Joey Barton provides stance on signing a free agent striker after Jonson Clarke-Harris saga

Bristol Rovers are short on strikers after selling Ryan Loft and failing to sign Jonson Clarke-Harris on deadline day.

Joey Barton has acknowledged that he hasn’t “really thought about” entering the free agent market to bring in a striker after Bristol Rovers barely missed out on re-signing Jonson Clarke-Harris from Peterborough United on deadline day.

The Gas agreed a club-record fee of around £800,000 plus add-ons with their League One opponents, but registration of the 29-year-old was delayed, with Rovers missing the 11pm deadline by 50 seconds, according to the Peterborough Telegraph.

Furthermore, Ryan Loft was sold to Port Vale with the expectation that they would get last season’s League One golden boot winner through the door, leaving John Marquis as the club’s lone out-and-out striker, with Aaron Collins and Jevani Brown also capable of playing up front.
Because the transfer season has closed, the only method for the Gas to bring in a striker until the next window starts on January 1 is to sign a free agent. Fortunately, there are several experienced options now out of contract who could fill in for Barton, such as Andre Gray, Lyle Taylor, and Connor Wickham – not to mention wage demands and whether such players want to play for Rovers.

However, following Tuesday’s 4-1 EFL Trophy success over Cheltenham Town, the Rovers manager revealed that signing a free agent is not something he has considered.

When asked if it was a possibility, with Gray, Barton’s ex-Burnley colleague, mentioned when his contract with Greek squad Aris Saloniki was voluntarily cancelled at the start of September, the manager said: “Honestly, I haven’t really thought about it.” I had no idea Andre was a free agent. I saw it going around, but I was told he was moving somewhere.

“I believe a few big names are out of contract.” To be honest, I haven’t given it much thought because I believed we were going to sign Jonson Clarke-Harris and then we had a game tonight.

“Now I have some time to sit and think about it, but after tonight, we demonstrated a different way of playing.” Tonight we were 4-3-3, with the eights smashing through.”
After missing out on Clarke-Harris, the 41-year-old asked on a current member of his squad to step forward and become the club’s talisman this season.

“I just think we’re in a period where your main goal scorers and creators are a little out of sorts for themselves right now,” Barton said to the club media after their 1-1 draw with Lincoln City.

However, widespread breaths of relief were exhaled on Tuesday evening after Collins opened his account for the season following an uncharacteristic start to the campaign from last season’s League One player of the season. With 16 goals and 12 assists, the 26-year-old was the Gas’ talisman last term and the hope now will be that he can find similar form now that he’s off the mark.

It’s frustrating that Rovers now have to wait 10 days until their next game when they travel to Shrewsbury Town in the league, particularly after the Welshman broke his duck, with his manager admitting that ‘he is quite streaky and this should be the start of a decent run for him.

“He looked like himself,” Barton said to the club’s media after the Cheltenham win. “He looked as though he had a bit between his teeth.

“Really pleased for Azz and hopefully that’s the kickstart now. Usually when he gets one he is quite streaky so just disappointing that we haven’t got a game on Saturday.