Bristol want Barrett for season - January 4, 2001
Bristol Rovers boss Ian Holloway has contacted Arsenal in a bid to secure the services of Ireland's Graham Barrett until the end of the season.
Barrett joined Rovers on a month's loan in December but only made one substitute appearance before being struck down with a throat infection which hospitalised him. Graham returned to Dublin for Christmas and has since gone back to Highbury to be checked over.
Holloway contacted Arsenal youth coach Liam Brady about the chances of getting Graham until the end of the season and is still awaiting an answer.
The Rovers boss said: "Liam Brady is going to speak to Graham and find out how he feels about joining us until the end of the season.
"We rate the lad very highly. It will take him a while to get over his illness, but if we make it a longer-term loan that won't matter."
Barrett, who has huge potential, has no chance of getting into the Arsenal set-up as there are four world class forwards ahead of him in the pecking order. This alone might swing his decision in favour of Bristol Rovers in a bid to get first-team action.