Burnley's Ashley Barnes makes long-awaited Premier League return during Leeds United win
Ashley Barnes ended a 1,245-day wait to make his Premier League return during his late cameo for Burnley against Leeds United at the weekend.
The 35-year-old made his first league appearance of the season on Saturday as an 83rd minute replacement for Lesley Ugochukwu.
The experienced striker helped wind the clock down and manage the final minutes as Scott Parker’s men claimed a hard-earned 2-0 win at Turf Moor.
For Barnes, it was his first appearance in the top flight since the 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United in May 22, 2022 – the game that confirmed Burnley’s relegation back to the Championship.
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The striker remained in East Lancashire and helped the Clarets secure an instant return to the Premier League, scoring seven times in 45 appearances as Vincent Kompany’s side stormed to the title with 101 points.
Barnes was let go at the end of that season and subsequently signed for Norwich City, where he remained until January of this year, before securing a surprise return to Turf Moor.
The striker penned a one-year extension during the summer after helping Burnley get over the line during the second half of last season.
The next thing for Barnes to tick off is a first Premier League goal since May 19, 2022, when he netted in a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa.
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