Barlow made an immediate return to football, this time a youth and reserve team coach for Barnsley.

He hoped his role as reserve team coach would stand him in good stead for a future career in management.

The reserve team coach with no managerial experience was chosen from a long line of candidates.

He was a really good servant to the club not only as a player, but also as reserve team coach.

In the following campaign, he returned to his main side Vitória and worked as both technical director and reserve team coach.

He later also worked as a reserve team coach at Portsmouth until dismissed in 1995.

He was with Forest for over 10 years and was the reserve team coach for most of that time.

He coached the under-19 side for a season before stepping up to reserve team coach.

He rejoined West Ham as reserve team coach in the summer of 2001 later going on to become chief scout.

Shankly's initial role at Huddersfield was as reserve team coach.