Huddersfield Town claim made over Ashley Barnes transfer snub - Burnley veteran "would have been perfect" | OneFootball

FLW's Huddersfield Town fan pundit has expressed his disappointment at Ashley Barnes' decision to stay put at Burnley

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Huddersfield Town were knocked back in their pursuit of Ashley Barnes, as the out-of-favour Burnley man chose to stay and fight for his place at Turf Moor.

Pete O'Rourke broke the news on Sunday that the 36-year-old, who has played just nine minutes of Premier League action this season, will be staying put for the time being, which put an end to Huddersfield's hopes of adding the experienced frontman to their ranks.

The Terriers have been resurgent under Liam Manning, winning all three of their League One games under their new boss to open up a six-point gap between themselves in sixth and the rest of the chasing pack for the play-offs.

However, despite a flawless start, a goalscorer was still in high demand towards the tail end of the transfer window after top-scorer Leo Castledine departed and signed for Middlesbrough, and Joe Taylor moved on loan to Wigan Athletic earlier in the window before Manning's arrival.

Given Barnes' extensive experience in the top flight and the Championship, he would have provided a vital boost to the Terriers' ongoing promotion push.

The Burnley frontman rejected the approach, though, and FLW's Huddersfield fan pundit, Graeme Rayner, expressed his disappointment at the 36-year-old's decision.

Huddersfield Town fan pundit reacts to Ashley Barnes' transfer decision

Rayner admitted that he was "a little disappointed" that Barnes decided to stay at Burnley for the rest of the campaign, as he believed that the 36-year-old's experience in the top flight and in the Championship would have been invaluable in their ongoing promotion push.

"I'm a little disappointed," Graeme told FLW.

"He'd have been ideal to get over the line for the back end of the season, and I don't think age would have been an issue, as we'd only be bringing him in until the end of the season.

"Ashley Barnes' experience, his know-how and his nous would have been perfect for the team, so it is a shame.

"I admire him wanting to stay and get game time at Burnley, but it's not happening there, and he could have come and maybe been a part of a promotion race with us."

"I think the fans would have taken to Barnes, so it is a shame about him, but onwards and upwards."

Huddersfield Town should feel aggrieved at Ashley Barnes' decision — he likely won't feature at Burnley

Barnes hasn't featured prominently at all at Turf Moor in the year since he made his return from a stint away at Norwich City, and it's clear that he isn't in Scott Parker's current plans.

While that's not to say that, if he did make the move to the Accu Stadium, he'd be starting week in, week out, he'd likely have played more than nine minutes of league action and be a constant unused substitute, which has been the story of Barnes' campaign thus far.

Additionally, Huddersfield seem to have a new lease of life under Liam Manning, and many are once again backing them to perhaps make a late run at the top two, or at least be one of the favourites in the play-offs come May.

The Terriers are an attractive club to come play for at the moment, and no one would begrudge someone dropping from the Premier League to play for them.

Barnes will undoubtedly go down as a Burnley legend, having made over 300 appearances for the Clarets in over a decade of service, which has seen Championship titles, top-half Premier League finishes and qualifying games in Europe, and perhaps finishing up his career at Turf Moor may be in his own personal plans.

But if his decision to stick it out with the Clarets is purely to try and dislodge those ahead of him in the starting eleven in the Premier League and see more game time between now and the end of the season, he may as well have explored a move across the Pennines.