Joey Barton: Fleetwood must start winning again to attract players

Fleetwood's Callum Connolly impressed his new boss on his debut at Burton

No point screaming and shouting says Barton

But Town have crashed out of two cup competitions this month, which could make funds harder to come by. And they have won only one of their last seven League One games, a run Barton accepts won’t help him to attract players.

Asked about the prospects of any imminent transfer activity, Barton said: “I’m not 100 per cent sure.

“My chairman is off in South Africa at the minute with one of the multiple corporations he has going on in all parts of the world.

“He’s always supported us and we’re pretty sure he will do the same this time.

“Obviously that has to be tailored off the back of the FA Cup exit but we do need reinforcements.

“Any club can always add good players to the group. We have to be responsive in the market place should any of those kind of targets pop up.

“We are working on one or two, but us not winning games of football doesn’t necessarily help if they have a choice of us or five or six other teams around us.

“We have to make sure we are winning to show we have a legitimate chance of getting out of the division because that’s always more appealing to players.

“Converting Lewie Coyle into a permanent signing opens up another loan for us and we’re going to have to be very shrewd in making sure we add the right character and player to our group to take us forward.”

One man already through the door is longtime target Callum Connolly, on loan from Everton.

The midfielder or defender was drafted in as a replacement for injured loanee Jordan Rossiter.

Barton is happy with the start Connolly made in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Burton Albion.

He added: “Callum had only been training with us for three days, so we didn’t know exactly what his level was.

“I thought he settled in quite well and grew into the game but he picked up a caution early on, which was always a worry, especially when it was so competitive in midfield.

“Jack Sowerby had given a good account of himself on Tuesday against Accrington and was unlucky to miss out on the starting 11 on Saturday.

“That was the thinking behind bringing him on and getting Callum off, so he didn’t run the risk of a fatigue injury or a possible second yellow.”