Archived News from November 2006
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BARKER SHOCK AT SALE MOVES
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Evening Post, 09 November 2006
----------- BARKER SHOCK AT SALE MOVES Evening Post, 09 November 2006 by MATT HALFPENNY Mansfield were prepared to sell top scorer and captain Richard Barker to Hartlepool last week until the deal fell through, the Post can reveal. Pools boss Danny Wilson tabled a bid - believed to be around £80,000 - that was accepted by the Stags. It would have seen Barker (below) move to Victoria Park on loan until January and then sign permanently. But the possible transfer is understood to have broken down as the clubs could not agree on the finer points of the deal. Barker, 31, today insisted he does not want to leave. "I was surprised because I have never asked to leave and I intend to see out the new contract I signed in the summer," he said. "I am happy here and I signed for an extra two years because it is a place where I could see me playing out the rest of my career. "Why would I want to move away from a club where I am captain and in the side regularly and scoring goals to a club where I don't know anyone? "I have waited a long time to be captain of a side and I enjoy it and don't want to give it up. I am closing in on 100 games and 50 goals for the club - landmarks I want to pass. "I had conversations with Shirty [manager Peter Shirtliff] and he told me that he doesn't want me to leave. "I think we are just starting to get things together as a side. "We were five games unbeaten before the Bristol Rovers game and have just got through to the next round of the Johnstone's Paints Trophy, so things are looking up." Barker revealed the episode made it hard to prepare for the Bristol Rovers game last Saturday, where the Stags lost 1-0, but he was encouraged by support from his team-mates. Barker, who got 23 goals last season, was surprised Mansfield would have let him go for a five-figure fee. "People will point out I am the wrong side of 30 but players from my division who have scored as many goals as I have can cost £200,000 or even £300,000," he said. --------------- Barker interest inevitable says Shirtliff CHAD website, 09 November 2006 STAGS boss Peter Shirtliff said interest in 10-goal Richie Barker was inevitable as he was playing so well. Barker has been linked with a move to Hartlepool United in the last week or two and, while Shirtliff would not comment on any specific clubs, he said: "It is part and parcel of football when you are playing well that other clubs will be linked with you. "There have been enquiries from different clubs for a few of our players. "Richie is a Mansfield Town player and that is as far as it goes. "Players cannot be sold until the January transfer window in any case. "Richie is my captain and top scorer and is also among the division's top scorers. He is playing well and if he wasn't there wouldn't be any of this speculation. "Personally, I have not had any firm offers for Richie." |
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