Thierno Barry's Goal Overshadowed by Home Burglary During Everton's Win
Thierno Barry scored in Everton’s 3-1 Carabao Cup win over Newcastle United on Thursday night. While he was helping drive his new club into the quarter-finals, his family home was being broken into.
The Everton forward’s partner, Charlene, revealed in the early hours of Friday that their house had been burgled while they were at Goodison Park. The couple, who have a young daughter, were not at home at the time.
“Unfortunately, our home was burgled this evening while we were at the football match,” she wrote on social media. “Thankfully, nobody was home at the time, but this is still an extremely distressing and violating experience for us and our family.
“If anyone has seen or heard anything suspicious, or has any information that could help, we would be incredibly grateful if you could get in touch. We are also willing to offer a financial reward for any information that helps identify those responsible. Thank you to everyone for your support.”
Her message carried a familiar chill. Footballers’ homes are increasingly being targeted while they are away on match duty, and Barry is the latest high-profile player to find his private life invaded.
Earlier this week, Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White also had his home stormed. His partner, Britney De Villiers, chose to go public on Tuesday, explaining that their family house had been hit.
“I wasn’t going to publicly share this but our home was burgled a few days ago and after hearing about another one since, I feel it’s important to just warn others,” she wrote. “It’s incredibly unsettling knowing that homes are being targeted.
“Please be extra vigilant, make sure your security systems are on whether you’re in the house or not and report anything suspicious. Thankfully, nobody was home when it happened and material things can be replaced but it’s a horrible feeling knowing someone has violated your home, especially when you have young children. Please stay safe and look out for one another.”
The pattern is hard to ignore. Bruno Fernandes recently endured a similar ordeal, with his property ransacked by masked intruders during Manchester United’s 4-1 defeat to Como last week. Cheshire Police confirmed they were called to reports of suspicious activity at an address in the Alderley Park area of Nether Alderley at around 8.30pm on Wednesday 21 October.
A spokesperson said: “The caller reported three unknown men in the rear garden of a neighbouring property. Officers attended the scene and on arrival there was no trace of the suspects. However, officers discovered that there had been a burglary at the address and a number of items had been stolen.”
While detectives piece together what happened off the pitch, Barry’s night on it had looked close to perfect.
Everton, hunting a place in the last eight of the League Cup, seized control against Newcastle after half an hour. James Garner struck first, finishing with composure after Amar Dedic was robbed on the left by Tyrique George. Hayden Hackney read the loose ball brilliantly, sliding a first-time pass into the box for Garner, who bent his effort beyond Lukas Hornicek.
The goal settled Goodison. It also lit a fire under Hackney.
On the stroke of half-time, Barry found the midfielder in space in the middle of the area. Hackney met the pass with a clean, close-range volley, leaving Hornicek with no chance and stretching Everton’s lead to 2-0. Newcastle looked stunned, their defending ragged, their passing loose.
The pressure didn’t ease after the break. With around 20 minutes left, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall burst forward on the counter and rolled the ball across the face of goal. Barry arrived at the back post to apply the finish, a simple touch to make it game, set and match for the Blues.
Only then did Newcastle stir. Dan Burn rose to meet a late cross and powered a towering header into the net, a consolation that trimmed the scoreline but did nothing to alter the outcome. Everton were through. Newcastle were out.
For Barry, the contrast could hardly be sharper: a goal, a quarter-final secured, and then the cold reality of a violated home.
The question now stretches beyond tactics and team selection. As more players see their houses targeted while they work under the floodlights, how long before the game is forced to confront this off-field threat with the same intensity it brings to the pitch?
