Barry Daines

Barry Raymond Daines was born on 30 September 1951 in Witham, Essex. He joined Tottenham Hotspur as an apprentice and was upgraded to full professional status in September 1969. He also represented England at youth level as a goalkeeper.

Daines spent his early years at Tottenham behind Pat Jennings, and at first behind Ken Hancock too. He made his league debut in November 1971 in a 3-2 home win over West Bromwich Albion, and was a substitute in both legs of the 1972 UEFA Cup Final, which Spurs won against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

For several seasons he appeared only when Jennings was injured. A serious ankle injury to Jennings in 1976 to 1977 gave Daines 19 league games, but Tottenham were relegated at the end of that season. That summer manager Keith Burkinshaw released Jennings, who joined Arsenal, and Daines became first choice.

He played all 42 league games in 1977 to 1978 as Tottenham were promoted from the Second Division at the first attempt, clinched with a 0-0 draw at Southampton on the final day, and he was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the division. He stayed first choice for much of the following three seasons, with 32 league appearances in 1979 to 1980, until injuries and the arrival of Milija Aleksic and Ray Clemence ended his Spurs career. His last appearance for the club was a 1-0 defeat at Wolves in April 1981. Tottenham awarded him a testimonial, played in May 1981, which West Ham United won 3-2 at White Hart Lane. He made 146 league appearances for the club.

From 1981 to 1983 he played in Hong Kong for Bulova SA, then returned to England to make 21 league appearances for Mansfield Town in 1983 to 1984, and later had a spell with Chelmsford City.

After retiring from football Daines worked as a supermarket manager in Essex, the county where he was born. Little else about his private life has been published.

Barry Daines died in November 2026, aged 75. Tottenham Hotspur announced his death on 8 November 2026, saying everyone at the club was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of their former goalkeeper, and that their thoughts and love were with his family and friends. Tributes from supporters followed, and the news was reported by The Sun. The cause of death and funeral arrangements were not made public.

Daines is remembered by Tottenham supporters as a loyal club man who waited eight years for his chance behind one of the greatest goalkeepers of his era, then kept goal in every league game of the 1977 to 1978 promotion season that took Spurs straight back to the First Division. His patience and reliability made him a cult figure among fans of that period.