Barry Lindsey Explained

Barry Lindsey
Fullname:Barry Lindsey
Birth Date:17 April 1944
Birth Place:Scunthorpe, England
Position:Midfielder
Youthyears1:19??–1961
Youthclubs1:Scunthorpe United
Years1:1961–1971
Caps1:217
Goals1:14
Years2:1971–1972
Clubs2:Goole Town
Years3:1972–197?
Clubs3:Ashby Institute

Barry Lindsey (born 17 April 1944) is an English former professional footballer who scored 14 goals from 217 appearances in the Football League for Scunthorpe United. He played mainly at right half, but also at inside forward or occasional right back.

Life and career

Lindsey was born in 1944 in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire. He began his football career as an apprentice inside forward with his hometown club, Scunthorpe United, and in March 1960 Scunthorpe's manager, Frank Soo, was reported to rate the 15-year-old very highly.[1] Soo's successor, Dick Duckworth, gave the 17-year-old Lindsey his first-team debut on 23 September 1961, in a 4–0 defeat away at Sunderland in the Second Division.[2]

It took a couple of years to establish himself in the side. He converted to right half and occasional right back,[3] and was described as "a wholehearted player who had to rely on his skilful play to make up for his slight build" and who had "the ability to dominate the midfield play".[4] When substitution was first permitted in the Football League, Lindsey became the first Scunthorpe player to be replaced (by Barry Mahy) on 28 August 1965 during a 2–0 win away to Reading.[5] He was transfer-listed by the financially needy club in 1966,[4] but did not leave, and remained a regular until injury put an end to his league career in September 1970 at the age of 26. He had scored 14 goals from 217 league appearances, and played a further 22 matches in cup competitions.[6]

Lindsey left Scunthorpe for Northern Premier League club Goole Town at the end of that season,[7] and, together with another Goole and former Scunthorpe player, Graham Rusling, moved on to Ashby Institute of the Midland League in 1972.[8]

He went on to work for an engineering company in the Scunthorpe area.[9]

Lindsey's younger brother Keith also played league football.[7]

Notes and References

  1. News: Untitled . Halifax Daily Courier . 19 March 1960 . 2.
  2. Web site: Match details: 1961–62: Football League Division 2 Match 9 . The StatCat . 25 September 2019.
  3. News: Scunthorpe delay choice for Reading . Reading Evening Post . 3 February 1966 . 16 . There are doubts about right-back Barry Lindsey, recently switched from the half-back line, and centre-half Barry Horstead..
  4. News: Scunthorpe will let Lindsey go . Coventry Evening Telegraph . 18 June 1966 . 3 . Scunthorpe United are asking a fee of £12,000 for Barrie Lindsey, their local-born wing-half. Lindsey, originally an inside-forward, is a skilful player with the ability to dominate the midfield play. If he leaves the Old Show ground, his place will be hard to fill, but as one of the worst-supported clubs in the Third Division, Scunthorpe are forced to raise money however they can..
  5. Web site: In Memoriam: Barry Mahy . Scunthorpe United F.C. . 2 October 2020 . 14 January 2021.
  6. Web site: Player search: Lindsey, B (Barry) . English National Football Archive . 14 January 2021 . subscription.
  7. Web site: The Iron Alphabet: John to O'Berg . Scunthorpe United F.C. . 22 June 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111004112044/http://www.scunthorpe-united.co.uk/page/News/0,,10442~1053322,00.html . 4 October 2011.
  8. News: 'We want nothing less than two points' . Long Eaton Advertiser . 11 August 1972 . 18.
  9. News: Caught in Time: Scunthorpe United, 1970 . registration . Greg . Struthers . The Sunday Times . London . 12 August 2007 . 25 September 2019.