League One side Barnsley are in talks to complete a deal to sign former Rangers striker Andrew Dallas, according to Pete O’Rourke from Football Insider.
The 23-year-old forward, who also had a previous spell at Cambridge United in the Football League, is currently a free agent despite being offered a new deal to stay at National League outfit Solihull Moors.
🚨 EXCLUSIVE! 🚨 – Barnsley in talks to sign former Rangers striker Andy Dallas. 📞
— Football Insider (@footyinsider247) July 12, 2023
Who is Andrew Dallas?
Coming through the youth academy at Rangers in his native Scotland, Dallas would not make a single appearance for the Ibrox faithful, being loaned out to the likes of Stenhousemuir and Greenock Morton to boost up his experience.
The forward would then go on to leave Rangers on a permanent deal in July 2019, penning a deal with Cambridge United on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee.
Dallas would make a total of 33 appearances for the U’s in total, scoring twice, in a spell at the Abbey in which he would also bag 12 goals in 25 games whilst on loan at Weymouth for the second half of the 21/22 season.
Scotsman Dallas would be on the move again in the summer of 2021, signing for National League side Solihull Moors for an undisclosed fee. At the Moors, the 23-year-old would make a name for himself as one of the deadliest forwards in the division, notching up a total of 34 goals in 83 appearances for the club since his arrival.
The 21/22 season was a breakthrough year for Dallas as he came up with 19 goals in 43 league appearances, helping Solihull Moors to a third-place finish before being on the wrong end of the National League Playoff Final, losing to Grimsby Town.
The forward would be on the move again in March 2023, making the switch to Chesterfield on loan from Solihull Moors until the end of the season. During his stint at the Spireites, Dallas bagged seven goals in 14 total appearances for the club in a spell which saw the Scotsman on the losing side of the National League Playoff Final for a second straight year, this time, losing to Notts County on penalties.
Second time lucky?
Barnsley are looking to regroup and go again ahead of the 23/24 campaign following defeat in the League One Playoff Final in heart-breaking fashion to Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday. A goal in the 123rd minute from Owls forward Josh Windass sealed a return to the second division for the Hillsborough outfit.
It’s been a summer of change at Oakwell so far however, with boss Michael Duff leaving the club to take up the role at Swansea City with Neill Collins becoming their new head coach, joining from Tampa Bay Rowdies in America.
On the transfer front, the Tykes’ key departure sees Danish defender Mads Andersen make the move to newly-promoted Premier League side Luton Town, with the notable new arrivals so far including goalkeeper Ben Killip and defender Kacper Lopata from Hartlepool United and Woking respectively.
Writer’s View
If the move was to come to fruition, it would certainly be a deserved move up the English football pyramid for Dallas following a couple of excellent seasons in the National League in which he scored 41 goals over the previous two campaigns.
For Barnsley, this could actually be a gem of a signing for them. He’s at a good age in which he can still develop as a player and, later down the line if he was to hit the heights in Yorkshire like he was in the fifth tier, there could potentially be some sell-on value attached to him. It’s certainly a risk, but it could produce a high reward.
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