 Barnes is regarded as one of Manchester City's greatest ever players.In 1977 the Manchester City Council named eleven streets in a new estate in Moss Side after famous City players including Barnes, Frank Swift, Fred Tilson, Sam Cowan, Sam Cookson, Max Woosnam, Tommy Browell, Jimmy McMullan, Eric Brook, Billy Meredith and Tommy Johnson.He is listed as the thirteenth greatest ever City player in Ian Penney's book "The Essential History of Manchester City" and twentieth on the Times website.