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Burnley icon Ashley Barnes has admitted that a return to Burnley was always going to be impossible to reject.
Barnes started the season at Norwich City but in an unlikely turn of events, returned to Turf Moor to join Burnley for the second half of their Championship promotion push.
Brought back by Scott Parker, the 35-year-old played 13 times for the Clarets as they and Leeds United both amassed 100 points.
Parker confirmed that Barnes is yet to sign a new deal ahead of next season before the final day, but the decision to return was always going to be a no-brainer.
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The reason why Ashley Barnes left Norwich City
By no means a starter at Norwich, when the chance to return to the club that had brought him so much arose, Barnes didn’t have to think twice.
He and Norwich agreed to terminate his contract after 18 months at Carrow Road to return to Burnley as a free agent – a decision that required no thought process.
Via the Pinkun, he said: “I didn’t think I’d ever come back, especially this soon, but I’m delighted to be back now. You’re all family to me.
“I had every belief in the team and the gaffer. Once I spoke to the gaffer, it was just an easy decision to rip up my contract at Norwich and obviously get back as quickly as possible to the Clarets.
Jay Rodriguez played a huge part in Ashley Barnes’ Burnley return
Although a lot of the faces from his first spell at Burnley had departed, it was the help of one of his former teammates that allowed Barnes to return.
Jay Rodriguez’s decision to join Wrexham opened up a spot for a more senior leader to come in and help the squad over the line.
“First and foremost, I was coming back here to play football and fight for competition,” the 35-year-old said.
“Unfortunately Jay Rodriguez left us, which was rubbish, but fair play to him, he’s got two promotions in one season now, so I’m absolutely delighted for him. But obviously that paved the way for me to help out and be a big character in the dressing room.”