Burnley FC transfer masterstroke could inflict damage on Blackburn Rovers | OneFootball

Burnley's capture of Ashley Barnes could be a huge driving force against Blackburn Rovers

Burnley stunned everyone on Thursday night when they announced that they'd re-signed Ashley Barnes for the rest of the season, over 18 months since he departed Turf Moor.

Clarets fans had been asking for a striker in January, but no one expected that man to be Barnes, and although it remains to be seen if the former Norwich City man is their only striking recruit this month, he'll certainly bring something positive to Turf Moor.

Scott Parker's side are firmly in the thick of the automatic promotion race, sitting second coming into this weekend's round of fixtures, which sees Burnley pitted against their fierce rivals Blackburn Rovers.

A quick glance at the league table shows their rivals have much easier fixtures on paper, but Burnley have proved this season that they sometimes perform better against the league's better sides than the minnows.

They evidenced that on Wednesday when drawing 0-0 against a lowly Stoke City - a result that means the Clarets come into this clash on a bit of a downer after some heavy fan criticism after the game.

Most Burnley fans were sad to see Barnes depart at the end of the 2022/23 season, so the club's announcement that they'd re-captured him on Thursday night was greeted with delirium by the Clarets faithful.

It didn't take them too long to realise that his first game back at the club would be the East Lancashire derby though, and whether that was a deliberate ploy by the club remains unclear, but one thing is for sure, his signing provides a huge lift.

Coming off the back of that goalless draw with Stoke, and with Rovers arriving in buoyant fashion after netting a late equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw at Elland Road, the immediate pre-game momentum was with Blackburn.

But this signing changes everything for Burnley - the feeling among the fans, the club and undoubtedly the dressing room - and it feels like the momentum is now firmly with Burnley.

Barnes has been around for six East Lancashire derbies at Burnley, and although he wasn't involved in all of them, the Clarets won all six.

That's invaluable experience ahead of one of the biggest games in Burnley's season, and it seems a shrewd move from Parker to add him before this massive game to lift spirits at the whole club.

Ashley Barnes' impact will be most felt off the pitch

Absolutely no Burnley fans are expecting Barnes to join the squad and score a raft of goals between now and the end of the season - if he does, it will be a huge bonus.

The main positive of this signing will be the experience he brings and the impact he'll make in the dressing room.

Barnes has been involved in three promotions at Turf Moor and has the know-how when it comes to getting over the line, something which although others in the squad have, no one has quite like the 35-year-old Barnes.

He's a real character around the training ground, and without a shadow of a doubt, his signing will have lifted spirits within the camp.

Barnes is someone who, as Roy Keane says, you'd go to war with, and that's exactly the type of character Burnley need ahead of the promotion run-in, as although they're blessed with an abundance of talent, they are a little lightweight at times.

All in all, it looks like Parker has played a blinder securing this deal, not only for Saturday, but for the rest of the season.