Player of the Week - Richie Barnard

By bobmcp
April 12 2016

East Stirlingshire's experienced and highly respected keeper Richie Barnard gave a five star display last Saturday against Queen’s Park; at times “an insurmountable obstacle” according to the Spiders’ official website.

Ritchie career began when he joined Millwall directly from school. He was an apprentice at sixteen, a professional at eighteen, had several loan spells but didn’t make any appearances for the Lions’ first team. His five years at the New Den ended in May 2002. He then signed for Isthmian League side Maidenhead United, whose York Road ground has the distinction of being “the oldest senior football ground continuously used by the same club".

After a year at York Road, he remained in the Isthmian League but switched to phoenix club Aldershot Town on 26 June 2003. Richie made twenty first team league appearances for the Shots, including two as substitute, and also played in five other matches. 

On 13 November 2004 Richie moved to Queen of the South and during his first season with the Dumfries club he played in thirteen league matches. The following season, 2005-06, he was the Queens’ keeper on twenty-two occasions in all competitions, including one as substitute. He remained at Palmerston until 14 May 2006.

His travels continued and in 2007 he returned to Berkshire to sign for Southern League Slough Town, making his debut for the Rebels on 22 September 2007 against Gosport Borough. He kept goal in a further twenty-four matches for Slough, and for a period used his considerable experience to assist the club’s then caretaker manager.  

During the 2008 close season he signed for Conference side Weymouth, then managed by Chelsea FC legend John Hollins. Richie was with the Dorset club until they went into administration in 2010. A prison officer by profession, he then took three years out of the game to get established in his new career before being approached by Camelon Juniors in the summer of 2013. Richie’s year in the Juniors included a successful run to the two-legged semi-finals of the Scottish Junior Cup.

Richie returned to the seniors when he was signed for Shire by Manager Craig Tully in May 2014. To date the thirty-five year old has made sixty-one appearances in all competitions.