Len Barber

Len Barber
Personal information
Full name	Leonard Barber[1]
Date of birth	3 July 1929[1]
Place of birth	Stoke-on-Trent, England[1]
Date of death	February 1988 (age 58)[2]
Place of death	Stoke-on-Trent, England
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
	Bury
Senior career*
	* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Leonard Barber (3 July 1929 – February 1988) was an English footballer who played as a forward for Port Vale in the Football League. He played a minor role in the club's Third Division North title winning campaign in 1953–54.

Playing career

Barber played for Bury before joining Port Vale in June 1947.[1] He made five Third Division South appearances for Gordon Hodgson's "Valiants" in 1949–50, and scored his first senior goal on 29 October, in a 3–0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion at The Old Recreation Ground.[1] He played 14 games at the end of the 1950–51 season, scoring seven goals.[1] He would have had a higher goal ratio if it wasn't for misfortune, as during a game against Crystal Palace on 9 April 1951 he managed to score four goals, but the game was abandoned after an hour's play due to excessive mud.[3] It was speculated that Barber's natural ability to play in thick mud would have earned him even more goals during that particular game.[3] He made 18 appearances in 1951–52, but only found the net twice.[1] He played eight games in 1953–54, scoring two goals, as Freddie Steele's side won the Third Division North title.[1] He featured twice in the Second Division in 1954–55, before he left Vale Park and was transferred to Cheshire County League side Northwich Victoria in July 1955.[1] He later signed for Wellington Town.[1]

Barber went on to run a pub called 'The Labour in Vain' in Milton, Staffordshire.[4]

Source:[5]

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Port Vale	1949–50	Third Division South	5	1	0	0	5	1
	1950–51	Third Division South	14	7	0	0	14	7
	1951–52	Third Division South	18	2	0	0	18	2
	1952–53	Third Division North	0	0	0	0	0	0
	1953–54	Third Division North	8	2	0	0	8	2
	1954–55	Second Division	2	0	0	0	2	0
	Total		47	12	0	0	47	12

Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 17. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
Sherwin, Phil (2013). Men of Steele. Hanley, Staffordshire: Pass. p. 28. ISBN 978-0-9926579-1-8.
"Mystery Sportsman: Vale striker whose four goals didn't count". The Sentinel. 29 August 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2009.
"Mystery sportsman: Goalkeeper kept a record 20 clean sheets for Stoke City". The Sentinel. 5 September 2009. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
Len Barber at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

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