BARNSLEY skipper is a job vacancy manager Simon Davey still has to fill.
Striker Jon Macken wore the armband on Saturday and handed it on to right-back Stephen Foster after being substituted.
"We'll decide it on a game-to-game basis," Davey reckoned as the dust was still settling on Brian Howard's shock Oakwell exit and move to Sheffield United for a bargain £500,000.
Davey was sticking to the script of a statement released by the club yesterday when questioned about the abrupt severance of captain Howard's service when his contract was due to until the end of the season.
"There's no secrecy, the club has made a full and frank statement and that's it," he claimed. "The statement reads that we're making him available and that's as far as it goes and that's why he wasn't in the side on Saturday."
Barnsley have stated that midfielder Howard said he did not want to play on for Davey a week ago yesterday. Yet the announcement he could leave was only confirmed yesterday.
An Oakwell source claimed the reason for the delay was so that preparations for the game against Norwich on Saturday were not overshadowed by the imminent departure of the club's highest-profile player.
Davey was adamant that his team for the Norwich match did not miss last season's 15-goal top scorer.
"I thought the midfield - Campbell-Rice, de Silva, Colace and Leon - were fantastic on Saturday; we had a fantastic blend in there," Davey insisted.
According to Barnsley's statement dealing with the Howard affair: "During the last close season, Brian Howard through his representatives, made it clear that after a successful season personally, he felt it was the right time in his career to move on.
"Of course the club was keen to retain the services of its captain who has been a fans favourite. The club has been prepared to offer new contract terms to Brian to keep him with the Reds, but his representatives have declined.
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