Ashley Barnes appreciations thread

[scoobiewhite]

Thanks For everything Ash

The Goals, The hold up play, some excellent passing to bring others into attacking positions, the utility, the defensive qualities, the endless endeavor and for putting up with crap from some sections (I Don't think Ill ever get my head round this) and never letting your head drop.

My 2 nephews treasure their signed programs from your last MOM award at the Blackburn match where you showed immense guts to take the penalty after being berated for missing a chance just prior. I'm a bit too old for heroes nowadays but you were a hero to them.

Good luck with your career and please remember that many thousands of us did not want you to leave.

 

[CAPTAIN GREALISH]

cheers ash all the best at burnley

 

[Mowgli37]

Thanks for the memories Ash, you will always be one of my favourites and I wish you the best of luck at Burnley and where-ever you may go after (come back maybe?!)

 

[Skaville]

Thanks for wearing the shirt with pride. Good luck for the future. You'll be missed.

 

[1066familyman]

Thanks Ash for all your hard work and your goals. Always pleased me to see you prove the doubters here wrong time and time again.

Good luck and best wishes for the future.

 

[Hornblower]

One of my favourite players ever.

Gutted.

This,

I'm not going to get in to any dick swinging contest but I have supported this club for half a century and Barnes, for me, epitomised our club. Never give up, fight with all your heart, hope that effort will triumph over superior ability and if all else fails, trip up the ref. I loved him.

Good luck Ash.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Pound for pound the most consistent striker on the club´s books since Murray left. Proper striker. All best wishes Ashley.

 

[Motogull]

Sad to see him go. Hope he does well and gets plenty of love from the fans.

 

[Goldstone76]

Barnes has moved on.. time this forum did to. Anyone would have thought Messi moved on..

 

[jezzer]

I first saw Barnes play for Eastbourne Borough when they had him on loan and he was electric for them, easily the best player I had seen playing in non league and honestly thought he could do us a job. Then Gus signed him on loan a little while after.

I was excited and really interested to see how he got on. I told anyone who would listen that he`s really useful, as he came on the pitch in his first appearance as sub against Southampton in that evening game at Withdean and within a few minutes, Kaz I think it was, does a great cross and Barnes headed it in. I went mad with joy and have continued to do so on and off since then.

I never ever understood the level of vitriol some supporters chose to spew out for him. Yes, occasionally he was poor and also had some bad habits with the whingeing and falling over etc, but this was a league one player consistently trying to play above himself to keep himself in the team and largely succeeding. He showed more determination, perseverance and effort and achieved far more, than some of the allegedly better players at the club and contributed to the team far more than some people recognised. He deserved better treatment from some ignorant, blinkered fans who constantly failed to recognise his contribution to the cause and still do, judging by some of the posts on here. Mind boggling.

I think he cost us about 50k or so and we've probably sold him for 15-20 times that, was he a bargain or what? I for one am really gutted and sorry to see him go and wish him all the best. Thanks for all the memories Ash, you're a star!

 

[golddene]

Thanks for all you have done for the Albion Ash, sincere warm wishes for your future career. Shame it had to finish like this, you will be missed.

 

[garethjamesuk]

Well done Barnes just a shame that you werent able to put the ball in the back of the net more often this season as i think we would have kept him then.
But good luck at Burnley but i just dont see why we have sold him for the amount been stated and we only have Ulloa and Ubika as strikers for time being, but when mackail smith, Hoskins and Ulloa, the best Barnes could hope for is a squad player so i do see why left in a way but id have thought he would have gone to someone where he would be the main man.

 

[crasher]

Another great thing about Ashley B - never moaned when he was spending long periods on the bench.

 

[binney's tache]

the man had commitment
thanks Ash

Genuinely absolutely gutted. Never an Albion player to divide the fans view in my 42 years of supporting em. Personally one of my favourite players to don the stripes, not because of skill/ goal scoring. Just versatility , commitment , passion( sometimes a bit petulent). He was a very good Gary hart, another one of my fave Albion legends, for similar reasons. Wish we could have done more to keep him. Know he prob wouldn't of cut it in the prem but may have helped us to get there. Good luck Ash, glad I was there to see your cracker at boomouth. Thanks!!

 

[dunno]

Good luck Ash, I'm gutted you are leaving. I loved your attitude and still genuinely think that you were the only one that seemed to try and rally the other players during that fateful night against Palace!

 

[lighthouse]

Ashley leaves as the Amex's greatest goalscorer. It may be sometime before his record is broken.

 

[mitch]

Good luck in the future apart from when you play us of course and thanks for top commitment.

 

[Wellesley]

I can't believe he's dead. At least that's how it feels reading that lot. In all seriousness, I will miss him, we need fighters like him in our team. But if it was a straight choice between Ash and the fish finger sandwiches, it a 'see ya later!' from me.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Well done ash, enjoyed having you in my team. You would have been the first goal scorer at the Amex too if you hadn't missed a sitter, which I guess sums up most of your time here! Scored some beauts though too.

 

[jimhigham]

Barnes was never sharp enough in front of goal to become a hero at The Amex however, his hold up play was great and his work rate was always high. Worried to see him go what with our dearth of striking options.

Thanks Ashley. Best of luck. Hope you get a run out in the Premier League some day.