English footballer
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 .[3]
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 .[4] During a lengthy posting to High Wycombe , he was able to play Isthmian League football for Wycombe Wanderers ,[5] and was selected to represent Berks & Bucks county.[4] 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.[4]
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 ,[6] 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,[8] and joined Bradford City for a "moderate" fee.[5] He made seven appearances in the Third Division North , and continued his career in non-league football with Yeovil Town ,[3] Gloucester City ,[9] Kidderminster Harriers , Rugby Town ,[10] and Gresley Rovers , for whom he scored once in five games playing at left half .[9]
Squires died on 18 August 2017 at the age of 86.[11]
References
^ "Players' roll call for 1953–54: Birmingham City". Sports Argus . Birmingham. 15 August 1953. p. 4.
^ a b "Barry Squires" . UK A–Z Transfers . Neil Brown. Retrieved 12 January 2021 .
^ a b c "Taken plunge". Sports Argus . Birmingham. 23 May 1953. p. 4.
^ a b Ingall, Peter (23 June 1954). "Barry Squires joins Bradford City". Birmingham Gazette . p. 6.
^ Bellamy, Rex (12 February 1954). "Blues' three "rivals" for left wing". Birmingham Gazette . p. 8.
^ "Free transfer for Cyril Trigg". Birmingham Gazette . 28 April 1954. p. 6.
^ a b "Barry Squires" . Gresley Rovers Archive . Gresley Rovers F.C. Retrieved 12 January 2021 ."First Team Fixtures & Results 1958/1959" . Gresley Rovers Archive . Gresley Rovers F.C. Retrieved 12 January 2021 .
^ "Rugby Town signings". Rugby Advertiser . 9 August 1957. p. 4.
^ "Wills and probate 1996 to present: Squires 2017" . Probate calendar . UK Probate Service. p. 3. Retrieved 12 January 2021 .
Sources