A stone-sawyer by trade, Jack Barrett joined St. Mary’s in March 1894 as an amateur having played in the local parks League. Having succeeded the club’s very first goalkeeper, Ralph Ruffell for an end-of-season Portsmouth& District Cup match, he was invited to have a trial with Stoke but decided to remain with Saints and turn professional the following August. Between the posts for the inaugural match in the Southern League his form was inconsistent and he was in and out of the side over the next two seasons. In 1896 Jack decided to quit football to concentrate on professional club cricket and a shoemaking business. He died reputedly from blood poisoning apparently after being struck on the leg by a cricket ball.