Barry Daines, the goalkeeper who waited years behind Pat Jennings and then kept goal in every game of Tottenham’s promotion season in 1977/78, has died at the age of 75.
Tottenham announced on Sunday that their former number one passed away on Saturday, 7 November. He spent 12 years at the club, from apprentice in 1969 to his departure in 1981, and made 173 competitive appearances in a Spurs shirt.
His story is a familiar one for goalkeepers of his era: years of patience behind a great, then a chance taken when it finally came, at a time when the club needed someone reliable more than ever.
Who was Barry Daines?
Daines was born in Witham, Essex, on 30 September 1951. He came to Tottenham in 1969 as an apprentice, turned professional and went on to play for England at youth level.
His first-team debut came in November 1971, a 3-2 home win over West Bromwich Albion. For most of his early years at White Hart Lane, though, he was the understudy to Pat Jennings, stepping in whenever the Northern Ireland legend was unavailable. At a club with a proud line of goalkeepers, that was never an easy shadow to stand in.
From understudy to number one
The door opened in the 1976/77 season, when an ankle injury to Jennings gave Daines his first sustained run in the side. The following season the gloves were his for good, after Jennings moved across north London to Arsenal.
It was hardly a gentle moment to take over. Spurs had been relegated at the end of 1976/77 and started the next campaign in the Second Division.
Ever-present as Spurs bounced back
Daines played in every game of that 1977/78 season as Tottenham went straight back up to the top flight at the first attempt. For a goalkeeper who had spent years waiting for his chance, being ever-present in a promotion campaign was the clearest answer he could give.
He stayed first choice for the next couple of years, even with regular competition for his place from Mark Kendall and Milija Aleksic.
Life after Tottenham
The club granted Daines a testimonial against West Ham United in May 1981, and he left that same year. He then spent two years in Hong Kong with Bulova before coming home to join Mansfield Town, and later had a spell at Chelmsford City.
After hanging up his gloves he worked locally in shops in Chelmsford and Writtle. Sadly, his later years were affected by health problems.
A loyal Spurs servant remembered
The club described him as a loyal servant over 12 years and extended their sincerest condolences to his family, friends and former team-mates.
Daines will rarely top lists of the great Tottenham goalkeepers, and he never had to. He was the man who filled in diligently for a legend, then held the fort when Spurs were at their lowest and helped carry them back to the top flight. That is a legacy plenty of Spurs fans who watched the 1977/78 side will remember fondly.
Everyone at Tottenham Insight sends our condolences to Barry Daines’ family and friends.
