Full-back John Barton enjoyed a “magical time” at Worcester City before being sold to First Division Everton for £33,000 including VAT – a record fee for a non-league player at the time.
Barton would return to City and spend six years as the club’s manager before returning once more on an interim basis following the departure of current Chorley boss Andy Preece.
The City legend considers himself the lucky one from the City side he played in, feeling others could have also gone on to hit the Football League heights he did.
“It was a magical time at Worcester,” he said. “It was the best team that I’ve ever played in and I was probably the lucky one to get the opportunity to go to Everton because some of the players in that team were outstanding footballers that never got the opportunity.
“I think in today’s games they would have not only played a good level of non-league football but they’d have had some good league careers as well.”
Alongside an unbeaten run that lasted until the final day of the season, Barton was also part of the side that triumphed over Plymouth in the FA Cup, where City claimed a 2-0 victory over the Division Three side in front of 8,253 at St George’s Lane.
Barton considers the Plymouth game – his final as a Worcester player – as his favourite at the club.
“I think the Plymouth game was probably the highlight,” he said. “It was very much bittersweet. Thinking there is something going on here but a club like Everton come knocking on your door, you can’t turn them down.
“There were great times. The crowds were good. St George’s Lane was an intimidating place for anybody to come to.”
MAGICAL: John Barton (bottom row, second from right) pictured during Worcester City’s 1978/79 season (Image: Julian Pugh)
On the ground, he added: “It was a special atmosphere really.
“You had to please them. It was a long walk back into that corner at the end of 90 minutes. They wouldn’t hold back in letting you know.
“It is a club that is dear to my heart.”
After finishing up his playing career, Barton returned for a six-year stint as the manager.
STINTS: Barton returned to the club as a manager upon completion of his playing career (Image: WN Archive)
“Delighted to have come back,” he said. “We had various honours. Won the Southern League Cup and had the play-offs been in place, I think we would have probably made the play-offs in two seasons.
“We had a really good run one year, we just got ransacked by a horrendous run of injuries and we finished fifth in the end – I think we were in the top two at one stage. It was great to come back to the club and to win something.
“I was sorry to see it slip down the pyramid system. I went to a game last year, one of the early games when they moved into the rugby club (Sixways Stadium) and that was nice to see.
“The crowds building up, queues to get in again. The club has had the kiss of light again and it’s good to see.”