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Chris Barker
Chris Barker at Southend United.jpg
Barker at Southend United in 2013
Personal information
Full name Christopher Andrew Barker
Date of birth (1980-03-02)2 March 1980
Place of birth Sheffield, England
Date of death 1 January 2020(2020-01-01) (aged 39)
Place of death Cardiff, Wales
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position Defender
Youth career
1997–1999 Alfreton Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2002 Barnsley 113 (3)
2002–2007 Cardiff City 162 (0)
2004 Stoke City (loan) 4 (0)
2006–2007 Colchester United (loan) 38 (0)
2007–2008 Queens Park Rangers 25 (0)
2008–2010 Plymouth Argyle 54 (0)
2010 Southend United (loan) 4 (0)
2010–2013 Southend United 113 (0)
2013–2016 Aldershot Town 87 (0)
2016 Hereford 5 (0)
2016–2017 Weston-super-Mare 15 (0)
Total 620 (3)
Teams managed
2015 Aldershot Town (caretaker)
  • Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Christopher Andrew Barker (born March 2, 1980 – died January 1, 2020) was an English professional footballer. He played as a defender for many teams. These included Barnsley, Cardiff City, and Southend United. He also spent three months as a player-manager for Aldershot Town in 2015. His brother, Richie, is also a professional footballer.

Chris Barker's Football Journey

Chris Barker was born in Sheffield, England. He started his professional football career at Barnsley in 1999. He quickly became a key player for the team.

Early Success at Barnsley

In his first full season, Chris won the club's Young Player of the Year award. He won this award again the next year. This made him the first player to win it twice! He played over 100 games for Barnsley.

Joining Cardiff City

On July 12, 2002, Chris, then 22, moved to Cardiff City. The deal was worth about £500,000. He helped Cardiff City get promoted to a higher league in his first year. For several years, he was the main left-back for the team. Fans even voted him Cardiff City's Player of the Season in 2004–05.

Loan Spells and New Teams

Chris also played on loan for other clubs. He joined Stoke City in 2004 for a short time. Later, in 2006, he went on loan to Colchester United. Fans at Colchester really liked and respected him.

In 2007, Chris signed with Queens Park Rangers. He then moved to Plymouth Argyle in 2008.

Becoming a Southend United Star

On August 5, 2010, Chris joined Southend United on a loan. He later signed a full contract with them. He became a very important player for Southend. In 2011, he was voted Southend's Player of the Year. He even became the team's captain! Chris scored his first goal for Southend during the 2011–12 play-offs.

Time at Aldershot Town and Player-Manager Role

Chris left Southend in 2013 and joined Aldershot Town. He made his debut for them right away. In January 2015, Chris took on a new role. He became the player-manager for Aldershot. This meant he played for the team and also helped manage it.

Later Career and Coaching

In June 2016, Chris signed with Hereford as a player-coach. He then moved to Weston-super-Mare in October 2016. There, he was a player and assistant manager. He left Weston-super-Mare in July 2017.

Remembering Chris Barker

Chris Barker sadly passed away on January 1, 2020, when he was 39 years old. He will be remembered for his contributions to football and the many teams he played for.

Career Highlights and Awards

Player Honours

  • Southend United
    • Football League Trophy runner-up: 2012–13 (They reached the final!)

Individual Awards

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