Eric Barnes (29 November 1937 – 3 January 2014) was an English professional

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...

who played for

Crewe Alexandra Crewe Alexandra Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Crewe, Cheshire, England. Its first team competes in League Two, the fourth level of the English football league system. Nicknamed 'The Railwaymen' ...

between 1957 and 1970. Barnes joined Crewe initially as an amateur while doing his

National Service National service is a system of compulsory or voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act ...

in the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

. He played mainly as a

centre half In the sport of association football, a defender is an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield player whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring. Defenders fall into four main categ ...

, but also had a spell at full back after Crewe signed

Dave Ewing Dave Ewing (10 May 1929 – July 1999) was a Scottish footballer who played in the centre half position for Manchester City and Crewe Alexandra, and briefly managed Hibernian. Career Ewing was born in Logierait, Perthshire in May 1929. He w ...

from

Manchester City Manchester City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the English football league system, top flight of Football in England, English footbal ...

. He moved into

non-league football Non-League football describes association football, football leagues played outside the top leagues of a country. Usually, it describes leagues which are not fully professional. The term is primarily used for football in England, where it is ...

with Witton Albion in 1970.

Honours

;with Crewe Alexandra *

Football League Fourth Division The Football League Fourth Division was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season. Following the creation of the Premier ...

fourth-place promotion: 1967–68

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barnes, Eric 1937 births 2014 deaths Footballers from Wythenshawe English men's footballers Men's association football defenders Crewe Alexandra F.C. players Witton Albion F.C. players English Football League players 20th-century English sportsmen