Goalkeepers Union

AS well as Romain Larrieu joining us at Home Park on Saturday as a guest for the visit of Cheltenham Town in Sky Bet League Two, we will also welcome the legendary custodian Geoff Barnsley.

One of the title-winning heroes of 1959, when we secured the Division Three crown, Geoff Barnsley was an outstanding goalkeeper, who was very much the right man in the right place.

A graduate of the youth system at West Bromwich Albion, Argyle signed Barnsley in 1957 and he immediately endeared himself to the Green Army with a combination of incredible agility and courage.

Barnsley remained the number 1 for the next three years, racking up 146 appearances as a Pilgrim and never once shirking a challenge. It was a major shock and disappointment when he opted to sign for Norwich in the summer of 1961.

It proved an unsuccessful stint with the Canaries and he returned to Devon for a brief spell at Torquay United. Barnsley then drifted out of the professional game but did enough to make his mark as a Pilgrim Great.