What a surprise no target man is ever popular with brighton fans, they dont ever respect the guy up front who takes the knocks and specialises in the physical shift. He came into a team who were getting outmuscled every week and added some much needed strength, he didnt initially look able to score goals but by the time Micky Adams came he was a decent goalscorer and did ok for Rotherham at this level after he left us.
Richie Barker - CRAWLEY Manager
- Thread starter Bridcutt
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What a surprise no target man is ever popular with brighton fans, they dont ever respect the guy up front who takes the knocks and specialises in the physical shift. He came into a team who were getting outmuscled every week and added some much needed strength, he didnt initially look able to score goals but by the time Micky Adams came he was a decent goalscorer and did ok for Rotherham at this level after he left us.
Silkster365
Oooo its a corner
I remember that goal at London Road - what a brilliant day out that was. All too rare back in those days!
Geriatric Seagull
New member
He did well for us and has developed a good name as a manager. I hope he does well at Crawley.
pishhead
Well-known member
One of footballs good guys.
Marshy
Well-known member
Shame hes at Crawley I cant dislike them so much now !
Don't agree with this. He was a hugely popular player there (not difficult considering the amount of dross there was around) and his workrate was much appreciated. I remember him getting a big cheer when he came on as a sub at Withdean a couple of years later. So, no, this is not time clouding people's memories.
I think it's a bit of an exaggeration to say he has a "legendary aura" though. The Bear will be remembered as a whole-hearted player, who worked his socks off up front in a poor team. Nice guy, goodish player but no legend.
BUTTERBALL
East Stand Brighton Boyz
Scored vital goals for us at the most difficult time in our history - Richie Barker is an Albion hero. Good luck to him at Crawley, hope he does well.
Icy Gull
Back on the rollercoaster
- Jul 5, 2003
- 72,015
He was a hugely popular player there (not difficult considering the amount of dross there was around) QUOTE]
Hmmm, I can remember cringing at the ironic "Barker's scored a goal he's scored a goal etc" chant when he eventually found the net and was running around in joy. He had definitley being getting abuse right up until that time. He seemed to become hugely popular AFTER he left, but maybe that's just my bad memory
Like DKM I'd be interested to know how long that first goal took to come, I feel sure it was ages??
Icy Gull
Back on the rollercoaster
- Jul 5, 2003
- 72,015
Spot on. I too remember it well, an absolutely text book header on Boxing Day and it moved us up to 7th or something, which was unheard of at that time.
Tom Bombadil
Well-known member
Good luck to him. Always struck me as a decent bloke.
eastlondonseagull
Well-known member
Loved the Bear. Brightened up those gloomy Gillingham days.
Curious Orange
Punxsatawney Phil
I seem to recall from my few visits to Gillingham that someone had actually created a banner for the Bear, I seem to remember he had quite a nice partnership with Harty, so was disappointed when he left.
dejavuatbtn
Well-known member
This, particularly when we were looking for a bit more effort from a generally weak team. By the time he had some decent people around him, he was scoring goals and I was pretty pissed off when he left - but you had to appreciate his reaons for leaving.
Anyway, if he had stayed we may never have seen Bobby Z.
A great summary that I heartily agree with. He wasn't around long enough to warrant the 'legend' tag that gets thrown about too readily these days, but he was a shining light in otherwise dreary times on the pitch. Beyond that he seemed to really get the Albion and what it was all about - once again something rarely seen around that time.
ROSM
Well-known member
He left Brighton as his father who lived in Sheffield was very ill and he wanted to be close to him. His girlfriend (who I think he later married) came from Brighton.
Speaking to Mickey Adams in the pre season that Barker left, he was disappointed to lose him and led to us trying out Aidan Newhouse, Scott Ramsey, Pinamonte etc to fill the gap before Zamora came in. Barker then went on to score goals for Macclesfield (was leading score in Div 2 before injury ended his season early) and Rotherham. In some ways a reliable journeyman striker but clearly an honest pro who, as others have said, 'got' the Albion at that time.
Speaking to Mickey Adams in the pre season that Barker left, he was disappointed to lose him and led to us trying out Aidan Newhouse, Scott Ramsey, Pinamonte etc to fill the gap before Zamora came in. Barker then went on to score goals for Macclesfield (was leading score in Div 2 before injury ended his season early) and Rotherham. In some ways a reliable journeyman striker but clearly an honest pro who, as others have said, 'got' the Albion at that time.
Pinkie Brown
Wir Sind das Volk
Barker formed a half decent partnership with Gary Hart when we were at Gillingham. Always gave 100% even if he was never a prolific scorer. He was a breath of fresh air compared to some of the wasters that claimed to be strikers around that time - Michael Mahoney-Johnson, Damien Hilton, Lawrence Davies, Jaime Moralee. Barker was Premier League quality compared to that quartet of crap.
chucky1973
New member
look forward to seeing him Friday. Good luck to him.
Absolute rubbish. I don't recall him getting ANY grief from us at Pissfield. In fact he was one of the most positive players that we had during that time. I might almost tkae the view that "The Bear" was our best player at that time. At leaat he gave a damn, unlike many otehr who quite obviously didn't give a shit
This is how I remember The Bear. Top bloke in my book.
Now, the samne CANNOT be said for Jeff Minton (also in the pic) who was total crap at the time
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