An Audience With John Barnes

Epstein Theatre
3rd December 2013

Reviewed by Joe Coventry

Living Legend

What a great night to be a Liverpool fan. However, supporters of any persuasion would have enjoyed listening to John Barnes reflect on his career in football. At the well attended Epstein Theatre the seasoned professional held sway in conversation with novelist Kevin Sampson, with the proceeds of the evening going to the Clapperboard Charity.

Starting in his early years, when his Jamaican army officer dad moved the family to London, he could have opted for his posh school sport of rugby union, but the round ball was to be his destiny.

Graham Taylor took him under his wing at Watford where the rising star earned his first International cap, and was soon to display his burgeoning skills with a super goal in Brazil's Maracana Stadium in 1984.

The mild mannered and easy spoken speaker looked back on all this with a realistic sense of how luck, and injury to others, propelled him not only into the limelight, but also into the Liverpool No 7 shirt for £900,000 in 1987. As Barnes tells it, this was a groundbreaking move as he became the first high profile black player to join the Reds. The move was to be central in taking on not just racist attitudes in this city but across the country as a whole; football might have attempted to grow up but society still has some way to go, he sagely observed.

Recalling his first home game against Oxford, he could sense the feeling of ambivalence towards him by some of the crowd. Two old-timers were heard debating his merits before he curled a free kick into the Kop net. 'He's not as black as he looks' one concluded afterwards. There were also the monkey chants and bananas to deal with - famously when pelted when taking a corner, he nonchalantly back-heeled the offending missiles off the pitch.

Liverpool, in Barnes's years, were still at the very top. 'It felt like we could do the double every year' as he reminisced of playing alongside the likes of John Aldridge and Peter Beardsley. A Cup Final upset against Wimbledon and a last minute goal for Arsenal in1989, which denied the club the league title, prevented that.

Then he suffered achilles tendon damage while playing for England and was never the same again, after taking part in his last league campaign for Liverpool in 1990.

1989 will remembered forever by the Hillsborough tragedy and the 96 fans who lost their lives. The horror of it was devastating for all associated with the club. Barnes told of how it had impacted on all the players and manager, Kenny Dalglish, who showed the utmost respect and support for the grieving families; as they still do, to this day.

There were lighter moments, like when he regaled us all with a rendition of 'The Anfield Rap'.

Now a TV pundit, after a not so successful attempt at managing Celtic and Tranmere, he still cuts an elegant and dashing figure. In a short Q&A session someone asked him why he wore a short sleeved shirt and gloves when he took the field. 'My fingers were cold' was his unfazed reply. Tonight though was full of warmth for this great icon of the game as he took a standing ovation in his stride to end a memory filled night.

Printer friendly page

Sorry Comments Closed