Fred Barron

Fred Barron (born 7 June 1879 – 18 August 1939) was an English professional footballer who played primarily as a wing half. He made exactly 400 Football League appearances in thirteen seasons with Burnley. Born in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, Barron began his career with Northern League side Stockton St. Mary's in the late 1890s. Described as 'the best back in the Northern League', he was signed by newly promoted Football League First Division club Burnley in June 1898. At the start of the 1898–99 season, Barron was unable to displace David Beveridge from the right-half position. He made his debut for the club in the sixth match of the campaign, a 1–1 draw away at Sheffield United on 1 October 1898. Barron kept his place in the Burnley team for the remainder of the season, playing in 29 league matches and 2 FA Cup ties. He retained his starting berth for the majority of the 1899–1900 season, making 30 league appearances, but was dropped for the final two matches of the campaign in favour of Bill Jenkinson. The season ended in disappointment for Burnley as they were relegated to the Second Division after winning only 11 of their 34 fixtures. Barron was an ever-present for Burnley during the 1900–01 season as the side finished third in the Second Division. On 26 January 1901 he scored his first Football League goal, netting the first in the 5–1 win against Chesterfield at Turf Moor. Barron scored again six matches later as Burnley were beaten 1–2 away at Barnsley. He made his 100th league appearance for Burnley on 12 October 1901 in the 0–3 home defeat to local rivals Preston North End, and was again almost ever-present in the 1901–02 season. He scored a penalty kick in the 1–0 win against Newton Heath, who would later become Manchester United, on 28 March 1902, Burnley's last win of the campaign. Barron played in all 99 of the side's competitive fixtures between March 1902 and January 1905, scoring seven goals (five of them penalties) during this period. During the 1902–03 campaign, he had a brief spell at outside forward following the departure of Tommy Morrison to Manchester United. On 8 October 1904, Barron played his 200th league match for Burnley in the 1–3 loss to Gainsborough Trinity, the first in a run of seven consecutive defeats. He missed only one game during the 1904–05 season; his place at right-half was taken by David Walders for the 0–2 defeat away at Blackpool on 21 January 1905.