Len Barber

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Len Barber
Personal information
Full name Leonard Barber [1]
Date of birth(1929-07-03)3 July 1929 [1]
Place of birth Stoke-on-Trent, England [1]
Date of death February 1988 (age 58) [2]
Place of death Stoke-on-Trent, England
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Bury
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1947–1955 Port Vale 47 (12)
Northwich Victoria
Wellington Town
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Leonard Barber (3 July 1929 – February 1988) was an English footballer who played as a forward for Port Vale in the Football League. He played a minor role in the club's Third Division North title-winning campaign in 1953–54.

Contents

Career

Barber played for Bury before joining Port Vale in June 1947. [1] He made five Third Division South appearances for Gordon Hodgson's "Valiants" in 1949–50, and scored his first senior goal on 29 October, in a 3–0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion at The Old Recreation Ground. [1] He played 14 games at the end of the 1950–51 season, scoring seven goals. [1] He would have had a higher goal ratio if it wasn't for misfortune, as during a game against Crystal Palace on 9 April 1951 he managed to score four goals, but the game was abandoned after an hour's play due to excessive mud. [3] It was speculated that Barber's natural ability to play in thick mud would have earned him even more goals during that particular game. [3] He made 18 appearances in 1951–52, but only found the net twice. [1] He played eight games in 1953–54, scoring two goals, as Freddie Steele's side won the Third Division North title. [1] He featured twice in the Second Division in 1954–55, before he left Vale Park and was transferred to Cheshire County League side Northwich Victoria in July 1955. [1] He later signed for Wellington Town. [1]

Post-retirement

Barber went on to run a pub called 'The Labour in Vain' in Milton, Staffordshire. [4]

Career statistics

Source: [5]

ClubSeasonDivisionLeagueFA CupTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Port Vale 1949–50 Third Division South 510051
1950–51 Third Division South14700147
1951–52 Third Division South18200182
1952–53 Third Division North 000000
1953–54 Third Division North820082
1954–55 Second Division 200020
Total4712004712

Honours

Port Vale

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 17. ISBN   0-9529152-0-0.
  2. ↑ Sherwin, Phil (2013). Men of Steele. Hanley, Staffordshire: Pass. p. 28. ISBN   978-0-9926579-1-8.
  3. 1 2 "Mystery Sportsman: Vale striker whose four goals didn't count". The Sentinel . 29 August 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2009.
  4. ↑ "Mystery sportsman: Goalkeeper kept a record 20 clean sheets for Stoke City". The Sentinel . 5 September 2009. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
  5. ↑ Len Barber at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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