Ken Barnes (footballer) - Manchester City

Manchester City

Barnes joined Manchester City after a £750 move from non-League Stafford Rangers on 6 May 1950. He did not feature in the first team on a regular basis for several years — his debut, against Derby County on 5 January 1952 was the only appearance he made in his first four years at the club.

In the 1953–54 season Barnes was playing for the Manchester City reserve team. Inspired by the Hungary team which had beaten England 6–3 the previous year, the reserves began using a tactical system in which Johnny Williamson was used as a deep-lying centre-forward. Barnes played as an attacking half-back in a similar vein to József Bozsik. Using the system the reserves achieved a lengthy unbeaten run. At the start of the following season Manchester City manager Les McDowall decided to try the system at first team level, using Don Revie in the centre-forward role. Henceforth the system became known as The Revie Plan. The opening match of the season resulted in a 5–0 defeat at the hands of Preston North End. Revie opined that the system required attacking half-backs to be successful, and that City's half backs, John McTavish in particular, were too defensive. To that end Barnes was picked for the following match in place of McTavish. City beat Sheffield United 5–2, and Barnes became an integral part of the team, playing all but one of the matches in the remainder of the season. However, he was not enamoured by the attention given to the Revie Plan by the press, describing it as "bollocks".

During Barnes' first full season in the first team Manchester City enjoyed a successful run in the FA Cup. As a top-flight team Manchester City entered the competition in the third round, facing Derby County. Barnes scored the opening goal in a 3–1 win, his first goal in professional football. A derby victory against Manchester United and a win against Luton Town followed, setting up a quarter-final against his boyhood heroes Birmingham City. Single goal victories against Birmingham and Sunderland gave City a place in the final, where they faced Newcastle United. However, hampered by the loss of Jimmy Meadows to injury after 18 minutes, City were beaten 3–1.

Manchester City reached the cup final again the following season, Barnes playing every match of the cup run. Manchester City beat Birmingham City 3–1, Barnes having a hand in the second goal. The final is most well known for being the match where goalkeeper Bert Trautmann continued play after breaking his neck.

By the late 1950s Barnes was one of the senior players in the side, and succeeded Roy Paul as captain when Paul retired in 1957. During the 1957–58 season Barnes became the third player to score a hat-trick of penalties in an English top-flight match, as part of a 6–2 defeat of Everton. At this time Barnes was the club's primary penalty taker, helping him to score 11 goals over the course of the season. In his later years at Manchester City, Barnes role as captain meant he had become a strong influence on younger players. A particularly notable example was Denis Law, who joined the club in 1960, the pair becoming lifelong friends.

Barnes never played international football, but was described by Denis Law as "the best uncapped wing-half ever to have played in English football". The closest he came to an international cap was being named as a reserve for a match against Wales in October 1957.

In the dressing room Barnes had a reputation as a practical joker, with Bert Trautmann a particular target for teasing. Known as "Beaky" to his teammates, Barnes was one of the chief organisers of social activities on away trips, along with Roy Paul. In eleven years at Manchester City Barnes made 283 appearances in all competitions, scoring 19 goals.