Champions League debut: Barry marked his first game in Europe's elite club competition with a 1-1 draw at home to Napoli on September 14, 2011, but City failed to progress from a tough group

‘They taught me how to act on and off the pitch,’ said Barry. ‘They were perfect for me, having just left home. Discipline was drilled into us. The old YTS jobs were still there. It was important to clean the boots right and to do your job right when you went on to the pitch. They didn’t ask you to be a superstar, they just said, “Do your job”.’

Barry has 52 caps, the same as Trevor Francis. Glenn Hoddle won 53, Sir Stanley Matthews 54 and Paul Gascoigne 57. This is glamorous company, yet Barry’s contributions during a 12-year international career are often overlooked.

‘It doesn’t bother me,’ he said. ‘Getting the big headlines is nice but I know if I’ve done my job right and, if I’m confident the manager knows as well, that’s more than satisfactory.’

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