An outside right, Barnfather joined Second Division club Barnsley in 1903 and made 25 appearances during the 1903–04 season, scoring four goals.

[2] In June 1904, he joined Southern League First Division club New Brompton and remained at Priestfield for two seasons.

[2] After a non-playing spell with Southampton,[3] he spent the 1906–07 season back in his native northeast with North Eastern League club West Stanley.

[2] He finished his career with a short spell at Southern League First Division club Merthyr Town during the 1919–20 season, under manager and former Croydon Common teammate Harry Hadley.

[4] In December 1914, four months after the outbreak of the First World War, Barnfather enlisted as a private in the Football Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment.