After finally losing striker Billy Sharp to Southampton on the very last day of the transfer window, Doncaster Rovers waited two days later to tie down two free agents to contracts until the end of the season.
Habib Beye cancelled his contract with Aston Villa to become a full-time Doncaster player after being with them since November while the loveable El Hadji Diouf, a free agent because not even the most obscure nook and cranny team wanted him, got his pen out to sign a permanent deal and in doing so, taking Sharp’s number 10 shirt.
Not content with getting two players in after the window had shut, they don’t like to do things in the norm at the Keepmoat, they are likely to add a third once the loan window re-opens next week, rumoured to be Southampton’s Lee Barnard.
Why he wasn’t included in the deal that took Sharp to St. Mary’s to cut out the role of lady time, we don’t know, but we can guess that Barnard may have been required for Tuesday’s game with Cardiff as Sharp was not registered and Guly Do Prado was injured. However, now on the fringes of Nigel Adkins’ attacking line-up, with the additions of Sharp and Tandanari Lee, Barnard may be on his way up to the North East for some regular first team football.
Because this page is proud of its neutrality, we’ll give some prominence to Barnard’s goal-scoring record that is quite impressive for Southampton, having netted 23 times in 56 games, including a 15 goal contribution to last season’s promotion from League One, but has only played 6 times so far this season, without a goal.
Doncaster suddenly look a bit thin on the ground as regards regular goal-scorers upon the departure of Sharp and with the club five points adrift in the relegation places, Barnard’s experience and goal-scoring ability may be just what the Doctor ordered, to use a cringe-worthy cliché.
However, in a move that will surely whet the appetite of the problematic Diouf, the 27 year old Barnard is currently subject to serious assault charges and is still waiting to answer that particular court date as his trial was delayed from last October. There could be trouble ahead, but the less said about the better we think, while in the more immediate future, keep an eye out for a possible Barnard move to help Doncaster’s relegation fight.
@AdamGray1250