Barnes: Rough amateur game made me

Barnes scored the only goal as the Clarets beat Hull before the international break, their first win of the season.

As well as getting Burnley off the mark it also opened the 25-year-old's top-flight account, a significant moment for a player who started out plying his trade in the second tier of the Southern League.

While some contemporaries enjoyed the benefit of professional academies, Barnes played his formative football with Paulton Rovers.

He admits it was not always an easy grounding but it is one that he feels helped him achieve his rise through the ranks.

"Paulton Rovers, that's what made me and put me where I am now. Those were the days," said Barnes.

"If it wasn't for there I don't know where I'd have been, I've every reason to thank them.

"I had a few sniffs from (professional) clubs wanting me when I was younger but I was happy playing men's football.

"I didn't want to go through the apprentice, youth route. I was happy to get smashed around, basically.

"Ever since school all I wanted to do was kick a football and I had to be patient to learn my trade, but I was playing at 16 or 17 with the men's team.

"I was getting kicked to pieces but it toughened me up a little bit and I went on from there."

Having delivered that all important win over Hull, Barnes is set to keep his starting spot against at Stoke on Saturday.

But with Sam Vokes finally back in training having been out since March, and Danny Ings looking back to his best in recent weeks, the strike partnership that fired Burnley to the Premier League could soon be restored.

"Everyone needs to stay on their toes for sure," he said.

"We have injured players coming back in as well as those in the squad now. We've got to fight for our shirts.

"I've played in every league possible, it's been an unbelievable journey and I don't want it to stop."