Jack Barker

Football manager infobox
playername= Jack Barker


fullname = John William Barker
height =
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date|1907|2|27|df=y
cityofbirth = Mexborough
dateofdeath = death date and age|1982|1|20|1907|2|27|df=y
countryofbirth = England
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years =
clubs = Denaby Rovers
Derby County
caps(goals) =
327
nationalyears = 1934–1936
nationalteam = England
nationalcaps(goals) = 011 (0)
manageryears = 1946–1947
1953–1955
managerclubs = Bradford City
Dundalk
Derby County

John William 'Jack' Barker (born 27 February 1907 in Mexborough, England, died 20 January 1982) was an English footballer who played 327 league games for Derby County and won 11 England caps. He later managed Derby County and Bradford City.

Playing career

Derby County

Barker was a centre half who started out with Midland League side Denaby Rovers. His career nearly finished before it had barely started after he suffered a thigh injury at the pit.cite book
last = Frost
first = Terry
title = Bradford City A Complete Record 1903-1988
publisher = Breedon Books Sport
year = 1988
pages = p70
isbn = 0907969380] But in May 1928 he signed for Derby County. He played in their great pre-war team under George Jobey when Derby were barely outside the top six.

Barker represented Derby in 327 league games but never won any silverware with the club. However his form earned him 11 caps for England.

England

Barker won his first cap against Wales on 29 September 1934. His second game was the infamous Battle of Highbury in a hotly-contested and violent match against Italy. Over the next two years he played nine more times both in friendlies and the British Home Championship. In his final game for England he was made captain against Wales on 17 October 1936.

Managerial career

After retiring from Derby County, Barker joined the Army Physical Training Corps before being appointed Bradford City manager in May 1946 taking charge of the team's first season following World War Two. He was steering City to a high position in Division Three (North) when he resigned in January 1947 after just eight months in charge. His reign was the shortest in City's history at the time.

He had a brief spell in charge of Irish club, Dundalk before he returned to Derby to work for Rolls-Royce. He moved to be trainer-coach at Oldham Athletic in 1948.

In November 1953 he returned to football management at his beloved Derby County to replace Stuart McMillan. The club had lost its international players and in 1954–55 the side were relegated to Division Three (North) for the first time in its history. Barker resigned to go back to work in Derby, as a fitter's mate at the Carriage and Wagon railway works in Derby.

He died in 1982 just before his 75th birthday.

Family

His younger brother Jeffrey Barker played for Scunthorpe United, Aston Villa and Huddersfield Town. His nephew John also played for Scunthorpe United.

References

External links

* [http://www.englandstats.com/playerreport.php?pid=66 England career profile]
*soccerbase (manager)|649|Jack Barker