Why and how Neil?
In life people make mistakes and the same can be said with football. This could well be one of our biggest this season.
Some Leeds fans may suggest he's only played in a handful of games, but when he is arguably our most gifted midfielder this seems like a terrible decision.
Barkley's loan spell came to an end this morning, with his short-term loan expiring after last night's defeat to Boro, a game he didn't play in for some reason.
Speaking to the club's official site, Barkley said:
"He wants him to play and I couldn't guarantee him that.
"He's done well, he's a smashing player, but he needs to play games and I can't guarantee that."
Yes that is right readers, he can't guarantee a player who Everton consider to be their next big star some football.
I've been behind Warnock this season, and at times felt sorry for him due to the money he had available. But after GFH came into the club, we managed to pick up Barkley and in the process beat another Championship club to his signature.
He was at the time the man he was looking for, after all he did say he had been chasing him since September, until Sheffield Wednesday managed to pinch him at the last minute.
We've struggled for so long to have a midfielder with creative spark, someone to put a chance on a plate at the drop of a hat.
After joining on loan on January 11th, Barkley was thrown straight into the squad against a rock-bottom Barnsley - it was a match made in heaven. Ross would enter the fold, control the midfield and march us to a win.
How wrong we were, Barkley was a bright spark in an abysmal team effort which many think we still haven't recovered from.
Barkley's home debut was something to build on. Having watched him school his fellow team-mates in the warm-up, I was confident he would show his potential after a week off due to being cup-tied.
His inch-perfect cross to Ross McCormack at the back post was enough to get us three points.
Against Cardiff he struggled a little, but he was on the wing and out of position. He missed a sitter and it seems that Warnock took a funny turn to this with Barkley only appearing again as a 90 minute substitution.
He didn't set the world alight with his performances but he showed enough potential and comes with a solid reputation.
There's nothing we can do now apart from watch Austin and co struggle to reach his levels. It seems a baffling decision and a fine example of the mystifying brain within Warnock's head.