*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Barry Thornley
Appearances: 109 Goals: 5
Date / Year of birth: 11th February 1948
Position: Left-back / Left winger
Season of first appearance: 1975/76
Season of last appearance: 1976/77
Also played for: Gravesend & Northfleet, Brentford (7,0), Oxford United (25+1,4), Chelmsford City, Ramsgate and Dover
Gravesend-born player who started his career as a left winger with his hometown club during the 1964/65 season. Barry made 18 appearances for the Fleet, scoring three goals, before moving into League football with Brentford in September 1965.
Barry spent two years at Griffin Park but he never really established himself in Brentford's first team and only made seven senior appearances.
In July 1967 Barry was transferred to Oxford and featured more regularly for them during the 1967/68 and 1968/69 seasons before dropping back into non-league football.
He joined Chelmsford for the 1969/70 season and won their 'Player of the Year' award. Barry went on to make a total of 210 appearances for City and scored in a 4-3 win over Margate on 31.3.72. He also had a spell on loan at Ramsgate, making eight appearances for them towards the end of the 1972/73 season.
In the summer of 1973 Barry joined Dover for a fee of £1,000 and he scored 13 goals in two seasons at Crabble before moving to Margate in the summer of 1975.
He made his debut on 18.8.75, coincidentally in a 1-0 win at his old club Chelmsford, and Barry initially played on the left wing. However he soon moved to the left-back position and the Thanet Times' report on a 1-1 draw at Stourbridge on 30.8.75 said that he gave a "thoroughly professional display" there. The paper described Barry as being a player of "proven talent and excellent reputation" with "the speed of an express train". He was also said to have a "legendary left peg".
Barry was a model of consistency during the 1975/76 campaign and made 61 appearances, scoring twice. One of his goals was a 40 yard free-kick that floated past former Margate keeper Brian Hughes during a 1-1 draw at Tonbridge on 29.11.75. On 22.4.76 Barry played as Margate won 2-0 at Canterbury in the 1st Leg of the Kent Floodlight Trophy Final and he also featured in the 2nd Leg at Hartsdown Park on 24.4.76 which the visitors won 2-1 after extra time. The result meant Margate took the trophy with a 3-2 aggregate win.
Despite being sent off in a pre-season friendly against Gravesend & Northfleet on 14.8.76, Barry continued to be a fixture in the side at left-back during the 1976/77 campaign and he made 48 appearances, scoring three times. Two of his goals were penalties - both in a 4-1 home win over Telford on 5.4.77 - and the other was a 35 yard effort scored during a 2-1 win over Weymouth at Hartsdown Park on 8.3.77. Barry left the club at the end of the season, shortly after Margate's relegation from the Southern League Premier Division was confirmed. He then retired from football aged just 29 to concentrate on his business interests.
Barry later worked in insurance for Liverpool Victoria and during the early 2000's he was believed to be living in Norfolk.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
KFT | |
|
1975/76 (MFC) |
61 (65) |
0 |
2 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (11TH OF 22) |
3QR |
2R |
1R |
SF |
W |
| Played in Kent
Floodlight Trophy Final 1st Leg (22.04.76 - won 2-0 at Canterbury
City). Played in Kent Floodlight Trophy Final 2nd Leg (24.04.76 - lost 2-1 to Canterbury City at home). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1976/77 (MFC) |
48 (55) |
0 |
3 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (22ND OF 22) |
3QR |
1R |
2R |
1R |
|
| Margate relegated to Southern League First Division (South). | |||||||||