Barry Squires Explained

Barry Squires
Fullname:Barry Squires
Height:[1]
Position:Outside left / Left half
Birth Date:29 July 1931
Birth Place:Birmingham, England
Youthclubs1:BSA ATC
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Clubs2:Wycombe Wanderers
Clubs3:Lye Town
Years4:1953–1954
Caps4:1
Goals4:0
Years5:1954–1955
Caps5:7
Goals5:0
Years6:1955–195?
Clubs6:Yeovil Town
Clubs7:Gloucester City
Years8:195?–1957
Clubs8:Kidderminster Harriers
Years9:1957–195?
Clubs9:Rugby Town
Years10:1958
Caps10:5
Goals10:1

Barry Squires (29 July 1931 – 18 August 2017) was an English professional footballer who played as an outside left in the Football League for Birmingham City and Bradford City.[2]

Career

Squires was born in 1931 in the Sparkhill district of Birmingham. He attended Golden Hillock Road School and captained its football team. He was a member of the Air Training Corps squadron associated with the BSA factory in Small Heath, and played for its football team, before completing his National Service with the RAF. During a lengthy posting to High Wycombe, he was able to play Isthmian League football for Wycombe Wanderers, and was selected to represent Berks & Bucks county. He was on the books of Wolverhampton Wanderers as an amateur, had trials with clubs including Portsmouth and Bristol City, and played for Lye Town, before signing professional forms with Birmingham City in May 1953.[3]

Having to compete with Alex Govan for the outside left position meant Squires had little chance of first-team football. In February 1954, after Govan damaged a toe in training, he was in contention with Geoff Cox and Dennis Hill to start against West Ham United,[4] but Hill was preferred. The only first-team appearance Squires made for the club was on 13 March in a 2–0 defeat away to Brentford in the Second Division, again in the absence of Govan.

He was listed for transfer at the end of the season,[5] and joined Bradford City for a "moderate" fee.[6] He made seven appearances in the Third Division North, and continued his career in non-league football with Yeovil Town,[2] Gloucester City, Kidderminster Harriers, Rugby Town,[7] and Gresley Rovers, for whom he scored once in five games playing at left half.[8]

Squires died on 18 August 2017 at the age of 86.[9]

Sources

Notes and References

  1. News: Players' roll call for 1953–54: Birmingham City . Sports Argus . Birmingham . 15 August 1953 . 4.
  2. Web site: Barry Squires . UK A–Z Transfers . Neil Brown . 12 January 2021.
  3. News: Taken plunge . Sports Argus . Birmingham . 23 May 1953 . 4.
  4. News: Blues' three "rivals" for left wing . Rex . Bellamy . Birmingham Gazette . 12 February 1954 . 8.
  5. News: Free transfer for Cyril Trigg . Birmingham Gazette . 28 April 1954 . 6.
  6. News: Barry Squires joins Bradford City . Peter . Ingall . Birmingham Gazette . 23 June 1954 . 6.
  7. News: Rugby Town signings . Rugby Advertiser . 9 August 1957 . 4.
  8. Web site: Barry Squires . Gresley Rovers Archive . Gresley Rovers F.C. . 12 January 2021.
    Web site: First Team Fixtures & Results 1958/1959 . Gresley Rovers Archive . Gresley Rovers F.C. . 12 January 2021.
  9. Web site: Wills and probate 1996 to present: Squires 2017 . Probate calendar . UK Probate Service . 3 . 12 January 2021.