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Born in Manchester on June 10th 1957, Peter Barnes turned professional
with Manchester City in 1974. Son of fifties City legend Ken, he is
remembered by City fans as a winger with plenty of pace and dazzling
dribbling ability. Barnes made his debut aged just 17 on October 12th
1974 in a 2-1 away defeat against Burnley, his first goal coming in
March of the same season in a 2-1 home loss to Carlisle United. Despite
not playing in the opening 11 league games of the 1975/76 season he got
his opportunity in October with City mid-table after losing all four
away league games. The next two months saw the Blues undefeated, Barnes
scoring against Coventry City and Sheffield United, until consecutive
1-0 defeats over Christmas to Leeds and Liverpool lost them momentum in
the league. In the League Cup, however, they had reached the semi-finals
by January, beating Norwich 6-1 after a second replay and victories
over Nottingham Forest and Mansfield coming either side of a famous 4-0
thrashing of Manchester United in November.
Inconsistent league form and
a 1-0 defeat to Stoke in the FA Cup meant the League Cup was their only
realistic chance of silverware. In a two-legged semi-final against
Middlesbrough the Blues lost the away leg 1-0, but despite injuries to
several players a youthful City side overturned the deficit at Maine
Road with Peter getting on the scoresheet in a terrific 4-0 win. The
final on February 28th was against Newcastle United at Wembley, and 18
year-old Barnes opened the scoring on 11 minutes. Although Alan Gowling
netted an equaliser, a spectacular Denis Tueart overhead kick sealed a
2-1 win to lift the trophy, which was unknowingly to be City's last of
the century. Barnes had made 34 league and cup appearances that season,
scoring 5 goals, and to cap a memorable first full season, was rewarded
with the title of Young Player of the Year by the PFA. Niggling injuries
and the team's outstanding league form meant Peter struggled to make
the team in the 1976/77 season, and he had made only 6 league
appearances up to March, 3 of which were as a sub. By this time City had
been knocked out of all three Cup competitions, followed by the league
title being conceded to Liverpool by just a single point, Barnes making
16 league appearances and getting a run in the side towards the season's
end.
An eight-game unbeaten run at the start of the following campaign
coincided with England manager Ron Greenwood selecting Peter for the
national team, his debut coming versus Italy in a 2-0 World Cup
Qualifier win on November 16th. He went on to make 34 league appearances
and score 8 goals, including one in a 6-2 romp against Chelsea at Maine
Road, as City finished a respectable 5th in the league, though a first
round UEFA Cup loss to Poles Widzew Lodz and domestic cup defeats to
Nottingham Forest and Arsenal meant no trophies. The 1978/79 promised so
much but finished with the Blues a disappointing 15th in the league,
their lowest position for 12 years, and a 4-2 aggregate UEFA Cup loss to
Borussia Moenchengladbach was compounded by defeats to Southampton and
Shrewsbury in the cups. Though Barnes had made 42 appearances in all
competitions, scoring 3 goals, it was a turning point in both his and
City's fortunes as in the close season new boss Malcolm Allison decided
to have a total clearout, and he was sold to West Bromwich Albion for
£750, 000.
In a career which never quite fulfilled it's potential he
made 158 appearances for City in all, scoring 23 goals, and also won 22
England caps (4 goals). He went on to play for a succession of clubs,
including Leeds United (twice), Real Betis, Coventry City, Manchester
United and a second spell at Maine Road in 1987, which saw him make only
a handful of appearances. Peter later had a spell in the USA with Tampa
Bay Rowdies and finally called time on his career in 1989 with Bury.
(David Redshaw)
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