Fleetwood Town manager Joey Barton says Irish defender Jimmy Dunne 'crossed a line' that hastened the end of his loan from Burnley

Fleetwood Town manager Joey Barton says Irish defender Jimmy Dunne ‘crossed a line’ that meant his loan from Premier League Burnley couldn’t be renewed.

The centre-half arrived at the Lancashire club on an initial four-month loan in September, with an option to extend for the remainder of the season.

22-year-old Dunne made 11 appearances for the Cod Army, scoring once, and returned to his parent club on New Year’s Day with a club statement saying he had been ‘recalled’ by Burnley.

Barton revealed to the Blackpool Gazette that, in fact, it was a disciplinary matter that ensured the Dundalk man would not have his loan extended until June.

“It’s another thing that will stay in the confines of the football club, another discipline breach in our opinion, something that is non-negotiable for us,” Barton told the newspaper.

“A lesson that needs to be learned for a young player. Jim did great, had a couple of good performances and scored a couple of good goals, but some things are just non-negotiable and he crossed a line for us.

“Unfortunately for us we decided we didn’t want to renew his loan and that we are going to go in a different direction.

“We’ve just decided to change direction, there was a line crossed; for our dressing room it was impossible for it to continue.

“I always speak to my dressing room because they are the football club. The players are the ones who go out and they’re in the trenches.

“They have to be sure that everyone is facing the same direction and they’re not going to get a sideswipe. We have to clear that up, that has been dealt with and we move forward.



“That has left us with a deficit of players. You would have to say we’re not as strong as where we started the season, we are aware of that.”

Dunne had vied with compatriot Cian Bolger for a jumper in the Fleetwood defence, while former Ireland international Paddy Madden is the club’s top scorer with 14 league goals this term.

Barton had his own disciplinary problems during his playing career, infamously stubbing out a cigar in youth player Jamie Tandy’s eye while at Manchester City.