Bartrop started his career at Worksop Town in the Midland league and joined second division Barnsley on 21 June 1909. His stay at Barnsley was an interesting one. In his first season Barnsley reached the FA Cup final, losing 2-0 in a replay against Newcastle. He was almost relegated in the 1910/11 season and then reached Wembley again in 1912. This time Barnsley were victorious against West Bromwich Albion after scoring the game's only goal in extra-time. Bartrop played 186 matches and scored 17 goals for the club before he joined Liverpool along with teammate Phil Bratley in May 1914. The pair had impressed when Barnsley faced the Reds in the first round of the FA Cup in January. Bartrop made just three League appearances for Liverpool during the season in which World War I broke out. Wilf Bartrop joined the Royal Field Artillery as a Gunner in a Trench Mortar Battery and was killed in action in Belgium on 7 November 1918 four days before the Armistice.