Introduction
Adam Nicholas Barrett (born 29 November 1979) is an English professional footballer who plays for Southend United. A central defender, he has made 591 appearances in the Football League, including 259 for Southend United. Barrett played 289 times for Southend United in all competitions and since returning in 2015 has reached 300 appearances for the club.
Born in Dagenham, Barrett began his career with Leyton Orient, but failed to make an appearance for them and moved on to sign for Plymouth Argyle, spending the 1999–2000 season with them. In 2000 he moved to Mansfield Town and then spent two years at Bristol Rovers before joining Southend United in 2004. He helped Southend from League Two to the Championship during a six-year stay at Roots Hall, and played over 250 times for the Club before signing for Crystal Palace in 2010. He would go on to play for Leyton Orient (loan), Bournemouth, Gillingham and AFC Wimbledon. In January 2015, he re-joined Southend United.
Club career
Southend United
Barrett joined Southend United, on a free transfer at the beginning of the 2004–05 season. Successive promotions from League Two and League One in 2004–05 and 2005–06 saw Southend competing in the Championship for the 2006–07 season. Barrett quickly established himself as a fan's favourite. He scored 11 goals in his first season with the Blues, a high figure for a centre-back, and was voted Player of the Year by Southend fans.
Barrett was influential in Southend's sixth-place finish, though their season ended with a playoff semi-final defeat to Doncaster Rovers. He played the full 90 minutes in a memorable 1–1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup third round on 3 January 2009. And he scored a goal in the replay, although Southend United would go on to lose the match 4–1.
On 24 June 2010, Barrett had his contract terminated by mutual consent.
Crystal Palace
Barrett signed a two-year contract for Crystal Palace on 6 July 2010. Barrett made his Palace debut on 10 August 2010, in a 0–1 win against Yeovil Town. He made his league debut in just over a week later against Ipswich Town. He played his last game for the club in a 1–1 draw against Watford.
Leyton Orient
On 11 March 2011, Barrett returned on a month's loan to his first club Leyton Orient.
Bournemouth
Barrett signed a two-year deal with Bournemouth on 5 July 2011. Barrett scored against his former club Crystal Palace in a pre-season friendly against them on 30 July. The newly appointed captain then netted his first competitive Cherries goal in his first home league match; a 2–0 win over Sheffield Wednesday on 13 August 2011.
Gillingham
On 16 August 2012, Barrett signed a one-year deal with Gillingham with the option for the contract to be extended to two years. He was quickly made captain at Priestfield and led the Gills to win the League Two championship. His regular combative performances quickly won the fans over and he was awarded the club's Supporters' Player of the year and Away Supporters' Player of the year awards. Barrett was also named in the League Two team of the year.
Return to Southend United
On 15 January 2015, Barrett re-joined Southend United. An injury delayed Barrett's homecoming but he finally made his second debut for Southend as a second-half substitute against Cheltenham Town on 10 February 2015. At the end of the 2014–15 season he played for Southend in the League Two play-off final against Wycombe Wanderers. Southend won in a penalty shoot-out and were promoted to League One. The following month Barrett signed a new one-year contract at Southend, reversing his decision to retire which he had announced in February 2015. In March 2016 Barrett signed a further one-year deal keeping him at Southend until 2017. Towards the end of the 2015–16 season Barrett replaced John White as the captain, a role Barrett previously held in his first spell at the club before leaving in 2010.
On 24 September 2016 Barrett played his 350th game for Southend in all competitions, over two spells with his boyhood club
Career statistics
- Information correct as of 29 June 2015.
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps. | Goals | Apps. | Goals | Apps. | Goals | Apps. | Goals | Apps. | Goals | ||
| Plymouth Argyle | 1999–2000 | Third Division | 43 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 3 |
| 2000–01 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
| Total | 52 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63 | 3 | ||
| Mansfield Town | 2000–01 | Third Division | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
| 2001–02 | 29 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | ||
| Total | 37 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 1 | ||
| Bristol Rovers | 2002–03 | Third Division | 45 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 2 |
| 2003–04 | 46 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 4 | ||
| Total | 81 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 99 | 6 | ||
| Southend United | 2004–05 | League Two | 45 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 55 | 11 |
| 2005–06 | League One | 45 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 3 | |
| 2006–07 | Championship | 28 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 3 | |
| 2007–08 | League One | 45 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 55 | 7 | |
| 2008–09 | 45 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 3 | ||
| 2009–10 | 41 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 2 | ||
| Total | 249 | 27 | 16 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 289 | 29 | ||
| Crystal Palace | 2010–11 | Championship | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Leyton Orient (loan) | 2010–11 | League One | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Bournemouth | 2011–12 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 28 | 1 | |
| Gillingham | 2012–13 | League Two | 43 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 1 |
| 2013–14 | League One | 45 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 2 | |
| AFC Wimbledon (loan) | 2014–15 | League Two | 23 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 30 | 2 |
| Southend United | 2014–15 | League Two | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 2015–16 | League One | 37 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 4 | |
| Total | 200 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 225 | 10 | ||
| Career Total | 619 | 45 | 41 | 2 | 24 | 1 | 24 | 1 | 717 | 49 | ||
Honours
Southend United
- League One/Third Division (3rd tier): 2005–06
- Football League Two play-offs (2): 2004–05, 2014–15
- Essex Senior Cup: 2007–08
Individual
- League Two PFA Team of the Year (2): 2004–05, 2012–13
- League One PFA Team of the Year: 2005–06