In Both Camps; Barnsley

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Looking at the list of players to have had a life at Leicester and Barnsley, you have several with a special bond in both camps. Harvey Barnes had one his early loan spells at the club, and surely one to have in mind. Allan Clarke also becomes one special to remember as the former English transfer record man both to and from Leicester, became a player manager at Oakwell in the late seventies, bringing Barnsley up and forward reaching the second tier. Clarke played 47 league games for Barnsley, scored 15 goals from 1978 to 1980.

Matty James had a successful loan spell at Barnsley in 2017 playing 18 league games, he returned for a second spell in the 2020/21 season, playing 15 league games for The Tykes, adding the total up to 33, scoring 1 goal in that first spell.

The legendary Ernie Hine, from the league runners-up team in the 1928-29 season, started and finished his league career at Barnsley, playing a total of 288 league games and scoring 123 goals for the club. During his six years at Leicester, he completed 247 league games and scored 148 goals. He also had spells at Huddersfield and Manchester United.

Ian Banks joined Leicester from Barnsley in 1983, played 93 league games and scored 14 goals. He had two spells at Oakwell, playing for The Tykes from 1978 to 1983, and later from 1989 to 1992. A total of 270 league games, scoring 44 goals, which is a good tally for a midfielder.

Gerry Taggart had a spell at Barnsley from 1990 to 1995, more or less settling his career as a professional footballer during his years at Oakwell, making his international break through for Northern Ireland. Before making a move to Bolton, Taggart had added up 212 league games, scoring 17 goals.

Ashley Ward is a forward that played for Leicester from 1991 to 1992. He joined from Man City and moved to Crewe Alexandria, where he found form and moved to Norwich and Derby before joining Barnsley in 1997. At Oakwell he also had a successful time, scoring 20 goals in 46 league games. In November 1998, whilst still playing for Barnsley in a match at Sunderland, Ward scored, missed a penalty and got sent off in the space of five minutes.

Danny Drinkwater is one to notice as his goal for Barnsley in a game vs. Leicester, on loan from Manchester United, possibly later made it possibly to make a permanent move to Leicester. Drinkwater played 17 league games for Barnsley in 2011-12, later adding up 193 league games for Leicester, scoring 13 goals.

Callum Elder joined Barnsley on loan in 2017, playing 5 league games for The Tykes. He never appeared in league action for Leicester, during his six years involved with the club. Elder has later been playing at Hull and Derby.

Not to forget Harvey Barnes, having a season loan spell at Oakwell in the 2016-17 season, playing 23 league games and scoring 5 goals. Barnes later made his debut for England and played a total of 146 league games, scoring 35 goals before making his move to Newcastle in 2023.

Another hero of the past, Iain Hume, joined Barnsley from Leicester in a £1.2million move in the summer of 2008. Hume had a stay at Oakwell until 2011, playing 51 league games, scoring 9 goals for The Tykes. Larry May surprisingly moved from Leicester to Barnsley for a fee of £150.000 back in 1983. He was just years earler seen as one of the contenders to get into the England national team, but found his route back into top flight football with Sheffield Wednesday via this route turn to Oakwell.

Players in both camps,

Goalkeepers
- Gavin Ward
- Tony Warner
Defenders
- Gerry Taggart
- Callum Elder
- Gary Coatsworth
- John Curtis
- Malcolm Shotton
- Billy Houghton
- Larry May
Midfield
- Matty James
- Danny Drinkwater
- Steve Agnew
- Andy Johnson
Forwards
- Ernie Hine
- Allan Clarke
- Ashley Ward
- Harvey Barnes
- Jack Butterfill
- Lee Glover
- Iain Hume
- David Speedie
- Chris Wood
- Tommy Wright