In 1908 Jimmy Methven signed Horace for Derby County. Barnes made 166 appearances for Derby and scored 76 goals. He scored both goals for an English XI in a 2–0 victory over their Scottish counterparts in a Players' Union international on 20 April 1914.
Manchester City
In 1914 Manchester City purchased Barnes for £2,500.00. In his first season with the Manchester team he made 25 league appearances and scored 12 goals, helping the team to fifth in the first division, three points behind champions Everton. Barnes' first goal for City came in a 4–1 victory against Bradford City on the opening day of the season. Barnes' career was interrupted by the first world war which he spent working in a munition factory. He was able to resume his footballing career in the 1919–20 football season in which he was City's top scorer with 23 goals. City finished seventh in the league that season. In the 1920–21 football season he was City's second top scorer having scored 17 goals in 41 league appearances. Tommy Browell was the team's highest scorer with 31 goals. Manchester City came second in the league that season, 5 points behind champions Burnley. This was City's highest position in the league since the 1903–04 football season when City had a team which included Billie Gillespie, Frank Booth and Billy Meredith. In the following season, the 1921–22 football season, Billy Meredith returned to Manchester City to play in a forward line which included Barnes, Tommy Browell and Tommy Johnson. Barnes scored 20 league goals that season, one goal less than City's top scorer Tommy Browell. The team finished 10th in the league and he also made two appearances for the Football League XI during the season. In the 1922–23 football season the City team was further enhanced by the acquisition of Frank Roberts from Bolton Wanderers. Barnes was City's top scorer in that season and the team finished eighth in the league. Three of Barnes' goals came in a 5–1 victory against Cardiff City. In the 1923–24 football season Manchester City moved to a new ground, Maine Road, and Horace Barnes scored the first goal at the new stadium in a 2–1 victory against Sheffield United on the opening day of the season. Tommy Johnson scored the other goal for City. The team ultimately finished eleventh in the league on 42 points and Barnes was the team's top scorer with 20 goals. Barnes played in 7 of City's 8 games in the FA Cup that season. The team were ultimately defeated in the semi final by Newcastle United 2–0. The 1924–25 football season was to be Barnes' last with Manchester City. He played 14 teams that season and scored 8 goals. Frank Roberts was the team's top scorer that season with 31 goals and the team finished tenth in the first division. Barnes' last goal for City was in a 1–1 draw with Huddersfield Town. He had appeared for City 218 times and scored 120 goals.
Barnes joined Preston North End in November 1924 and scored on his debut for the club against Nottingham Forest. In his first season at the club he was joint top scorer. However the team finished in 21st place in the league and were relegated to the Second Division. He began the 1925–26 season with Preston but then transferred to Oldham Athletic.
Oldham Athletic
Barnes ended his career at Oldham Athletic where he scored 20 goals in 46 games. He finished his career with a spell in non-league football with Ashton National.
Later life
Barnes lived in Manchester for the rest of his life and worked as a packer. He died at his home in Clayton in 1961.
