockport County after next Friday's Torquay United game, but appears surplus to requirements at Edgeley Park despite having another 12 months of his contract to run.

Everton's 19-year-old midfielder Steven Schumacher is another target and Barrow narrowly missed out bringing him to Gigg on transfer deadline day.