Following the omission of Keanu Marsh-Brown from the match day squad to face Southport this afternoon, Barnet manager Martin Allen was keen to clarify the situation with the player to supporters.

Speaking ahead of the game, Martin said:

“I had a chat with the Chairman on Thursday. Some offers have come in to the Chairman that he feels need to be considered.

“They’ve not been finalised yet but on Friday morning we had another meeting and we thought that it would be the best interests for the football club, the team and also, of course, considering Keanu’s position, that he would be left at home this weekend, with the view to something maybe happening at the beginning of the week.”

The manager was keen to praise Marsh-Brown’s application throughout the week, and emphasised that his decision to not include him this weekend was for his benefit:

“I chat to him on a regular basis and his attitude for me since I’ve been here has been spot on. He’s trained with us all week, he’s been absolutely fine.

“I think all supporters would realise that it is unsettling, it is difficult and he wants to try and get something sorted. If he can go and play on or two divisions higher and earn a lot more money, well then good for him.”

Finally, the manager insisted that although no decision has yet been made on the player’s future, he was prepared for every potential outcome and more than happy with the current squad players that he has at his disposal:

“The Chairman does an excellent job in dealing with all football transfers and that’s firmly in his court.

“If he does stay, I know that Keanu will bring value to our team. He’ll score goals for us, he’ll win us games and he’ll be a valuable squad member.

“But, if something does happen where the football club can benefit financially and we can still maintain the run of form that we are on, well then that has got to make good business sense. 

“We have seen last weekend with Mekki, Vilhete, Luisma and Cook that we have got four players that can play in those two wide positions and up front, Jamal Lowe has been absolutely superb in training and has been very unlucky not to start more games.

“I think we are the top goal scorers in the league now so if somebody who has not quite been getting in our team is sold for a lot of money, I don’t think that any supporter can knock that. In this day and age financially it has got to be done.”