Sam Barnes

Name:Sam Barnes

Born:Oct 16th, 1991

Position:Defender

Joined the club:June 2012

Previous Club(s):Liverpool, Stockport County, Northwich Victoria, Marine

Sam Barnes is sponsored by:

Young central defender who joined the Pitmen in June 2012 from fellow Evo-Stik Northern Premier side, Marine.

Liverpool-born Barnes began his football career at his hometown club as a trainee until his release at the end of the 2008/09 season.
From there he joined the youth team set-up at Stockport County, impressing enough to earn a call-up to the first team squad at the end of the 2009/10 season – culminating in a debut against Leyton Orient in April 2010.

His performances at youth level, alongside those of his brother Louis (also at Stockport at the time) attracted the attention of a number of Premier League sides, with Bolton, Everton and Manchester United among the clubs interested.
Off the field troubles for the Hatters saw both Barnes brothers released in the summer of 2010.

During the summer both Everton and Manchester United invited Sam to trial, with him making an appearance in a reserve game against Altrincham for the latter that August. It wasn’t to be for Sam and after a raft of trial and reserve games he joined Northwich Victoria in January 2011 – making only one appearance – before returning to Merseyside to sign for Marine.

He remained at the club for the 2011-12 season, cementing his place in the team for the majority of the campaign – back alongside his brother who joined the club during pre-season.

In summer 2012 Rob Smith brought Sam to Hednesford alongside former Marine team-mates Aaron Rey and Neil Harvey and Sam made a bright start at the heart of the Pitmen’s defence. However Francino Francis had signed shortly before the start of the season, and he soon displaced Sam who could not force his way back into a regular starting place with Ben Bailey, ultimately the club’s player of the season, firmly entrenched alongside Francis in the back four. Barnes did, however, step up to the mark whenever called upon and remained a vital member of the squad.