Darlington striker Barry Conlon will today complete a move to Second Division Barnsley.

The 25-year-old, available on a free transfer, completed a medical at Oakwell yesterday and is set to put pen to paper on a two-year deal.

Boss David Hodgson has been resigned to losing his leading scorer, after admitted the club's crippling financial situation would make it difficult to compete with the terms other clubs are able to offer.

And after clinching a lucrative deal with Barnsley boss Paul Hart on Monday, Conlon will today end his three-year stay with Quakers.

Conlon joined the club from York in July 2001 in a £60,000 deal.

In 125 appearances, the Dubliner scored 42 goals , making him one of the Third Division's most prolific marksmen.

Sheffield Wednesday, Swansea, Macclesfield, Tranmere and Hartlepool have all been recently linked with the striker.

Conlon bid farewell to Quakers fans in the best possible way when he scored in the 1-0 win at Scunthorpe United on the final day of the season.

And assistant manager Martin Gray admits Conlon will be difficult to replace. "Baz is one of the best strikers around at this level and I'm sure he will be a big miss," said Gray. "He has all the tools and he now has an opportunity to prove himself in the Second Division. He's done extremely well for us and we all hope he goes on to do very well for himself.

"It would have been nice to keep hold of Baz but I think everybody knows the situation we're in. Money talks and we weren't able to offer what others could."

Hodgson has already set about the task of finding a replacement for Conlon and was holding further talks with Bradford City striker Dean Windass yesterday.

However, no deal can be reached until Quakers' future is resolved.

* Former Darlington centre-half, Andy Crosby, has joined Scunthorpe from Oxford.