Seasons2020-21Everton News
Gareth Barry hangs up his boots

Popular ex-Everton midfielder Gareth Barry has announced his retirement from football at the age of 39.
Barry is the Premier League's record holder for the number of appearances, having played a total of 653 times in the top flight, including 131 out of a total of 155 senior appearances for Everton. He also played for Aston Villa, Manchester City, and West Brom during a distinguished career.
The England international joined the Toffees, initially on loan, on a busy transfer deadline day in September 2013. The move proved to be something of a masterstroke by then manager Roberto Martinez and, after impressing in his first season at Goodison Park, the Hastings-born player signed a three-year deal in July 2014.
Barry was capped 53 times for England, scoring three goals in total, and is regarded by Evertonians as one of the most accomplished players to wear the Royal Blue jersey over the past decade.
ToffeeWeb Player Profile: Gareth Barry
Reader Comments (61)
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2 Posted 27/08/2020 at 12:31:48
Happy retirement, Gareth. I will always remember you as one of best footballers I have seen.
3 Posted 27/08/2020 at 12:39:30
4 Posted 27/08/2020 at 12:41:00
Best of luck.
5 Posted 27/08/2020 at 12:45:41
6 Posted 27/08/2020 at 12:49:27
7 Posted 27/08/2020 at 12:54:30
8 Posted 27/08/2020 at 13:01:37
Compare their impact with the likes of Schneiderlin, Williams, Delph and Sigurdsson, who set the younger players in the squad such a diabolical example of what it means to be a top professional.
9 Posted 27/08/2020 at 13:12:47
10 Posted 27/08/2020 at 13:26:38
Hope he is not forgotten like some (actually like many). Good luck to you Gareth! Thank you for your excellent service!
11 Posted 27/08/2020 at 13:32:14
Gave away 10 years to James McCarthy and was nearly always the better player of the two, says it all really. A terrific signing whose work ethic, desire, intelligence and will to win have never been replaced.
One of those few players who you believed was worth the wage, a few professionals at Everton currently are taking the piss. Happy retirement Gareth, you have earned it and the lifestyle you undoubtedly now have. All the best, it was a pleasure to watch you in blue.
12 Posted 27/08/2020 at 13:37:48
Definitely the glue that held us together for four years. Can't believe he was 32 when he signed for us, I'm sure that if you went back to the thread on here when he signed you would find people moaning about taking on an ageing Man City reject.
13 Posted 27/08/2020 at 13:39:35
14 Posted 27/08/2020 at 13:42:19
15 Posted 27/08/2020 at 13:45:34
Also, that goal against Norwich in 2014 with a run just past hafl-way, the way he made the ball curve.
Absolute class act and professional, someone who we need back at the club to sort these wasters out.
Good Luck to him in the next chapter of his life!
16 Posted 27/08/2020 at 13:50:19
Famously described as having deceptive pace... slower than he looked. But speed over the ground can be covered by speed of thought. His 2 Premier League records (appearances and bookings) show he wasn't scared to do play hard, yet he never had a reputation as a dirty player. It is telling that he is one, like Kevin Kilbane, of whom nobody has a bad word. Given the vitriol that appears on social media sometimes, that in itself is an achievement.
I'd expect a player of his experience and intelligence will appear in management sometime soon.
17 Posted 27/08/2020 at 13:51:52
18 Posted 27/08/2020 at 13:58:22
An absolute credit to the profession.
19 Posted 27/08/2020 at 14:01:21
20 Posted 27/08/2020 at 14:04:44
Gareth was a solid profession who enhanced the team just by being on the pitch, for whoever he was playing for, he certainly improved Everton when he joined and had two very good seasons before his lack of pace started to tell, still never let us down and was missed when he left.
Good luck and good health in your retirement Gareth.
21 Posted 27/08/2020 at 14:14:22
Sadly since he and McCarthy left, our midfield aside from Gana, has been so ineffective, to the point it ceases to exist on the park as a midfield.
22 Posted 27/08/2020 at 14:16:26
An excellent player and potential good manager in the future?
23 Posted 27/08/2020 at 14:16:57
I also recall people saying we could not keep playing him as a thirty six year old. So we signed Schneiderlin who looked twice his age and proved to be less than half the player.
24 Posted 27/08/2020 at 14:33:15
A fine player and a gentleman who will always be welcome at Goodison Park.
25 Posted 27/08/2020 at 15:06:51
Koemans biggest mistake (he made plenty), was to let Barry go when he did. The midfield has been a joke ever since, that's how good Barry was.
If Delph was half the player Barry was but alas he isn't – not even in the same ballpark. Thanks for your service to EFC you will be fondly remembered.
26 Posted 27/08/2020 at 15:20:44
The way he trained, the way he conducted himself and even though he was late in some of his tackles he was never dirty.
Enjoy your retirement Gareth it has been well earned.
27 Posted 27/08/2020 at 15:30:14
He was also streetwise and would "take one for the team" on occasion which is why he accrued a few yellows.
He could pass, tackle and even score the odd goal, but he was also a useful extra defender, often with a deft interception or important headed clearance.
Would jump at the chance of getting him at 29, like the others above!
28 Posted 27/08/2020 at 15:41:45
29 Posted 27/08/2020 at 15:45:37
30 Posted 27/08/2020 at 15:46:37
We are still looking for a defensive midfielder?
31 Posted 27/08/2020 at 16:12:12
Don't know if it's been mentioned on other threads but I see Thomsons been axed from Sky Sports, thank God! Now we can just hope the other 350 RS supporting pundits get theirs...
32 Posted 27/08/2020 at 16:26:45
We are a bit obsessed with age and sell on fees etc for older players. Fact is most sports people are lasting longer in their profession due to sports science and fueling their bodies properly.
Barry never had pace but didn't need it as his speed of thought got him into the correct positions a lot of the time or his midfielder partners did his running for him.
As people have said above likening him to Gough, Martin and Power are great examples of proper professionals. Given the right players around him Gomes could fill a similar role.
33 Posted 27/08/2020 at 16:38:32
34 Posted 27/08/2020 at 16:42:38
I am sure he will have a successful career in other aspects of the game should he wish.
I am sure all Everton fans wish him only the best.
35 Posted 27/08/2020 at 16:46:43
Is that why he holds the record for the most booked player in Premier League History?
36 Posted 27/08/2020 at 16:51:40
Firstly – the player with the most appearances is also likely to get booked a lot.
Secondly – he was very good at tactical fouls (much like Fernandinho) where he would pick up a yellow to avoid the opposition from breaking quickly, thus preventing a goal scoring opportunity.
37 Posted 27/08/2020 at 17:11:02
Yes, I remember that 1st season under Martinez, still my best time as an Everton supporter (post-TV age). And Barry and James McCarthy absolutely bossed the midfield.
The 3rd midfielder was a problem, I think Osman mainly played that role, but his legs were creaking by then and that was our weak link. The front 3 of Barkley, Deulofeu and Lukaku was absolutely fantastic.
38 Posted 27/08/2020 at 17:30:42
39 Posted 27/08/2020 at 17:36:29
Thomson was a disgrace and never should have been on the gig, however, Carragher has got away with murder and how he's survived – so far – is a mystery?
Let the bloodletting continue until they've all been devoured!!!!
40 Posted 27/08/2020 at 17:56:45
Never been replaced by Everton either. Good luck Gareth.
41 Posted 27/08/2020 at 18:13:24
42 Posted 27/08/2020 at 19:32:54
Apart from a few voices in the wilderness, Barry got unrelenting stick on here when he played for us.
43 Posted 27/08/2020 at 19:41:47
44 Posted 27/08/2020 at 20:11:29
45 Posted 27/08/2020 at 20:25:51
46 Posted 27/08/2020 at 20:35:44
I hope Sky Sports might sign him up, delighted Thompson and Nicholas are gone. I don't understand why they kept Merson, who hasn't a clue, but I guess he was on a lot lower salary. At least the panel should be impartial now, as long as Glen Johnson is not part of it. Hopefully Souness and Carragher next.
47 Posted 27/08/2020 at 20:53:48
48 Posted 27/08/2020 at 21:03:31
I was like many who never realised how good he was until he actually played for us. He'll do well whatever he does.
49 Posted 27/08/2020 at 21:05:33
50 Posted 27/08/2020 at 21:10:25
52 Posted 27/08/2020 at 22:08:19
53 Posted 28/08/2020 at 00:43:17
A consummate professional, I wish we had more like him now.
Best of luck in your retirement years Gareth, and thanks.
54 Posted 28/08/2020 at 01:07:14
Whilst I respect the acclaim other posters give him, such acclaim to me illustrates just how reduced we've had to get accustomed to being, overseen by the ponce in the boardroom for the past few decades.
55 Posted 28/08/2020 at 01:50:36
56 Posted 28/08/2020 at 02:34:09
57 Posted 28/08/2020 at 07:09:22
Best transfer deadline day signings ever in September 2013, Barry, McCarthy, Lukaku, talk about players that made a big difference.
Gareth Barry and James McCarthy, Ross Barkley in midfield going away to the likes of Arsenal and Man Utd dominating them football-wise in their own backyard.
I've nothing but admiration for Gareth Barry. If only we possessed a midfielder with half of his footballing nous and savvy these days we'd be in a better place.
Good luck to you man.
58 Posted 28/08/2020 at 13:45:13
One of my favourite recollections of late has to be the ‘face off with Diego Costa. Pure Hollywood!
59 Posted 28/08/2020 at 17:43:13
Wish Gareth all the very best, and thanks for being a good player in an Everton shirt.
60 Posted 29/08/2020 at 17:10:24
As mentioned above, there has probably never been a better deadline day than 2013: to get Barry, McCarthy and Lukaku was amazing, and I was sitting in the pub watching it all and when they were announced, all the blues went wild - we knew we were going places.
The midfield skill and calmness of the former, aided by the ruthless ball-winning and bravery of his young teammate gave us a fantastic season, especially with Rom up-front, the best striker we've had in the Premier League era. Sadly, it all went tits up with Martinez playing the 'Special One' and spending his summer in Brazil, coming back too late to prepare, and bringing with him that lump of shite Besic.
If only Roberto had been humble enough to appoint Big Joe to steer him and not have that gimp Jones as asst, we may have been in the Champions League, or even Champions, and Barry would have something more tangible to remember us by. A great pro and a player I will always respect for his commitment to Everton.
61 Posted 29/08/2020 at 18:51:19
Absolutely loved this guy. Professional, classy, hard working - everything you want your Club to stand for.
For me, again in my time, right up there with the Cahill, Arteta, Carsley, Coleman, and my dark horse fave Hibbo all-time favorite players.
Retire, relax, enjoy the fruits of your labor Gareth. Tough to say nowadays considering the crazy salaries, but youve earned it. You always, always worked your socks off.
Legend for me. Your mileage may vary. But when you consider my Blue time, and what Everton have served up, Gareth is a legend. Yes, I know hes no Dixie, Southall, Ball, Young, etc. But hes one of a handful of players that Ive got, during my time, that I utterly respected.
63 Posted 07/09/2020 at 06:29:50
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1 Posted 27/08/2020 at 12:29:15