QPR keeper Barnes joins Hibs after reference from ex-hearts man Wallace
Hibernian have completed the signing of Queens Park Rangers keeper Dillon Barnes on a season-long loan and they have former foe Lee Wallace to thank for a glowing reference.
The 24- year-old, who has been recruited to provide competition for current firstchoice starter Ofir Marciano, t o l d H i b e r n i a n T V t h a t h e had been alerted to the Easter Road’s side interest a couple of weeks ago and had tapped into the insight of two of his Loftus Road colleagues, ex-hear ts and R angers defender Wallace and former Rangers and Livingston keeper Liam Kelly.
Both had given the Leith club a glowing recommendation and strengthened his desire to make the temporary switch.
“I got the phone call a couple of weeks ago and I was really interested. Hibs have been a massive club over the years, winning the Scottish Cup. It’s a big, big club and I am here to do well. I already knew a fair bit about the club and was in no doubt it was a move I wanted to make, especially after speaking to a few people with experience of Scottish football.
“There are a couple of boys at QPR who let me know that this is a good place to go to. It’s a big club and a nice city. They were big influences. They are both from Scotland and they told me to go and enjoy it.”
Having started his career at Barnet and then Fulham, Barnes go this first taste of senior top-team football at Colchester United in League 2.
He moved to QPR last summer but has been unable to make the breakthrough for Mark Warbur ton’s men and has arrived in the capital on the hunt for regular first team experience. He will go straight into the squad for Saturday’s trip to face St Mirren in Paisley but, with the Hibs defence in solid form and Marciano yet to concede from open play, Barnes knows that it will be tough to oust the Israeli international. He says he intends to push him all the way, though.
“It will be good for everyone and I’m sure we’ll push each other,” said the Englishman. The arrival of Barnes cleared the way for young Hibs keeper Kevin Dabrowski to join Dumbarton on a season-long loan.