Bristol Rovers remembers Mickey Barrett, 40 years to the day since his untimely passing.
Exactly 40 years ago, we had every reason to be optimistic about the upcoming season in what was then known as Division Three. On the final day of the 1983/84 campaign, a combination of results could have even seen us get promoted.
It's hard to explain the impact of what happened on August 14 1984. In the penultimate league game of the previous season, fan favourite Mickey Barrett scored a winner against Millwall in the dying seconds of the game. During the close season, he became ill, and on August 14, he passed away.
To us fans at the time. Mickey stood for everything we wanted the Club to become. He was born locally and signed for us in 1979. He first stood out for me when we played Southampton away in the fourth round of the FA Cup at The Dell in January 1981. Southampton included Kevin Keegan in their side that day. It was the first football match I'd seen outside Bristol.
Between 1982 and 1984, Mickey was the player we looked at to turn on a bit of magic in a game. As well as that goal against Millwall, I remember one right in front of me, in the away end at Plough Lane, Wimbledon. There was a glorious strike in the October 1983 rout of Scunthorpe. All the goals from that game are traceable online (YouTube).
Teammate Archie Stephens also scored in that Scunthorpe game, playing up front with Paul Randall. In March 2023, I spent most of a Saturday matchday with them. Archie travelled down from the north of England. We began our time together with a visit to Arnos Vale Cemetery, where Mickey is buried. Mickey was very much in our thoughts that day.
Both Archie and Paul have spoken again about Mickey.
‘'What a great lad to be with, play with and go out with,’' said Archie. ‘'He would have gone to the top without a doubt. God bless you, Mickey."
"Mickey roomed with me as a player,‘’ said Paul. ‘'I never had a brother, but if I had, I would have wanted it to be him. He was very special.'
Mickey joined the Bristol Rovers Hall Of Fame as the eighth inductee in 2021. On May 7 2022, on the day that we again played Scunthorpe, I found myself holding a pint next to the wall picture of Mickey in the clubhouse. I took a snap and commented to friends that it felt like I was making Mickey part of that day. After the 7-0 win, that was a good feeling.
We’ll never forget you, Mickey!
Written by Chris Wathen
