Gary Barnett (footballer)
A tenacious midfielder who later became a dominant force in Welsh football, managing Barry Town to unprecedented domestic success.
Born 1963 (age 63)·English footballer and coach·Birthday: March 11·Baby Boomers
Biography
Gary Barnett's football story is one of two distinct halves: the reliable English league journeyman and the transformative manager in Wales. His playing career was defined by grit and consistency, featuring nearly 400 Football League appearances as a combative midfielder for clubs including Wimbledon during their famous 'Crazy Gang' era and Fulham. Never a flashy star, he was the kind of player managers valued for his work rate and tactical understanding. It was this football intelligence that blossomed after his playing days. He took the helm at Barry Town in the League of Wales and orchestrated a period of utter dominance. Under his guidance, the small club became a powerhouse, sweeping domestic trophies and making historic forays into European competition. Barnett's success, built on shrewd signings and a disciplined style, earned him manager of the year honors three times running and wrote a unique chapter in Welsh football history.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Gary was born in 1963, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Gary Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Gary's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 60
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 63 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the League of Wales Manager of the Year award three consecutive seasons (1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99) while at Barry Town.
- Led Barry Town to a domestic treble in the 1998–99 season, winning the League of Wales, the Welsh Cup, and the Welsh League Cup.
- Guided Barry Town to the first round proper of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1996, a significant achievement for a Welsh club at the time.
- Made over 150 appearances for Wimbledon FC, including during their rise to the old First Division in the 1980s.
Did You Know?
He had a brief trial with Norwegian club IL Hødd in 1995 after leaving Leyton Orient.
He served as player-manager during his highly successful stint at Barry Town.
After management, he worked as a football agent.
His son, Charlie Barnett, is also a professional footballer.
“You build a team from the back, with players who know their jobs.”
