Barnes played for a number of junior soccer clubs including Northern Tigers and Kissing Point in New South Wales.
[1][2] He also spent a year with the youth team of English club Leeds United.
[4] He played 32 full international games for the national side scoring six goals.
[5][6] He was captain of the Socceroos for nine matches between 1978 and 1981 including World Cup qualifiers against New Zealand, Fiji, Chinese Taipei and Indonesia.
[8] Barnes received the Football Hall of Fame (Australia), Award of Distinction.