*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.
Kevin Barry
Appearances: 97+3 Goals: 37
Date / Year of birth: 30th October 1949
Position: Striker
Season of first appearance: 1971/72
Season of last appearance: 1973/74
Also played for: Hastings United, Chelsea (0), Hastings Town and Rye United
Burly England Youth international born in Hastings whose nephew Gareth Barry later played regularly for the full England side.
Kevin was known for his heading ability and began his career with Hastings United, appearing in their junior sides as early as the 1965/66 season. Kevin made his first appearances in the senior side as a teenager during 1967/68 and played as a centre-back for Hastings during 1968/69 before being converted into a centre-forward. During the 1969/70 campaign Kevin scored 22 Southern League goals and over 30 in all competitions. He scored 21 Southern League goals during 1970/71 and in July 1971 Chelsea signed him for a fee of £2,000.
However after playing in just a handful of reserve team matches at Stamford Bridge Kevin was on the move again and Margate signed him for what was described as a "substantial fee" in November 1971. Margate's new manager Les Riggs said at the time "I regard him as an outstanding capture" and the local press referred to Kevin as being "free-scoring" and "an exceptional prospect".
He made his debut in a 0-0 draw at Poole in the Southern League Cup on 30.11.71 and went on to make a total of 34 appearances before the end of the 1971/72 season. Kevin scored 18 goals and the best of them was a 25 yard strike in a 3-2 defeat at Weymouth on 15.4.72. He also struck from the edge of the penalty area in a 2-1 defeat at Yeovil on 3.5.72, Margate's last game of the season, and Yeovil's player-manager Mike Hughes said of Kevin "he is a very good player and is obviously dangerous anywhere near goal."
The 1972/73 season was an excellent one for Kevin, he turned in many outstanding performances and scored 16 times in his 57 appearances (one as sub), including a hat-trick in a 5-1 win over Guildford at Hartsdown Park on 19.8.72. He was described as being a "will o' the wisp" by the local press and on 26.9.72 Kevin was sent off for disputing a decision during a 1-0 defeat at Gravesend & Northfleet in the Southern League Cup.
On 4.11.72 he scored with a diving header in 2-0 home win over Sutton in the FA Cup and on 27.11.72 Kevin played as a makeshift right-back in a 2-0 win over visitors Hastings in the Kent Floodlight Cup. On 2.12.72 he came on as a substitute to play in goal for the last ten minutes of a 3-2 win at Guildford after Chic Brodie was carried off.
On 13.1.73 Kevin was in the Margate side that lost 6-0 to Tottenham at Hartsdown Park in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup, a game that was perhaps the biggest ever in the club's history. He scored two notable goals during the remaining months of the campaign, finding the net with a shrewd chip in a 2-2 draw with Worcester on 3.3.73 and then firing home an excellent volley as Margate beat visitors Dartford 3-1 on 9.4.73.
At the start of the 1973/74 season Kevin found it hard to gain a regular place in the side. He was often substitute and made only nine appearances (two as sub), scoring three times, before leaving the club at the end of September 1973. Kevin rejoined Hastings United for a four figure fee and his departure came about due to him being promoted at work and having difficulty travelling from his Hastings home. Les Riggs hadn't wanted to lose Kevin and paid tribute to him, saying that he was "one of the easiest men to handle I have ever known." He scored ten goals for Hastings before the end of the 1973/74 campaign.
Kevin went on to become captain of the Hastings United side that won promotion to the Southern Premier during the 1976/77 campaign and by that time he had been converted into a centre-back. He stayed with United until being suspended and then sacked in November 1978 after a dispute that followed the appointment of former Margate player Cyril Jeans as Hastings' manager.
Kevin later moved on to United's Sussex County League neighbours Hastings Town and had a spell as their manager before resigning during the 1984/85 season.
When Hastings United folded Hastings Town took over their ground and also their place in the Southern League and Kevin became manager of Town's reserve side for the 1989/90 season. His son Lee was a member of the team whilst Kevin himself also made a few appearances. Kevin continued in the role during 1990/91 and still played when required.
He later had a spell as player-manager of Rye United, taking Lee with him from Hastings, and Kevin finished his career playing local football in the Hastings area.
By the 1990's Kevin was a publican and owned a bar in Spain before returning to the UK where he was running a pub in the Worcester area in the early 2000's.
After another period of living in Spain Kevin returned to England and his native Sussex in September 2010. Shortly afterwards he was diagnosed with cancer. He sadly died at St.Michael's Hospice, Hastings on 11.5.11 aged 61 after a brave battle with the disease.
The Hastings & St.Leonards Observer described Kevin as being "one of Hastings United's most liked and well known players over the years" and in their article Kevin's former United team-mate Dave Nessling said "He was a wholehearted and very, very strong player, but a genuinely nice bloke. Everybody liked Kevin and the supporters really took to him at Hastings." Another former team-mate - Sidley manager John Lambert - told the paper "He taught me so much about defending, so much about football and how to conduct myself." Kevin's funeral was held in Hastings and there was a gathering afterwards at Hastings United's Pilot Field, a venue the paper described as being his "spiritual home".
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC | |
|
1971/72 (MFC) |
34 (69) |
0 |
18 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (9TH OF 22) |
1R |
1R |
SF |
2R |
GR |
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC | |
|
1972/73 (MFC) |
56 (64) |
1 |
16 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (7TH OF 22) |
3R |
3QR |
1R |
2R |
GR |
| Played in FA Cup 3rd Round (13.01.73 - lost 6-0 at home to Tottenham Hotspur). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
KMT | |
|
1973/74 (MFC) |
7 (65) |
2 |
3 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (17TH OF 22) |
4QR |
2R |
SF |
W |
GR |