Giles Barnes

Giles Gordon Barnes (born 5 August 1988 in Barking, England) is an English people football (soccer) midfielder currently playing in the Coca Cola Championship for Derby County F.C..

Football career

Barnes' professional career began on his 17th birthday when he signed a professional contract with Derby County following a spell there as trainee. He made his first team debut under Phil Brown (footballer born 1959) as a 17 year old as an 84th minute substitute for Paul Peschisolido in a 1–0 defeat at home to Grimsby Town F.C. in the 2005–06 Football League Cup, with his league debut coming in a 1–1 draw away to Crewe Alexandra F.C. two weeks later as a 73rd minute replacement for Marcus Tudgay. Barnes intermittently made first team appearances as Derby struggled but began to command a regular place when Phil Brown was replaced by Derby's academy manager Terry Westley in January 2008. Westley was familiar with Barnes from his time as a youngster at Derby and made him an integral part of the side as Derby managed to avoid relegation to League One. Barnes played a role in 16 matches under Westley, with his first start coming in Westley's first game in charge (a narrow 1–0 home defeat to Sheffield United F.C.) and his first professional goal coming in a 2–2 draw away to Watford F.C..

His performances during the end of the 2005–06 season drew interest from the Premier League during the close season, but with the appointment of Billy Davies as manager and new investment, Barnes signed a four-year extension to his current contract. Barnes became a regular in the Derby County side that reached that won promotion to the Premier League, playing in 46 League and Cup games (with 34 of those starts) putting him behind only the club's player of the year Steve Howard in terms of appearances. He also scored eight goals, including four in two weeks with a 92nd minute equaliser in a 2–2 draw away to Cardiff City F.C., a brace in a 2–1 home win over Barnsley F.C., and the winner in a 2–1 home win against West Bromwich Albion F.C.. His performances in March 2007 earned him the Championship Player Of The Month award for that month. Although he picked up an injury towards the end of the season Barnes was still able to make an impact in Derby's successful Championship Playoff campaign in his two substitute appearances. It was his corner from which Leon Best scored an own goal in the second leg of the semi final clash with Southampton F.C. and he also came of the bench to set up Stephen Pearson's winner in the 1–0 2007 Football League playoff final victory over West Brom. After this it was found out that Barnes was playing with a broken foot and he missed all of the summer injured as Derby prepared for life back in the top flight. He was named Derby County F.C.'s Young Player of the Year for the 2006–07 season.

These injuries carried over into the start of Derby's disastrous Premier League 2007-08 season. He made his first Premier League appearance on 22 September 2007 as a substitute against Arsenal F.C. in the 75th minute and scored his first goal in a 2–2 draw against Newcastle United F.C.. The injuries that plagued Barnes through the course of his season affected his form and he failed to play as vital a role in Derby's season as he had during 2006–07 and his season ended early when it was discovered he had a knee injury which required major surgery, meaning that he would miss the remainder of the 2007–08 season and the start of 2008–09.

Honours

Derby County
- Football League Championship Play-off Final Winner: 2006–07
- Derby County Young Player Of The Year: 2006–07
- Championship Player Of The Month: March 2007