After scoring in Newcastle United’s defeat at Brentford in early December, Barnes went three months without starting a league game before he was recalled to the side for the 1-0 win at West Ham’s London Stadium.
Six days after that, and with Anthony Gordon suspended, the winger was lining up at Wembley, where he helped create history as part of the Newcastle side that beat Liverpool to win the Carabao Cup.
“That’s how quickly football can change,” said Barnes, who will be part of the Magpies squad taking on Leicester City at the King Power Stadium this evening. “That’s why you’ve always got to be ready to step in, no matter what your situation is.
“I think before West Ham I hadn’t started in the Premier League for three-and-a-half months. You go from not starting to playing in a cup final and that’s why you have to be ready for whenever you’re called upon to step in.
“You have these spells where things aren’t quite going for you, whatever it is, every player will go through these phases. I just think you’ve got to knuckle down and keep your head down and make sure whenever you’re called on whenever your chance does come.
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“I hadn’t started in over three months, and then I played at West Ham and suddenly I’m playing in a cup final.”
Not just playing, but also winning. As part of the Newcastle team that ended a 70-wait for a major domestic trophy, Barnes has forever etched his name into the Magpies’ record books.
“You start to understand that a little bit more,” said the winger. “But not to the level that the fans will understand it. You ask most players when they join, and that is one of the motivations, coming here to win a trophy.
“At the start of every year, that is what we have said. That was the ambition and it showed that we wanted to get there and lifting the trophy shows how much all the players wanted to do it.
“The opportunity came around to win something and we took it. It is amazing to have repaid that faith from the fans.”
