John Barker (Scottish footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = John Barker

| fullname =John Bell Barker

| birth_date = 28 June 1869Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950

| birth_place = Govan, Scotland

| death_date = {{death date and age|1941|6|29|1869|6|28|df=y}}{{cite web|title=1941 BARKER, JOHN BELL (Statutory registers Deaths 644/17 783)|url=https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/view-image/nrs_stat_deaths/9392727|publisher=ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk|accessdate=20 August 2017|url-access=subscription }}

| death_place = Govan, Scotland

| position = Outside left

| years1= 1889–1892

| years2 = 1892–1896

| years3 = 1896–1898

| clubs1 = Linthouse

| clubs2 = Rangers

| clubs3 = Linthouse

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| caps2 = 59

| goals2 = 30

| caps3= 18

| goals3 = 13

| nationalyears1 = 1893–1894

| nationalteam1 = Scotland

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 4

| nationalyears2 = 1894–1895[https://www.londonhearts.com/SFL/players/johnbellbarker.html (SFL player) John Bell Barker], London Hearts Supporters Club

| nationalteam2 = Scottish League XI

| nationalcaps2 = 2

| nationalgoals2 = 0

}}

John Bell Barker (28 June 1869 – 29 June 1941) was a Scottish footballer who played for Linthouse, Rangers and the Scotland national team in the 1890s.

Life and career

Barker was born in Govan (then a separate burgh from neighbouring Glasgow) in 1869, the son of John Barker and Margaret Trench Barker. His father worked as a fitter in the shipbuilding industry, which became a major industry in Govan in the mid-19th century.1881 Scotland Census

Barker joined Rangers from Linthouse in early 1892 and made an immediate impact by scoring three goals in his first five appearances.[http://www.fitbastats.com/rangers/player.php?playerid=1968 Rangers player Barker, John], FitbaStats He achieved a similar impact at international level, scoring a hat-trick in the first of his two Scotland caps against Wales in March 1893. He scored in his second, and what proved to be his last Scotland appearance, again against Wales, a year later in a 5–2 win.[http://www.londonhearts.com/scotland/players/johnbellbarker.html (Scotland player) John Barker], London Hearts Supporters Club He scored for Rangers in their Scottish Cup triumph in 1894 against Celtic but left the club in 1896, returning to Linthouse for two seasons.{{cite magazine|title=A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players|author=John Litster|magazine=Scottish Football Historian magazine|date=October 2012}}

Barker also made a career in Govan's shipbuilding industry, working as a draughtsman. He died of lymphoma in 1941, one day after his 72nd birthday, in his hometown.