Matthew Barnes-Homer

Matthew Brian Barnes-Homer (born 25 January 1986) is a former English professional footballer who last played for AFC Telford United as a striker.[2] Barnes-Homer is currently First Team Coach at AFC Telford United.

Matthew Barnes-Homer
Personal information
Full name Matthew Brian Barnes-Homer[1]
Date of birth (1986-01-25) 25 January 1986
Place of birth Dudley, England
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Halesowen Town
Youth career
2001–2004 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004 Rochester Raging Rhinos
2004 Syracuse Salty Dogs
2004 Virginia Beach Mariners
2004 Aldershot Town 2 (0)
2005 Hednesford Town
2005–2006 Bromsgrove Rovers 24 (4)
2006 Tividale
2006–2007 Willenhall Town
2007 Wycombe Wanderers 1 (0)
2007–2010 Kidderminster Harriers 98 (34)
2009 → Luton Town (loan) 2 (1)
2010–2012 Luton Town 64 (19)
2011–2012 → Rochdale (loan) 5 (0)
2012 Nuneaton Town 4 (0)
2012 Östersunds FK 11 (2)
2012–2013 Macclesfield Town 37 (18)
2013–2014 Forest Green Rovers 18 (5)
2014 Cambridge United 14 (1)
2014 → Tamworth (loan) 7 (1)
2014 Whitehawk 9 (0)
2014 → Macclesfield Town (loan) 6 (2)
2014–2015 Macclesfield Town 24 (7)
2015–2016 Aldershot Town 15 (0)
2015 → Kidderminster Harriers (loan) 7 (0)
2016 Farnborough 5 (0)
2016 Wilmington Hammerheads 29 (3)
2017 Brackley Town 1 (0)
2017 Kettering Town 0 (0)
2017 AFC Telford United 5 (1)
2017 Halesowen Town (dual reg.) 3 (0)
2017-2020 AFC Telford United 2 (0)
National team
2009–2011 England C 5 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:02, 27 November 2017 (UTC)

Barnes-Homer started his career as a youth player at Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he spent three years. He went on to have short spells at three clubs in the lower leagues of the United States of America football pyramid during 2004, before returning to England with Aldershot Town. He then played for various non-league clubs in his local West Midlands region between 2005 and 2007 until League Two side Wycombe Wanderers signed him on a short-term contract in March 2007. He was released shortly afterwards, where he joined Conference National side Kidderminster Harriers. After a lean first season at the club, Barnes-Homer established himself as top scorer in the next campaign with 21 goals, averaging almost one goal for every two games.

A similar goal return during 2009–10 prompted interest from former Football League club Luton Town, who signed him in January 2010. He finished the 2010–11 season as Luton's top scorer with 19 goals. He left Luton in early 2012, going on to spend four months at Swedish side Östersunds FK, before returning to the Conference with Macclesfield Town for the start of the 2012–13 season. In August 2013, he signed a two-year contract with Forest Green Rovers. On 10 January 2014, Barnes-Homer signed for Cambridge United on a free transfer until the end of the season.

Club career

Born in Dudley, West Midlands,[3] Barnes-Homer began his career as a 15-year-old trainee at Wolverhampton Wanderers, but was released three years later at the end of the 2003–04 season.[4] He went to the United States where he played for Rochester Rhinos, Syracuse Salty Dogs and Virginia Beach Mariners, before heading back to England to join Aldershot Town in 2004, where he made two appearances.[5] He then joined Hednesford Town, where he made one substitute appearance, and was signed by Bromsgrove Rovers[6] in April 2005 after impressing in Bromsgrove's reserve side.[5]

Barnes-Homer had a short spell at Tividale[7] before he joined Willenhall Town in August 2008 and scored a hat-trick on his debut against Stourbridge.[8] After impressive performances for Willenhall, he joined League Two club Wycombe Wanderers in March 2007 after a successful trial.[9][10] However, he was one of several players released at the end of the 2006–07 season after Wycombe failed to reach the League Two play-offs.[11]

He joined Conference Premier side Kidderminster Harriers in July 2007 after featuring in pre-season games.[4] After scoring 6 league goals during the 2007–08 season, he signed a new one-year contract in April 2008.[12]

Barnes-Homer scored 21 goals the next season, ending the campaign as highest goalscorer at the club as Kidderminster finished narrowly outside the play-offs. He signed a new two-year contract with the club in June 2009.[13]

Barnes-Homer began the 2009–10 season for Kidderminster as he had finished the last, with a return of roughly one goal in every two games.[10] His goalscoring form did not go unnoticed and, on 26 November 2009, Barnes-Homer joined Luton Town, initially on a one-month loan deal. On 13 January 2010 the transfer led to a permanent two-and-a-half-year-contract, for which Luton paid Kidderminster a five-figure fee, believed to be around £75,000.[14][15]

Barnes-Homer made a below-average start to his Luton career, with just three goals in 20 league games. Luton manager Richard Money cited the fact that Barnes-Homer had lost his stepfather mid-season as reason for his poor form.[16] Money believed that in the following season, Luton fans would see the real Matthew Barnes-Homer and that he would be akin to a brand new signing.[16] This faith from the manager paid off, as Barnes-Homer scored five goals in the opening three games of the 2010–11 season, including a hat-trick away against Kettering Town. He fell out of favour with new Luton manager Gary Brabin towards the end of the season, being used primarily as a substitute, including in the club's play-off final defeat to AFC Wimbledon. Barnes-Homer ended the season as Luton's top scorer with 19 goals, 16 of which game in the league.

He started Luton's first game of the 2011–12 season, though was substituted after an hour. On 25 August 2011, Barnes-Homer joined League One side Rochdale on loan until January 2012, making only five league appearances in five months.[17] He left Luton on 1 January 2012, his contract terminated by mutual consent.[18] On the decision to terminate Barnes-Homer's contract, Luton manager Gary Brabin stated "I just felt from the beginning of the season that it wasn't going to work out, that's why we decided to loan him to Rochdale. It hasn't worked out for him there and I didn't feel it was going to be right for him to come back."[19]

On 24 February 2012, Barnes-Homer joined Conference North side Nuneaton Town.[20] He made only one appearance for the club in the Birmingham Senior Cup before leaving on 20 March to join Swedish third division side Östersunds FK.[21] He played in 11 league games, scoring twice, before returning to England on 27 June to sign for Macclesfield Town in the Conference Premier.[22]

On 5 January 2013, he scored both goals late on in a third round FA Cup tie for Macclesfield against Championship leaders Cardiff City in a 2–1 victory, putting his team through to the fourth round for the first time.[23]

Having netted 21 times in league and cup competitions in the 2012–13 season for Macclesfield, he trialled with League One side Notts County but failed to earn a deal. On 27 July 2013, he featured for Conference Premier side Alfreton in a pre-season friendly and just two days later he played over an hour for Forest Green Rovers in their friendly clash with Yeovil Town.[24] After another trial appearance against Weston-super-Mare, he signed a two-year contract with Forest Green on 5 August 2013.[25] He made a goal scoring debut for the club on 10 August 2013 in an 8–0 win against Hyde.[26] In January 2014, just six months into his two-year contract, he moved on a free transfer to Forest Green's league rivals Cambridge United.[27] On 28 February, Barnes-Homer joined Tamworth on loan. The following day he was selected in the starting eleven against FC Halifax Town which Cambridge drew 1–1 despite dominating for longer periods.[28] Cambridge released Barnes-Homer on 27 May 2014.

International career

Barnes-Homer was named in the England C squad that played Poland under-23's on 17 November 2009. He scored the winning goal on his debut in a 2–1 victory.[29] On 9 February 2011, Barnes-Homer scored the winning goal in a 1–0 win against Belgium under-23's that put England C into the final of the International Challenge Trophy.[30]

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References
  1. "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/01/2010 and 31/01/2010" (PDF). The Football Association. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  2. I'm ready and waiting, says AFC Telford's Matthew Barnes-Homer‚ shropshirestar.com, 5 December 2017
  3. Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2012). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2012–2013 (43rd ed.). London: Headline Publishing Group. p. 522. ISBN 978-0-7553-6356-8.
  4. "Harriers snap up fifth newcomer". Non League Daily. 27 July 2007. Archived from the original on 12 June 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  5. "Mullen's new boy makes his mark". Non League Daily. 4 April 2005. Archived from the original on 12 June 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  6. http://www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk/players/matthew-barnes-homer
  7. "Striker light". Halesowen News. 8 September 2006. Retrieved 26 November 2009.
  8. "Dream debut for strike duo". Archived from the original on 12 June 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  9. "Big chance for Reds' forward". Non League Daily. 2 March 2007. Archived from the original on 12 June 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  10. "Matthew Barnes-Homer". Soccerbase. Racing Post. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  11. "Chairboys axe six players". football.co.uk. 11 May 2007. Archived from the original on 23 January 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  12. "Duo agree new deals at Harriers". BBC Sport. 30 April 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  13. "Harriers top scorer pens new deal". BBC Sport. 22 June 2009. Retrieved 26 November 2009.
  14. "Luton sign Harriers' Barnes-Homer". BBC Sport. 26 November 2009. Retrieved 26 November 2009.
  15. "Harriers had to let star striker go". Luton Today. Johnston Press. 1 January 2010. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
  16. "Brave Barnes-Homer nets for Luton". Dunstable Today. Johnston Press. 21 March 2010. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
  17. "Rochdale seal Matthew Barnes-Homer loan". BBC Sport. 25 August 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  18. "Barnes-Homer is released by Hatters". Luton Today. 1 January 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  19. "Brabin: We've moved on from Barnes-Homer". Bedfordshire on Sunday. 4 January 2012. Archived from the original on 9 January 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
  20. "Barnes-Homer coup for Nuneaton". Pitchero. 24 February 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  21. "Sweden move for Nuneaton's Matthew Barnes-Homer". Coventry Telegraph. 20 March 2012. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  22. "Macclesfield Town sign striker Matthew Barnes-Homer". BBC Sport. 27 June 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  23. "Macclesfield 2–1 Cardiff". BBC Sport. 5 January 2013.
  24. "Barnes-Homer on Hockaday's radar". Stroud News & Journal. 31 July 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  25. "Forest Green sign Matthew Barnes-Homer and George Pilkington". BBC Sport. 5 August 2013.
  26. "Forest Green 8–0 Hyde". BBC Sport. 10 August 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  27. "Transfer window: Cambridge United sign Barnes-Homer". BBC Sport. 10 January 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  28. "Former Luton Town man in for Lambs debut". TheLambs.co.uk. 1 March 2014. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  29. "Fine win for England C". The Football Association. 18 November 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
  30. "Matt the Hatter sees off Belgium". The Football Association. 9 February 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
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