Barkas scored 15 goals in 21 games for South Shields in Third Division North in the 1929/30 season. Financial struggles forced the club to move to neighbourhood town, Gateshead, where the council was eager to acquire a football team. Barkas had netted seven in 19 matches for aptly-named Gateshead in 1930/31 when Liverpool made their move. He played five matches over a period of nine months before joining Southport in 1932. Henry Brown Barkas or "Harry", as he was better known, came from a footballing family and his brothers Jimmy, Tommy, Ned and Sam were all professional footballers. Sam captained England three times.