Jack Barnes (association footballer)
Encyclopedia
John Benjamin "Jack" Barnes (28 April 1908 – 1 April 2008) was an English professional association footballer, who played as an outside left for several Football League clubs, as well as for non-league
side Atherstone Town
.
, Warwickshire
, Barnes left school at 12, in order to help provide for his family. He worked in various coal mines, as well as a bakery. His football career began as an amateur for Atherstone Town. He signed on professional terms for Coventry City
in March 1928.
—was the lowest attendance in Coventry's history, attracting 2,059 spectators. After being confined to Coventry's reserves the following season, Barnes joined Walsall
in June 1929. He stayed there for two years, scoring 18 goals in 68 appearances as they recorded consecutive 17th placed finishes in the Third Division South
. In July 1931 he joined Watford
, managed by Neil McBain
. After 83 games and 11 goals for the Vicarage Road
based club, he was transfer listed for an asking price of £300, before eventually joining Exeter City
for a third of that figure. His stay in Exeter lasted just one season, before he joined what would be his last professional club, York City
, in August 1934. Barnes played 15 York City games, scoring once, before retiring from professional football due to a foot injury. Barnes rejoined first club Atherstone Town as an amateur in 1935.
. His family included wife Nancy, daughter Janet (who later had two children Angela and Paul), and he lived to see all four of his grandchildren, Jenna, Matthew, Naomi and Niall. Apart from football, Barnes' sporting interests included golf, boxing, cricket, swimming and greyhound racing. Barnes considered becoming a professional golfer in 1938, and although he did not pursue this possibility, he continued playing until the age of 93. Barnes died from Alzheimer's disease
in a nursing home in Coleshill, Warwickshire
, only 27 days before his 100th birthday. Prior to his death, he was the oldest surviving former Football League player and one of the last surviving professional footballers to have played before World War II
.
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
side Atherstone Town
Atherstone Town F.C.
Atherstone Town Football Club is a football club based in Atherstone, Warwickshire, England.They were officially established in 2004 after a previous club bearing the same name folded in 1979...
.
Early life
Born in AtherstoneAtherstone
Atherstone is a town in Warwickshire, England. The town is located near the northernmost tip of Warwickshire, close to the border with Staffordshire and Leicestershire and is the administrative headquarters of the borough of North Warwickshire.-History:...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, Barnes left school at 12, in order to help provide for his family. He worked in various coal mines, as well as a bakery. His football career began as an amateur for Atherstone Town. He signed on professional terms for Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
in March 1928.
Professional career
Barnes played eight consecutive games for Coventry at the end of the 1927–28 season. Once of these matches—a 2–2 draw with Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
—was the lowest attendance in Coventry's history, attracting 2,059 spectators. After being confined to Coventry's reserves the following season, Barnes joined Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
in June 1929. He stayed there for two years, scoring 18 goals in 68 appearances as they recorded consecutive 17th placed finishes in the Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
. In July 1931 he joined Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, managed by Neil McBain
Neil McBain
Neil McBain was a Scottish professional footballer and football manager. He remains the oldest player to appear in an English Football League match.-Playing career:...
. After 83 games and 11 goals for the Vicarage Road
Vicarage Road
Vicarage Road, a stadium in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, is the home of the football club Watford and their tenants, the Saracens rugby union club. An all-seater stadium, its current capacity is 17,477.-History:...
based club, he was transfer listed for an asking price of £300, before eventually joining Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
for a third of that figure. His stay in Exeter lasted just one season, before he joined what would be his last professional club, York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
, in August 1934. Barnes played 15 York City games, scoring once, before retiring from professional football due to a foot injury. Barnes rejoined first club Atherstone Town as an amateur in 1935.
After football
Following his retirement, Barnes worked in a munitions factory during the Second World War, and later did work as a painter/decorator, plumber and tannerTanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
. His family included wife Nancy, daughter Janet (who later had two children Angela and Paul), and he lived to see all four of his grandchildren, Jenna, Matthew, Naomi and Niall. Apart from football, Barnes' sporting interests included golf, boxing, cricket, swimming and greyhound racing. Barnes considered becoming a professional golfer in 1938, and although he did not pursue this possibility, he continued playing until the age of 93. Barnes died from Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
in a nursing home in Coleshill, Warwickshire
Coleshill, Warwickshire
Coleshill is a market town in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire, England, taking its name from the River Cole. It has a population of 6,343 and is situated east of Birmingham.-Location:...
, only 27 days before his 100th birthday. Prior to his death, he was the oldest surviving former Football League player and one of the last surviving professional footballers to have played before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.