Leigh Kenneth Barnard (born 29 October 1958) is an English former professional footballer who played as a

midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...

. During his career, he made over 350 appearances in the

Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional association football, football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, it is the oldest football league in Association football around the world, the w ...

during spells with

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...

Swindon Town Swindon Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. The team, known as the "Robins", currently compete in , the fourth level of the English football league system. Founded as Swindon A ...

and

Cardiff City Cardiff City Football Club () is a professional association football club based in Cardiff, Wales. It currently competes in , the third tier of the English football league system in the 2025–26 season following relegation. Founded in 1899 a ...

Career

Barnard joined

as an apprentice in 1977 and appeared in 79 games for the club before falling out of favour in 1982 and being loaned out to

Peterborough United Peterborough United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England. The team compete in League One, the third level of the English football league system. Peterborough United formed in ...

. He was given a free transfer to

at the end of the 1981–82 season with, then manager, John Trollope commenting "He has the kind of appetite for work that

Roger Smart Roger Smart (born 25 March 1943]) is an English retired football (soccer), footballer who played as an inside forward. He made his way from schoolboy teams to work up through the youth ranks at Swindon Town before making his début in the re ...

used to have in midfield, and you can't ask for more than that". Barnard was a regular first team choice in his first season with the Wiltshire club and played in every League game. A left-sided midfielder, Barnard was loaned by Swindon to Exeter City F.C., Exeter City during the 1984–85 season after showing poor form in a

Football League Trophy The English Football League Trophy, officially known as the Vertu Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English football knockout competition open to all clubs in EFL League One and EFL League Two and U-21 teams from the Premier Le ...

match against

Torquay United Torquay United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Torquay, Devon, England. The team currently compete in the National League South, the sixth level of the English football league system. They have played their ho ...

. In all he appeared 6 times for the Devon club, scoring twice, before returning to the Swindon first team the following season and scoring a goal against

Mansfield Town Mansfield Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England. The team competes in , the third level of the English football league system. The club was formed in 1897 as Mans ...

that clinched the Fourth Division Championship for the team. He lost his regular first team place in 1987–88 and did not appear in the first team again until the beginning of the 1989–90 season. A Fourth Division side on his arrival, Barnard made over 200 appearances for the club as they gained promotion twice during his spell the ''Robins'', reaching the Second Division. He was eventually transferred to

in October 1989 for £17,500 where he went on to appear 69 times, scoring 9 goals. After leaving Cardiff, Barnard later played non-league football for

Stroud Stroud is a market town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It is the main town in Stroud District. The town's population was 13,500 in 2021. Sited below the western escarpment of the Cotswold Hills, at the meeting point of the ...

and Moreton Town. He also played in a trial match for Gloucester City against

Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers FC is a men's professional football club in Bristol. The team competes in , the fourth tier of the English football league system. The club is affiliated to Bristol Rovers W.F.C., whose team play in the FA Women's National Leag ...

. He taught Mathematics in Abbotsfield School for Boys until 4 April 2014.

Honours

;Swindon Town *

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 ...

Champions: 1985–86

References

External links

Player profile
at Swindon Town F.C. {{DEFAULTSORT:Barnard, Leigh 1958 births Portsmouth F.C. players Peterborough United F.C. players Swindon Town F.C. players Exeter City F.C. players Cardiff City F.C. players Gloucester City A.F.C. players Forest Green Rovers F.C. players Living people English Football League players Men's association football midfielders English men's footballers Footballers from Eastbourne