The in-form Macclesfield marksman claims he was not offered a contract by the Seagulls as he looks forward to facing his old club on Sunday.

Barker, 24, was entitled to a free transfer in the summer under the Bosman ruling.

He revealed: "I wasn't offered a new contract by Brighton. I asked from Christmas onwards, when things were going quite well and I was scoring a few goals.

"I said I wanted to stay and I asked for a longer contract. I carried on asking when Brian Horton left and Jeff Wood took over."

While Albion delayed, the health of Barker's dad, Mel, was steadily deteriorating. He suffers from an incurable nerve problem, so Barker wanted to move back home to Sheffield.

"Micky Adams told me to go away and talk to who I wanted to," he said. "They never actually offered me a contract, so basically I was released. I don't want the fans thinking I walked away to earn a few quid. I don't want to be called a quitter or a Judas."

Barker turned down Oldham to join relegated Macclesfield on a two-year contract.

"I chose Macclesfield, because I thought they would do quite well in the Third Division," he explained.

"Oldham had finished near the bottom of the Second Division. Andy Ritchie told me he could only bring one player in and that was me, but I thought am I good enough?"

Barker's lack of self-confidence was understandable. The former England youth and schoolboy international hardly set the world alight during 18 months with Albion.

He went 16 games without scoring after Steve Gritt signed him, initially on loan, from Irish club Linfield in December 1997.

The hard-working centre forward eventually won over the fans, who dubbed him The Bear, but he scored a modest 14 goals in 64 appearances for the Seagulls.

The tranformation since his move to Macclesfield has been staggering. He goes into Sunday's showdown with 11 goals already in 16 League games.

Manager Sammy McIlroy has slapped a £500,000 price tag on his head and 19 scouts watched the FA Cup tie at Moss Rose against Hull.

Barker, substituted towards the end of Tuesday's 4-0 replay defeat at Hull to protect a persistent knee problem, said: "Believe it or not I've played centre half once or twice.

"I couldn't have guessed things would go anywhere near so well. I set myself a ten-goal target by Christmas and I would have been happy with 15 or 16 for the season.

"It's down to a few things. I think I have improved as a player and hopefully the Brighton fans will see that. Training techniques have improved me.

"We play with two wingers putting decent crosses in. I've had more chances than I had in the whole of last season at Brighton and I think I have matured as a player as well.

"I have learnt it doesn't matter how hard you work, if you don't score you don't get picked. Before I would make runs into the corners for someone else to put a cross in.

"Now I still make runs, but only if there is a chance of me getting on the end of it.

"I realise if I score 20 goals in two years I'll be out of a job again. When I came here people were saying Macclesfield still need a striker who can score 15 to 20 goals, but I am proving them wrong.

"Since I have come back home it has also made me realise what a good decision it was.

"I miss Brighton massively, but dad is gradually getting worse. If I had stayed away I might have regretted it for the rest of my life.

"It takes me about an hour-and-a-half to get into training, but I am needed at the house."

Barker doesn't feel he has a point to prove against Albion. He relished his time at the club and regards the likes of Rod Thomas and Jeff Minton amongst the best he has played with. But the sense of anticipation is unmistakeable.

"I can't wait," he admitted. "When the fixture list came out this was the first one I looked for, but not because it is a grudge game or anything personal between me and the fans or manager.

"I love the club. My last 12 months there were the best I've had in football. I still speak to people like Ross Johnson, Gary Hobson, Mark Ormerod and Derek Allan every week and I miss the place.

"I was disappointed our visit to Withdean was not early in the season. I wanted to go and see what it was like at the start.

"I played in probably the worst 18 months in the club's history, because I never kicked a ball in Sussex.

"I don't know what the fans think or what sort of reception I will get. I just hope people remember the hard work I put in and don't give me too much stick."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.