Billy Barnes (footballer)

Billy Barnes (20 May 1879 – 1962) was a professional footballer from West Ham, Essex. Originally debuting for Thames Ironworks, he moved to Sheffield United and scored the winning goal in the 1902 FA Cup final replay. Later on in his career he won two Southern Football League titles and took part in two Charity Shield matches including the first time it was held. Once his playing career was over, he went on to manage Athletic Bilbao in Spain.

Billy Barnes
Barnes in 1907
Personal information
Full name William Edwin Barnes
Date of birth (1879-05-20)20 May 1879
Place of birth West Ham, England
Date of death 1962 (aged 82–83)
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1895 Thames Ironworks 0 (0)
1896–1898 South West Ham
1896Thames Ironworks (guest) 0 (0)
1898–1899 Leyton
1899–1902 Sheffield United[1] 23 (7)
1902–1904 West Ham United[2] 49 (5)
1904–1907 Luton Town 101 (12)
1907–1913 Queens Park Rangers 234 (37)
1913–?? Southend United (?)
Managerial career
1914–1916 Athletic Bilbao
1920–1921 Athletic Bilbao
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life and family

edit

Barnes was born on 20 May 1879 in London. His father was a dockworker, while his mother owned a coffee shop in Silvertown.[3] His brother, Alfred Barnes, was a Labour Co-operative politician who went on to become Minister of Transport.[4]

Playing career

edit

Thames Ironworks and South West Ham

edit

Barnes began his career at Thames Ironworks as a 16-year-old. He made at least five appearances for the Ironworks during the first half of the club's first season of existence in 1895–96, before moving to South West Ham of the South Essex League. Later that season, Barnes returned to the Thames Ironworks team as a guest and played in the final of the West Ham Charity Cup. The match required two replays and Barnes features in all three games, with the Irons eventually running out as winners. He joined fellow South Essex League club Leyton as a professional in 1898.[5]

Sheffield United

edit

Sheffield United made it all the way through to the 1902 FA Cup Final, drawing 1–1 with Southampton in the match at the Crystal Palace. For the replay, Walter Bennett was replaced with Barnes due to an injured ankle. After Sheffield went a goal up thanks to George Hedley, Albert Brown equalized for Southampton. Shortly afterwards Alf Common passed through to Barnes who went on to score the winning goal of the game.[6][7]

West Ham United

edit

Barnes returned to the Irons, by then reformed as West Ham United, in 1902. He spent two seasons with the club, playing in the Southern League.[5]

Queens Park Rangers

edit

Barnes made his debut on 2 September 1907.[8] During his time at QPR he appeared in the teams in both the 1908 and 1912 FA Charity Shield matches, after winning two Southern League titles.[4] 1908 was the first time the match was held. He also represented the league in a match against the Scottish Football League.[4]

During the 1908–09 season for Queens Park Rangers, Barnes was the team's top scorer having scored ten goals in both league and cup competitions. Although the team finished in fifteenth place in the Southern League, they finished in second place in the Western Football League.[9]

Barnes was named in a list of the top 100 Queens Park Rangers players of all time, constructed by the club's historian in 2007.[4][8]

Honours

edit

Player

edit

Thames Ironworks

Sheffield United

Queens Park Rangers

Manager

edit

Athletic Bilbao

References

edit
Specific
  1. ^ Joyce, Michael (2012) [2002]. Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 18. ISBN 978-1-905891-61-0.
  2. ^ "William Barnes". westhamstats.info. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  3. ^ "William Barnes". Spartacus Educational. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d Macey (2009): p. 212
  5. ^ a b Powles, John (2005). Iron in the Blood. Nottingham: Soccerdata. p. 27. ISBN 1-899468-22-6.
  6. ^ "The Football Association Cup: The Final Tie". The Times. No. 36753. 28 April 1902. p. 13.
  7. ^ Bull, David; Brunskell, Bob (2000). Match of the Millennium. Hagiology Publishing. pp. 30–33. ISBN 0-9534474-1-3.
  8. ^ a b Macey (2009): p. 211
  9. ^ Macey (2009): pp. 274–275
General
  • Macey, Gordon (2009). Queens Park Rangers: The Complete Record. Derby, UK: Breedon. ISBN 978-1-85983-714-6.
edit