Colin Barrett

Colin Barrett (born 3 August 1952) is an English former association football defender. He played 163 competitive senior games from 1972 to 1980 with Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and Swindon Town. At Forest he was part of a team that won seven honours including the 1977–78 Football League First Division, the 1978–79 European Cup and the Football League Cup in both those seasons. The month after his 26th birthday and 10 days after scoring against Liverpool in the European Cup he damaged knee ligaments. He never fully recovered only playing 12 further competitive games in senior football. The last of those was in the same month as having turned 28.

Playing career

Manchester City

Barrett was born in the Cheadle Heath district of Stockport. On leaving school he took a job at the Hawker Siddeley Aircraft Factory. In May 1970 he signed for nearby Manchester City as a 17-year-old apprentice from his local side Cheadle Heath Nomads. He had been with City for four months previously as an amateur. City had spotted him playing for Cheshire Youths.Manchester City profile at Sporting heroes
/ref>Colin Barrett, City Til I Die
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After playing well in the reserves, he earned his first-team debut aged 20 after two games of the 1972/73 season. He played instead of the injured Tony Book as City beat Norwich City 3–0 at home on 19 August 1972. A versatile defender, he later played at centre-back that season covering for the injured Tommy Booth. He played in both legs of the 1973-74 Football League Cup semi-final win against Plymouth Argyle. However he was overlooked in the final defeat by Wolverhampton Wanderers with the more experienced Glyn Pardoe selected instead. Barrett featured in the late season derby game in which Denis Law scored to eventually doom Manchester United to relegation.I believe in miracles: Where are Nottingham Forest's 17 heroes?
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His last game for Manchester City was at Leicester City on 31 January 1976. In the three and a half season since his first team debut he played in 65 competitive Manchester City first team games (53 in the league). His only City goal came when beating Scunthorpe United 6–0 at home on 10 September in the 1974-75 Football League Cup.

Nottingham Forest

Aged 23 he dropped down a division to the second tier joining Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest on loan. He debuted on 13 March 1976 in the 1–0 home win against Fulham. Barrett completed his transfer in April 1976 for a £29,000 fee. He played in 10 league games for Forest before the end of that season.Colin Barrett, The City Ground
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Barrett later said of Clough, "His man-management was quite straightforward. He said: "If I thought you could play you would be in midfield so you are a full-back. When you get the ball you give it to that fella on the wing because he can play." He expected his defenders to defend, his centre-forwards to score goals and his midfielders to create."

At the end of the 1976-77 Football League Second Division Forest were promoted to the top flight. Like at Manchester City though Barrett had not fully cemented himself as a first team regular at this stage. He played in 13 league games in the promotion campaign scoring twice. He scored two goals that season in Clough and Peter Taylor's Forest breakthrough trophy success, the 1976–77 Anglo-Scottish Cup

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