Full-back Scott Golbourne has left Exeter City, with the defender joining npower Championship side Barnsley.

The Grecians agreed an undisclosed fee to sell the 23-year-old, who spent the last two and a half years at St James' Park after arriving on a free transfer following his release by Reading.

Southampton were also said to be keen on Golbourne, but they failed to reach an agreement with Exeter over a transfer fee, and he completed his move to South Yorkshire last night.

Golbourne, who would have been out of contract at Exeter in the summer, underwent a medical at Oakwell yesterday and subsequently signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Keith Hill's side.

A Barnsley source said: "He comes well regarded."

Golbourne is the latest in a long line of left-sided defenders to have left St James' Park under manager Paul Tisdale. Billy Jones, who has since returned to Exeter, went to Crewe Alexandra, Dean Moxey joined Derby County and has since moved to Crystal Palace, George Friend left for Wolves and has gone on to Doncaster Rovers, while Danny Seaborne left for Southampton.

Golbourne's departure frees up space in the Grecians' squad and City are likely to rekindle their interest in Bradford City's out-of-favour full-back Luke O'Brien.

O'Brien was linked with a move to St James' Park last week, but manager Paul Tisdale said he was one of a number of players the club had held talks with, with a view to next season.

With Golbourne's departure, though, the 23-year-old is likely to arrive straight away, with the Grecians set to take over the contract he was on at Valley Parade.

City's handling of the O'Brien negotiations have not gone down well in West Yorkshire, though, with Bradford boss Phil Parkinson criticising the Grecians for their handling of the affair.

"We let Luke go for talks, then all of a sudden Exeter told us they're not in a position financially to go through with the deal," Parkinson told the Bradford Telegraph & Argus.

"They spoke to him [a week] last Friday in a hotel in Oldham. Once you've had that initial chat, there's no way you should then take him all the way down there without being able to go through with it.

"Whether that still happens, I don't know, but at the moment it's not."

O'Brien has spent the last 15 years at Bradford, having joined the club's Centre of Excellence at the age of eight, but he has found himself out of favour under Parkinson.

He has made 149 appearances for Bradford since being handed his debut in 2007, and he won the club's player of the year award in 2009.

O'Brien is described as an attacking full-back who likes to get forward and take people on. His younger brother, Adam, is a rugby league player with Bradford Bulls.