Luke Steele Leaves Baggies For Barnsley

Lisa Smith of the Birmingham Post has reported that 23-year-old Baggies keeper Luke Steele has made a permanent move to Barnsley following his loan period.

Steele told the Post, 'This is an important stage for me in my career at this club and obviously, while I hadn't played, had been a frustrating time for me. I played a few games on loan for Coventry City and this made me move from United because I wanted to get regular first-team football. But then things changed and then Albion manager Bryan Robson left and since then things haven't really gone my way. But I made my mind up that I would get my head down and get on with it. I just want to do well.'

Barnsley manager Simon Davey said 'Luke is my first signing of the summer transfer window and we are so pleased to have netted him now on a permanent basis after he performed so well for us last season.'

Fair enough I guess, he wants first team football and that can't be offered at the Baggies. Would have thought a further loan so we have him for the future might have been a good idea though, maybe he wasn't rated highly enough by the coaches?