Lea Barkus
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 7 December 1974 | ||
| Place of birth | Reading, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)[1] | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Bracknell Town (First Team Coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| ?–1991 | Reading | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1991–1995 | Reading | 15 | (1) |
| 1995–1997 | Fulham | 9 | (1) |
| Total | 24 | (2) | |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Lea Barkus (born 7 December 1974) is an English former footballer who played as forward for Reading and Fulham. He was forced to retire from the professional game at just 22 due to a persistent back injury.
Born in Reading, Barkus began his career in the Youth Training Scheme at his hometown club.[2] After progressing through the youth teams, he made his first team debut in March 1992 age 17 against Chester City and was awarded man-of-the match for his performance. A few weeks later he scored his first goal in the 6–1 win over Torquay United though soon after he began to suffer from persistent back problems.[3] He made a further 11 appearances during the 1992–93 season but failed to add to his goal tally and never made another appearance for the first team,[4] though he was part of the Reading reserve side that won the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup in 1994.[5]
Although he had not played for the Reading first team since the 1992–93 season, and with his back problems to continue to hamper him despite surgery, Barkus joined Fulham for £20,000 in 1995. He made 16 appearances during the 1995–96 season, scoring twice,[1] but did not feature again and in 1997 was forced to retire as a professional due to his back problems. He moved into non-league football and then coaching.[5] As of the 2013–14 season he is a youth coach with East Berkshire Football League side Bracknell Cavaliers.[6] In April 2021 Lea was appointed interim manager of Combined Counties side Sandhurst Town.