FC Halifax Town: Barnsley boss has high hopes for Tuton

Striker Shaun Tuton has every chance of being an exciting Football League success story - according to Lee Johnson, his new manager at Barnsley.

The Shaymen marksman joined the Oakwell outfit for an undisclosed fee on transfer deadline day - signing a two-and-a-half year deal.

Tuton, 24, had only joined the club from Buxton in the summer on a one-year deal, having previously played in non-league circles for Matlock and Belper.

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But a string of impressive performances this winter alerted the Reds recruitment team to his prowess, prompting head coach Johnson to make a move to sign him, despite not yet watching him in the flesh.

Johnson said: “I think the recruitment team had seen that he’s in form and playing very well. He’s an exciting one as he’s reasonably new to football as hasn’t had that genuine pedigree yet.

“Full-time training will help him. We have seen a guy who works his socks off, presses from the front and who can score goals.

“He works very, very hard and that is the sort of player we want. Tuton is in a similar mode to (Stuart) Beavon at Burton and you see how well he has done and he’s in a similar mould.

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“I think with the fitter he gets and more tuned in tactically to first team football could mean he is going to be an exciting one.

“He is young enough to still keep learning.

“We have had him watched and my assistant (Tommy Wright) has seen him a few times and I have seen the clips and most of what goes along with that.

“I have not seen him live, I might add. But given all the evidence, you have to make an educated decision.

“The style of the player is important too and the DNA of what we are trying to produce is 11 busy little bees all over the pitch. Certainly, at this level, I believe he can do very well at that.

“When we have had a team out with those qualities, we have genuinely got results. We feel we can win games in our style.”