Len Barber

Len Barber
Personal information
Full name	Leonard Barber
Date of birth	3 July 1929
Place of birth	Stoke-on-Trent, England
Date of death	February 1988 (age 58)
Place of death	Stoke-on-Trent, England
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
	Bury
Senior career*
Years	Team
1947–1955	Port Vale
	Northwich Victoria
	Wellington Town
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

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.

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. However, 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

Port Vale

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j 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.
^ ^a ^b "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)

Personal information
Full name	Leonard Barber^[1]
Date of birth	(1929-07-03)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*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1947–1955	Port Vale	47	(12)
	Northwich Victoria
	Wellington Town
*Club domestic league appearances and goals