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The following pen picture is taken from the
Burton Albion programme from November 1964;
Richard (Richie) Barker signed initially for the
Albion as an amateur during October 1960 from the Leicestershire
Senior League team Morris Sports. His first game was played in the
right-half position for the reserve team against Derby County "A" in
a Central Alliance Cup fixture. Apart from the fact that the team
lost, Richie best recalls the game as the one in which he suffered a
badly gashed knee and had to leave the field. However he had made a
good impression on the fans at this early stage and received a round
of applause as he left the field.
He gained quick promotion to the senior team. On
Saturday October 22nd of that year he played his first Southern
League match against Barry Town playing alongside Davis and Kennedy
in the half-back line. His debut was recorded as impressive and
already he was revealing his flair for "having a go".
Not surprisingly he was soon moved to the
inside-right position to add punch to the attack. It was against
Bexley, on November 26th, that he was chosen to play at
inside-right.
The following season he was the club's top
scorer. Then he joined Loughborough United, moved on to Matlock Town
but re-signed for Albion on November 7th last year when manager
Peter Taylor was needing a goal-scoring forward. He was chosen for
the inside-left berth versus Sittingbourne later the same week.
Richie's vital statistic are : Age 24, height
6ft, and weight 12st 8lbs. He is an all-round sportsman. As soon as
the football is over he picks up his cricket bat, playing for the
Loughborough Carillon club, of which he is also a committee member.
During the week Richie is an architectural
draughtsman for a concrete manafacturing concern.
Richie Barker remains the top goal scorer in
Burton Albion's history with a total of 159 goals from his 270
apperances. He twice topped the Albion scoring charts, but his
season best tally of 56 in 1965/66 was beaten by Stan Round's 59
goals.
Richie went on to further success in the Football
League with spells at Derby County, Notts County and Peterborough
United. He later progressed into management with Shrewsbury Town,
Notts County and Stoke City as well as one match in charge of West
Bromwich Albion in a caretaker capacity.
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