Barrow sign Ellis Gillam from Whitehaven for 2022

Barrow have confirmed the signing of Ellis Gillam from Whitehaven for the 2022 season.

Gillam features at back-row, and currently wears squad number 19 at Whitehaven in the 2021 Betfred Championship season.

The Barrow-born player has also previously featured for Rochdale and is a product of the Warrington Wolves academy.

“The ambition of the club attracted me, not just being happy with being safe but to push the boundaries and go for goals that people will laugh at,” said Gillam.

“I want to be a part of that and achieve it. Also, the chance to represent my hometown club is something I’ve always wanted to do since coming from an early age. My goals are to help get the club back where they belong at the top of the Championship with big crowds watching on.

“I’d like to thank Steve Neale and Andy Gaffney for giving me the chance to represent my hometown club.”

On the signing, head coach Paul Crarey added: “I coached Ellis as a junior. He is a big, strong lad with good skills and a great attitude. He works very hard and lives and breathes rugby league. He can comfortably play middle or edge and he is a local lad which makes him a good fit for us.

“We would like to thank his agent Graham Taylor who approached us and expressed Ellis’ desire to play for Barrow and for the hard work Andy Gaffney has done to get the deal over the line.”

The Raiders currently sit second in the League 1 table with a win percentage of 80.77%, having won 10 games so far this season and losing just two and a single draw.

Crarey’s side travel to the Keepmoat Stadium this weekend to face Doncaster, with both sides looking to bounce back from defeats in the previous round to North Wales Crusaders and Rochdale respectively.