John Barnwell

Football manager infobox
playername = John Barnwell


fullname =
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1938|12|24
cityofbirth = Newcastle-upon-Tyne
countryofbirth = England
currentclub =
position = Striker/Midfielder
youthyears =
youthclubs = Bishop Auckland
years = 1957–1964
1964–1970
1970
clubs = Arsenal
Nottingham Forest
Sheffield United
caps(goals) = 151 (24)
186 (22)
009 0(2)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
manageryears = 1977–1978
1978–1982
1983–1984
1987–1988
1989–1990
1993–1994
managerclubs = Peterborough United
Wolverhampton Wanderers
AEK Athens
Notts County
Walsall
Northampton Town

John Barnwell (born December 24, 1938) is an English former football player and manager. He is the current chief executive of the League Managers Association.

Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Barnwell first played as an amateur for Bishop Auckland, before moving to London club Arsenal in 1955; he turned professional in November 1956. A regular in both the Arsenal and England youth sides, he made his debut for the Arsenal first team against Sunderland on April 13, 1957.

Soon after Barnwell was called up for National Service, and did not play again for Arsenal till midway through the 1958–59 season. A semi-regular in the Arsenal side for the next six seasons, Barnwell initially played as an inside forward, behind the main strikers, but during 1961–62 he was switched to a more defensive wing half position. He couldn't maintain his place in the side and was dropped.

However, Barnwell returned in 1962-63, playing 37 games at wing half, only to lose form again the following season, however, and he was dropped from the side. Unable to find his way back into the Arsenal first team again, he moved to Nottingham Forest in March 1964 for £40,000. In total, he played 151 matches for Arsenal, scoring 24 goals.

Barnwell played for Forest for six seasons, where he properly settled into a defensive midfield role; he did not win any major honours at Forest either, although they came close in 1966–67 – finishing as First Division runners-up and FA Cup semi-finalists. He played 186 matches, scoring 22 goals, for Forest. He left for Sheffield United in 1970, but after a brief stint (playing nine games and scoring twice), he retired due to a persistent ankle injury.

After retiring, Barnwell moved into coaching, becoming a coach under Noel Cantwell at Peterborough United, helping the club to promotion to the old Third Division. Barnwell succeeded Cantwell in 1977, and narrowly missed out on reaching the Second Division in his first and only season. He left United in 1978 after a dispute with the club's board, but soon joined Wolves, taking the club to an FA Cup semi-final against his old club Arsenal in 1979, and then victory in the 1980 League Cup final against Forest. This was despite Barnwell being involved in a horrific car accident, in which he fractured his skull.

However, Wolves could not maintain this form, finishing 18th in 1980-81. With the club bottom of the First Division in January 1982, he resigned. He moved abroad, coaching in Saudi Arabia and later managing Greek side AEK Athens (1983–1984). He then returned back to England to manage Notts County (1987–1988), Walsall (1989–1990) and Northampton Town (1993–1994). After that, he semi-retired from management, before becoming manager of Grantham Town in February 1996 and he then took up his current post as LMA chief executive in July 1996.

References

*cite book
author=Harris, Jeff & Hogg, Tony (ed.)
title=Arsenal Who's Who
publisher=Independent UK Sports
year=1995
id=ISBN 1-899429-03-4

External links

* [http://www.leaguemanagers.com/manager/profile.html?managerid=1322 Profile on LMA website]
* [http://www.thegingerbreads.co.uk/gtfcstats/player.php?id=1673 Profile on the Official Grantham Town website]