A ten year old article as Sean Dyche pays his first transfer fee

[ClaretTony]

On 10th January 2014, I wrote.


On the 1st day of August last year we sold Charlie Austin to QPR and immediately the speculation started as to who might be coming in to replace him.

I don't think anyone at the time, and that probably includes manager Sean Dyche, thought there would be no replacement in August and still no replacement by the time the loan window closed in November.

Having said that, I don't think anyone at the time would have even considered that by now, over a week into 2014, our two remaining strikers would have scored a staggering 31 league and cup goals between them.
That's relieved the pressure somewhat. Sam Vokes (11 goals) hasn't missed a minute on the pitch whilst Ings (19 goals) was ruled out of the Watford home game but has started every other game.

However, a new striker has always been a priority and at various times a number of names have been thrown into the hat including such as Bolton's Craig Davies, Andy Keogh at Millwall and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake who signed for Ipswich.

One name very much thought to be in the running was that of Ashley Barnes at Brighton, the first of the two players sent off against us at the Amex back in December 2011. It all came to a head, and then to nothing, on the last day of the August transfer window with more than enough evidence to suggest this had more substance to it than just speculation.

It all died a death, but even before the January window opened I was given a tip off that Barnes would again be the main target and so it proved. There's been some to-ing and fro-ing but Wednesday night the news seemed to be that a deal was close. That was further substantiated yesterday morning until it looked as though Leeds had stepped in with a counter offer.

Then, just after 1 p.m. news from manager Dyche that Barnes was having a medical ahead of a Turf Moor move and that left us just waiting for the confirmation.

That confirmation has now arrived and Ashley Barnes is a Burnley player having signed a deal until the end of the 2016/17 season.

Bath born Barnes started his career in local non-league football with Paulton Rovers but won a trial with Plymouth in early 2007 at the age of 16, impressing enough to earn an 18-month contract.

He made his debut for them as a substitute, coming on for the aforementioned Ebanks-Blake, but soon found himself back in the non-league with Oxford (prior to their return to the Football League), Salisbury and Eastbourne in loan deals.
A loan to League Two club Torquay in February 2010 was to be until the end of the season but he stayed for just a month and then subsequently signed for Brighton on loan where he impressed enough to land himself a permanent deal with the Sussex club.

Since signing permanently he's played over 140 league games for them and was part of the team that won promotion in the 2010/11 season.

He's had his moments though. Besides being one of two players sent off against Burnley on our first visit to the Amex, he was dismissed twice last season, one of them for tripping referee Nigel Miller which earned him a seven match ban.

His last game for Brighton came in their FA Cup win against Reading last Saturday whilst the last of his six goals this season did Burnley a favour; he scored twice in Brighton's 3-1 win against Leicester at the start of December.

Although the 24-year-old is English born to English parents, his one international appearance came for Austria when he played for them in an under-20 game back in 2008 against Switzerland. He qualifies because of an Austrian grandmother on his father's side of the family.

[claret2018]

It’s hard to imagine Barnes as ever being 24. He’s perpetually a 32 year old balding brute of a bloke in my mind.

What a signing.

[ClaretTony]

It’s hard to imagine Barnes as ever being 24. He’s perpetually a 32 year old balding brute of a bloke in my mind.

What a signing.

This is the official club pic of him in his first summer of 2014

[MG70]

It's funny how the mind plays tricks on you, I thought Charlie Austin had left before Sean Dyche was appointed. And Ashley Barnes has to go down as one of the best signings in the last 20 years, if not longer.

[ClaretTony]

It's funny how the mind plays tricks on you, I thought Charlie Austin had left before Sean Dyche was appointed. And Ashley Barnes has to go down as one of the best signings in the last 20 years, if not longer.

One of those underwhelming signings that proved to be a really top signing

[MG70]

Underwhelming is an understatement. I remember having a conversation with my Dad, agreeing we needed a striker that would get us over the line and he wasn't that. Maybe that's why I'm not a football manager lol.

[claretonthecoast1882]

That game at Brighton in 2011 was really bad. I remember coming out the ground annoyed after winning which is weird but how we saw the game out against 9 men was s**t

[Herts Clarets]

Right up there with the best value for money signings our club has ever made. Michael Duff is another one at the top of that list. A key part of 3 promotions, 7 years in the Premier League and European qualification to mention a few highlightss and of course who can forget his 2 goals against the Bastards last season, the first in particular for the great header and the launching of Kaminski into the back of his own net/

[jedi_master]

A modern day club legend I feel is Barnes.

He really got what it means to be a Burnley player.

[Rowls]

Great day for the club and the article above is a reminder of the constraints Dyche was working under during that miracle season.

[Foshiznik]

He did alright in the end didn't he?

[dsr]

Every time I see the headline I read it as a 10 year old Sean Dyche paying a transfer fee.

[Claret86]

Last season cemented his place as a legend for me.
At half time against Sunderland, I was thinking he needs to drop down a division for his own dignity, as he couldn't handle the championship.
I remember seeing the starting line for the match against them lot and couldn't believe he was starting.
2 goals and a keeper in the net later and he drove us on to glory that was capped off winning the league in their half empty stadium.
Legend

[bobinho]

Very much non-plussed at the time, but my word what a signing this turned out to be.

One of my favourite ever clarets. An absolute beast of a centre forward, and very much the epitome of a team player.

[KlyBfc]

That game at Brighton in 2011 was really bad. I remember coming out the ground annoyed after winning which is weird but how we saw the game out against 9 men was s**t

Not quite as bad as the day we some how managed to concede and draw against 9 man Bradford. Felt physically sick coming off that game knowing I had to face a load of city fans that I knew.

[beddie]

Agree one of our better signings. He looks so much younger on the picture.

[claretgimmer]

Fantastic signing, gave us so many highlights, became a fans favourite and a club legend, epitomised what is was to be Burnley through and through. Sadly he could well be the last under our current regime who seem only intent on money making players who will be sold on when/if the right offer comes along, so the longevity days of Heaton, Mee, Tarks, Barnes are possibly over, finding it difficult to have an affinity for the club I have supported for nearly 60 years

[mdd2]

There are money making players and money saving players
Barnes Heats Duff Mee are four that come to mind
Our club has always needed both
Keith Newton would be in the latter category

[ISpeds00]

wonder what the next article will be in 10 years time

[Dark Cloud]

I was there when he came on for the first time at Yeovil of all places and I turned to my son and said "Apparently many Brighton fans are saying they'd have driven him to Burnley just to get shut!!", so I really wasn't expecting what followed. So many great moments and other than the obvious derby opener last season, I was right behind our first goal in the 3-0 win at the London Stadium v West Ham and what a strike that was! (Although their goalie was a bit crap tbf, according to many on here! )

[Stacks]

We miss Ash’s leadership tremendously.

We have no leader. When you watch Everton and somebody doesn’t track back or they are out of position, Tarks gives them a verbal licking.

When we let in a howler or something happens on the pitch, Brownhill looks lost. Doesn’t say a word. And Cullen? Zero leadership in this team.