Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Barton is backing Collins to outshine Clarke-Harris
good players on the frontline too. We’re a good side as well.
“Peterborough have historically built their teams around the front side or the wingers, whether it’s (Siriki) Dembele, Clarke-Harris or Marriott, scoring goals because that’s what they do, they build the team around the focal point on the front and then demand a premium for them in the market and it has been mega-successful for them.
“Barry Fry is a top football businessman and they have done a phenomenal job at Peterborough with their acquisition of players and then selling them on at a premium further up the chain. They have bounced between League One and the Championship.
“We’ve got a different business model. We’ve got a captive audience in terms of a big-city audience and for us I think it’s a good marker post to see whether we are legitimately a top-ten side in the division in the next couple of games.”
Barton – who took charge at the Mem six months after Clarke-Harris’ departure – has previously criticised the way Rovers managed the former Coventry City striker, who scored 27 goals in 49 appearances across an 18-month stay in BS7.
His goals dragged Graham Coughlan’s side away from danger in the spring of 2019 before firing them into play-off contention as Christmas approached the following season until injuries to the star striker and a dramatic downturn in form after Coughlan’s shock exit.
Barton nearly signed Clarke-Harris for Fleetwood in the same window he joined Rovers, and he is adamant he could have got more out of a player he believes has immense potential to be even better than he already is – winning the League One golden boot in 2020/21.
The Rovers boss says ClarkeHarris’ fitness levels have cost him a big move in recent windows.
“I think Clarke-Harris is a helluva striker and I’d like to have him in our team, and I nearly got him when he signed for Rovers,” Barton said.
“I think I would have gotten more out of him than people have got because with the greatest respect to him, he wouldn’t have the BMI and body fat he has playing for the teams he’s played for. Playing for us, we definitely would have got him trimmed down.
“It’s probably cost Jonno a move to a big club because he’s scored enough goals to make teams further up the pyramid interested.
“When you look at Aaron Collins, he’s the real deal. The kid’s a proper athlete, he covers 12 kilometres a game, low body fat and he’s getting better.”