Today we have to send ‘Birthday Greetings’ to a fairly recent recruit to the Association, former Sky Blue and recent Wrexham midfielder Adam Barton. Adam was born in Clitheroe, Lancashire on 7th January 1991 and is therefore celebrating his 34th birthday today. Congratulations!
After learning his football as a youth with Blackburn Rovers Adam started his professional career at Preston North End. In four seasons from 2008 Adam clocked up three goals in his 58 appearances for the Lancashire club (plus a couple of outings on loan at Crawley Town) before moving to the Ricoh in August 2012 on a three year contract. Adam had suffered a suspected triple leg break and a dislocated ankle in a 0–0 draw against Walsall the previous February so fans were interested to see how complete a recovery he had made.
Sky Blues fans perhaps had mixed opinions about the significance of Adam’s contribution to the Sky Blues’ play. He made his league debut for CCFC in the opening game of the 2012-13 season in a 1-1 draw with Yeovil Town and, three weeks after signing, he got his first goal in a 2-2 draw against Bury. In March 2014 had went out on loan to Fleetwood Town for the rest of the season, but did not feature.
By the time Adam moved on to Portsmouth in June 2015 he had made 83 appearances in all competitions for the Sky Blues netting three times. On a two year contract Adam joined three former Sky Blues exiles on the South Coast (all now current CCFPA members). Pompey’s then manager Paul Cook, defender Michael Doyle (later back at the Ricoh) and forward Carl Baker (also a Sky Blue returnee briefly) were then his colleagues.
Former CCFPA committee member Frank Pritchard signed up Adam for CCFPA when Adam was here for Pompey’s 3-2 extra time League Cup defeat at the Ricoh that August! In two seasons with Pompey Adam clocked up 26 games without scoring. Moving north of the border Adam signed for Scottish Premier club Partick Thistle in August 2016 and that November was named as the League’s ‘Player of the Month’ and then became Thistle’s ‘Player of the Year’ in his first season there.
Following Thistle’s relegation from the Scottish Premiership, Barton signed a two-year contract with Scottish Championship club Dundee United in July 2018. At Dundee Adam managed a goal in ten appearances plus 2 in 13 on loan at Connah’s Quay. On 4 July 2019, Adam signed for Wrexham on a two-year deal but left the Welsh club in February 2020 having made eleven appearances in all competitions. In December 2020, Adam moved again, this time to join National League North side Farsley Celtic but left the club by mutual agreement in November 2021 when he joined Curzon Ashton for a time.
Apparently there is some discussion about Adam’s international credentials since Adam has now played for both Northern Ireland and the Republic! In November 2010 he played in a 1-1 friendly draw between N.Ireland and Morocco and in March 2011 turned out for the RoI in their friendly against Portugal! Incidentally Adam’s dad is touring the country as lead singer of Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute act after spending the previous fifteen years as lead vocalist with The Animals.
We hope you have a great day today Adam and hope you can come back and see us whenever conditions allow!