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Richie Barker (footballer, born 1939)

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Richie Barker
Personal information
Full name Richard Joseph Barker[1]
Date of birth (1939-11-23)23 November 1939[1]
Place of birth Loughborough, England[1]
Date of death 12 October 2020(2020-10-12) (aged 80)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1959–1960 Morris Sports (Loughborough)
1960–1962 Burton Albion
1962–1963 Loughborough United
1963 Matlock Town
1963–1967 Burton Albion 270 (159)
1965 → Primo Hamilton (loan)
1967–1969 Derby County 38 (12)
1969–1971 Notts County 112 (37)
1971–1972 Peterborough United 36 (9)
Total 456 (217)
Managerial career
1978 Shrewsbury Town
1981–1983 Stoke City
1984–1985 Notts County
1985–1986 Ethnikos Piraeus
1986–1987 Zamalek
1997 West Bromwich Albion (caretaker)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Richie Joseph Barker (23 November 1939 – 11 October 2020) was an English footballer and manager who played in the Football League for Derby County, Notts County and Peterborough United. He was also manager of Shrewsbury Town, Stoke City, Notts County, Ethnikos Piraeus (Greece), Zamalek (Egypt) and West Bromwich Albion.[1]

Playing career

Barker was born in Loughborough and began his career with non-league Burton Albion in 1960. In the summer of 1965 he played abroad in the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League with Hamilton Primos.[3] He spent seven years with the "Brewers" and scored a club record 159 goals before joining Derby County in 1967 as one of Brian Clough's first signings. He played 31 times in 1967–68 scoring 12 goals and after scoring just twice in 14 in 1968–69 he was sold to Notts County in December 1968. He enjoyed a far more successful career with the "Magpies" scoring 20 goals in 1969–70 and 13 in 1970–71 helping Jimmy Sirrel's side win the Fourth Division title. After falling out of favour at Meadow Lane he ended his playing career with a season at Peterborough United before moving into coaching.

Managerial career

Barker began his coaching career with Shrewsbury Town working alongside Alan Durban and once Durban left for Stoke City in February 1978 Barker took over as manager of the "Shrews".[1] He remained at Shrewsbury for nine months before taking up the position of assistant manager to John Barnwell at Wolverhampton Wanderers and helped Wolves to lift the League Cup in 1980.[1] In the summer of 1981 Stoke manager Alan Durban left for Sunderland and he recommended Barker for the job and the Stoke board duly went with his advice and appointed Barker.[1] His time at Stoke got off to a great start as Stoke beat Arsenal on the opening day of the 1981–82 season.[1] However it was a tough season for Stoke as they battled against relegation finishing just two places above the drop zone.[1] The 1982–83 season saw Barker bring in some quality players such as George Berry, Mickey Thomas, Sammy McIlroy and Mark Chamberlain as Stoke enjoyed a good season with a number of exciting matches. However, in the summer of 1983 Barker decided to change his tactics to be a more direct team using the long ball style of play.[1] It did not go down well with supporters or indeed players and results were not good and Barker was sacked in December 1983.[1]

He spent a year out of the game before making a return to former club Notts County and then managed Greek side Ethnikos Piraeus and Egyptian giants Zamalek with whom he helped win the African Cup of Champions Clubs in 1986. He returned to England and became assistant manager at Luton Town before taking up the position of Assistant Manager at Sheffield Wednesday under Ron Atkinson in 1989. He remained there until 1998 helping coach the team which won the Rumbelows league cup in 1991 and made it to both league and FA Cup finals in 1993. He latterly became Director of Football after David Pleat was appointed manager. Shortly before retirement he helped his former player Paul Bracewell at Halifax Town.

In addition, he served West Bromwich Albion as chief scout (taking over as caretaker manager for one game following the departure of Ray Harford).[4]

Career statistics

Playing career

Source:[5]

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Derby County 1967–68 Second Division 27 10 0 0 4 2 31 12
1968–69 Second Division 11 2 0 0 3 0 14 2
Total 38 12 0 0 7 2 45 14
Notts County 1968–69 Fourth Division 25 5 0 0 0 0 25 5
1969–70 Fourth Division 44 19 1 0 1 1 46 20
1970–71 Fourth Division 37 13 4 0 1 0 42 13
1971–72 Third Division 6 0 0 0 2 0 8 0
Total 112 37 5 0 4 1 121 38
Peterborough United 1971–72 Fourth Division 36 9 4 2 0 0 40 11
Career total 186 58 9 2 11 3 206 63

Managerial career

Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record
P W D L Win %
Shrewsbury Town 20 February 1978 21 November 1978 33 14 13 6 42.4
Stoke City 1 June 1981 9 December 1983 102 31 23 48 30.4
Notts County 5 November 1984 19 April 1985 27 5 6 16 18.5
Total[6] 162 50 42 70 30.9

Honours

Player

Notts County

Manager

Zamalek

Death

Barker died on 12 October 2020, at the age of 80.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  2. ^ "Richie Barker". Stoke City. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Ukes Win 4-1 Against Hellas In NSL Opener". The Globe and Mail. 5 May 1965. p. 31.
  4. ^ Matthews, Tony (2005). The Who's Who of West Bromwich Albion. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-474-4.
  5. ^ Richie Barker at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  6. ^ "Richie Barker". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  7. ^ "Richie Barker". Stoke City. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  8. ^ Curtis, Leigh (12 October 2020). "Stoke City in mourning as former manager Richie Barker dies". Stoke Sentinel.
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