Dan Barden has returned from his loan to Norwich City permanently due to a goalkeeping crisis at Carrow Road.
Having been at Swindon since transfer deadline day in September, the 24-year-old will now spend the rest of the season at Norwich with the Championship outfit needing help in goal.
Barden has not played for Town since clashing with Alassana Jatta on January 4 against Notts County, having spent the first half of the campaign duelling with Jack Bycroft for the number one spot.
The former Arsenal goalkeeper kept one clean sheet and conceded 16 goals during 12 League Two appearances as he played behind a struggling Swindon team during the first half of the campaign.
However, since the arrival of Connor Ripley on a permanent deal from Port Vale on the final day of the January transfer window, Barden has not featured in any matchday squad, being the odd man out among Town’s six loanees after the Port Vale game.
The goalkeeper was immediately called onto the bench for Norwich on Friday night for their game against Oxford United, being used as insurance as 21-year-old Vicente Reyes started during the 1-1 draw.
Johannes Hoff Thorup confirmed before The Canaries take on Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday that Angus Gunn’s hamstring injury will keep him out until later this month and Colney Long is in the concussion protocol, meaning Barden and Reyes are their only options between the sticks.
Although Town brought Ripley in, Norwich initially opted not to recall Barden before the end of the window, instead he would train primarily at Carrow Road but remain an option for Swindon if they needed, although this is no longer the case.
Ian Holloway explained the situation in February, saying: “When you look at the other loans that I have got, Dan makes it six.
“They [Norwich] are willing to let us keep him on that, train with us once a week, and then if we need him then we have already got him.
“That is brilliant of them and speaks volumes of himself, but we will see as technically he is going back after [Port Vale] and whether I get him back again once a week I don’t know.
“They might leave it open or they might loan him out somewhere else.
“I couldn’t be happier with him and how he has taken it, life is about a challenge and I am looking for everybody’s response every minute of every day.”
