My First XI- Barking, Trevor Gilbert

By Ian Townsend

We head to East London, where Trevor entertains us with the best XI he’s seen grace the turf at Mayesbrook Park

Trevor gives us a Blue First XI- and a collection of substitutes!

GK: Tony Tucker: We’ve had a number of good goalkeepers over the last few years, especially since our promotion back to the Isthmian League (shoutout penalty shootout hero Manny Agboola) but “Tucks” is the best I’ve seen at Mayesbrook Park. An imposing figure but athletic shot stopper, Tony was voted back-to-back “Supporters Player of the Year” in 2005 and 2006.

RB: Ricky Tarbard: Our current right-back, Ricky has been an ever-present since making his debut after working his way up from the academy and debuting in the 2015/16 season. Ricky then went on to make 46 appearances the next season as we won the Essex Senior League and hasn’t looked back since – having now made over 200 appearances. Ricky has won various awards at the club, including Supporters Player of the Year (18/19), Managers Player of the Year (18/19) and Players Player of the Year (17/18).

CB: Ryan Doyle: Ryan is another name from the past but will be recognisable for fans of other non-league clubs at this level including Aveley. Ryan started his non-league career with us making 109 appearances from the 04/05 season to the 07/08 season. Alongside being a very good defender, Ryan’s bravery was on show at the end of the 04/05 season as, despite being the youngest member of the team and having only made 6 appearances, he stepped up to take a penalty in our play-off semi-final against Maldon Town.

CB: Glen Golby: Not only a club legend but a non-league legend! Glen not only had success on the pitch but off it, winning the Gordon Brasted Trophy as a player before becoming joint-manager and compiling a team that led us from the Essex Senior League back to the Isthmian. Glen made exactly 100 appearances, most of them in defence, some upfront and also some in goal! Bowers & Pitsea fans won’t need reminding of the penalty he saved as we beat them 1-0! Aveley fans will have similar recollections!

LB: Bradley Ling: Not strictly a left-back but he deserved his place in the team. Predominantly an RB, he sometimes found himself playing here and also at CB if the situation arose. A player whose quality no doubt when under the radar even when he was part of the Essex Senior League winning team. To this day I don’t think anyone got past him on the wing. Chipped in (quite literally) with a lovely goal against Barkingside in the Essex Senior League – Brad made 55 appearances over two seasons.

CM: Ben O’Brien – A one-club legend (there was a brief spell at Basildon last season but as it was null & void it doesn’t count). Ben has been at the heart of Barking midfield’s 388 times, putting him second in the all-time Barking appearance. Ben made 2 appearances in the 09/10 season and since then has pretty much done it all while sticking with the club through thick and thin. Ben was top goalscorer in the 13/14 Essex Senior League season, scoring 17 goals (including a hattrick as we beat Enfield 1893 4-0, who ended up finishing 3rd). Overall, Ben has scored 53 times in his 388 appearances. As captain, Ben lifted the Gordon Brasted Trophy and then the Essex Senior League title.

CM: Kreshnic Krasniqi – Probably a bit more of a controversial choice – as he only played 8 games for us – but you could tell he was a class apart from the moment he joined. Kresh scored just the one goal – but it was probably one of the best goals the 58 fans at a wet and windy Ware will ever see (here’s the link -here). Also took the corner from which we took the lead against Dartford in the FA Cup. It is no surprise to see him plying his trade further up the pyramid.

CM: Joe Pearman – Another part of our Essex Senior League winning side – Joe was the link between our midfield and attack while also popping up with numerous goals himself. Deadly accurate from a set piece he had a great connection with striker James Peagram who also finds himself on this list. Joe ended up with 31 goals from 77 appearances and many assists.

ST: Dumebi GB-Dumaka – Dee came through our academy and was a class apart as a very young striker in his first spell with us, scoring 43 goals in 73 appearances. Dee left to play higher up for Grays and Heybridge Swifts at which point he was linked with West Ham. Dee impressed for Maidstone and Dulwich Hamlet, but injuries have led him back to us, where he has scored 7 times in 20 appearances – taking his total to 50.

ST: James Peagram – Goals. Goals. Goals. Many regard James as more of a poacher but in reality he scored from everywhere. His record in a Barking shirt is frankly ridiculous, his first season (15/16) saw 27 goals in 27 appearances while our title-winning season (16/17) saw 45 goals in 49 appearances. His total of 72 goals in 76 appearances puts him tenth in our all time goalscoring list while his total in 16/17 season puts him tied third in our most goals scored by an individual in a season list. James was no stranger to taking home the match ball, scoring 7 hattricks, scoring 4 goals on two occasions.

ST: Ben Jones – Not a traditional striker but one that liked to play on the left side and come inside but he knew where the goal was with 40 goals in 68 appearances (2010 – 2013). Ben produced moments of quality in sides that weren’t our best and was often unplayable. He was smaller than most of the other players on the pitch but had an impressive jump as well as an explosive turn of pace and shot.

Subs Bench:

GK: Manny Agboola
CB: Joe Bruce
MC: Abs Seymour
ST: Lamar Reynolds
ST: Max Watters

Right, let’s have your First XI! Email your squad to Ian at townsendaround@gmail.com and you’ll see it appear here.

Where next?

Hornets 150 It's one hundred and fifty years today since Horsham played their first match- join them in celebration (virtually)
Robins head down the road Bracknell move to Sandhurst, and build for the future

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