The Coventry City Former Players Association is proud to welcome a first timer as our ‘special guest’ for the Sky Blues crucial home game against Millwall FC on Saturday April 16th. Millwall will be thirsting to gain revenge for that 4-0 drubbing we gave them at the New Den last August.
Our guest, Peter Barnes, is not yet an Association member so we hope to sign him up publicly after the game on the stage of Lady Gs in the Ricoh’s G-Casino. Then Sky Blue fans can give him a warm welcome when he is subject to a gentle grilling by CCFPA inquisitor and vice chairman Billy Bell. No doubt Billy will present him with his official membership badge and Association tie on that occasion.
A Mancunian and son of Manchester City’s legendary full back Ken, Peter eventually won 22 Full England International Caps. He first made his name as a speedy and tricky outside forward with the ‘other’ sky blues, the light blue half of the metropolis making over 150 first team appearances for City (21 goals) from 1974 before moving to W.B.A. in 1979 where he made another 92 appearances in total (25 goals). Then followed two spells across the Pennines with Leeds United in the 1980s (interspersed with spells in Spain at Real Betis, Australia (Melbourne) and loans at West Ham and even Man.United). In October 1984 former player and then gaffer Bobby Gould (and now a CCFPA member), brought Peter to Highfield Road for £65k and from outside left ‘Barnsey’ made 19 appearances in 1984-85 contributing two goals before returning to Old Trafford for the following season and a half.
Peter then became something of a wandering star from 1987 appearing (once more) for Man. City, Bolton Wanderers (twice), Port Vale (loan), Hull City and Sunderland in the UK and Drogheda United (Eire -twice); Deportivo Farense (Portugal); Hamrun Spartans (Malta); Tampa Bay Rowdies (USA) and Footscray (Australia). He became player coach at Stockport County in 1989 before further spells at Bury; Wrexham; Northwich Victoria; the USA Indoor League; Radcliffe Borough; Mossley; and Cliftonville. Once he hung up his boots Peter took up media work and ran a Soccer Coaching business.
We hope to persuade Peter to carry out all the usual special guest’s duties on the day of the game including visiting the Club’s Family Zone under the Ricoh stands before kick-off to meet the Junior Sky Blues and their families; touring the Ricoh supporters lounges prior to the game to meet fans in the company of club host (and CCFPA member) Brian ‘Harry’ Roberts; as well as the date in Lady Gs. We trust Peter’s words of wisdom can also be heard by those unable to make the game as he joins the BBC CWR’s live matchday commentary team in the Ricoh Press Box to comment and analyse the game as it unfolds.
Welcome Peter! We hope you see the Sky Blues do the double over the boys from South East London.