In a new feature called Fan’s View Will Vince, an avid Wanderers supporter and season ticket holder of 19 years, blogs on Josh Scowen’s move to Barnsley.

The transfer window was always going to be a difficult time for the blues to negotiate and the recent departures of Paris Cowan Hall and Josh Scowen are just further evidence of the struggles lower league sides face when the big clubs come calling.

Though it was the departure of Scowen in particular that has left blues fans like myself reeling as he was snapped up by League One strugglers Barnsley. From the outset it looks a strange move, with Barnsley a mere eight places above the blues in the football pyramid, it wouldn’t be unthinkable that the blues could overtake the Tykes by the turn of the season.

For me Scowen has become somewhat a cult hero with his all action style more reminiscent of those players we enjoyed watching pre 2004 when blues teams had a real identity and charisma. I wouldn’t go as far as suggesting it’s a bad move for the player but like any move it has its element of risk.

The move to Barnsley came days after he made his 100th appearance for the Blues, some feat at the age of 21. What will be pivotal for any move for Josh Scowen is that he’s getting good game time, players like Kadeem Harris have made the step-up in the past and have simply not been given the stage to develop their game.

What should encourage Josh Scowen is the progress made by former Plymouth midfielder Conor Hourihane after his arrival at Oakwell last summer. The 23-year-old has played 23 games and found the net an impressive 11 times. If Barnsley and their boss Danny Wilson are looking to build for the future then the move just may work out for Scowen.

From my biased Wycombe perspective it would have been good to see Scowen stay with the club and see out the remainder of this season. This was never likely to be the case unless he signed a new contract with Wanderers, who would have been likely to net a derisory tribunal sum if his contract was to be left to run out this summer.

Of course we will never know to what degree Scowen was nudged towards Barnsley with the Blues appearing to be more than happy with the terms agreed for the transfer. Nevertheless, it’s one more graduate from the Blues old youth system who has climbed the ladder in the professional game, something the club and we as fans can be very proud of.