Description
Linthorpe, Yorkshire born right half Billy Barker began his football career with South Bank and joined First Division club Middlesbrough in 1905, making his Football League debut at Bury in February 1906. Never a regular during his first five seasons at Ayresome Park, he scored his only goal for the club in a 2-2 draw with Everton in September 1906, and after five years on the fringe he broke into the team from September 1910, playing 36 matches a season in each of 1910-11 and 1911-12 as ‘Boro finished sixteenth and seventh in the League Championship. However he lost his place in April 1912 and played only once more, in a 3-2 win over Manchester United in October 1912, before retiring from professional football in 1913.