Barnet – Unreliable History, Club Records & Details

Many years of mid-table obscurity followed in the Isthmian League, the AC Delco League and the GM Vauxhall League, with only fiercely contested local derbies with Enfield Town to look forward to. Their close rivals invariably topped the division in these days of re-election for the bottom Division Four club, when the other League clubs looked after their own. However, in the second season of automatic promotion, Barnet were elevated to League status. It was then that their troubles really began.

Ticket broker and club Chairman, Stan Flashman had a stormy love/hate relationship with large and larger than life manager Barry Fry. The ground needed improvement as some terracing was situated in neighbouring back gardens; some of the roofing over the terraces was leakier than the team’s defence and the capacity of the ground was restricted for safety reasons (i.e. if a group of fans were moving from one end of the ground to the other, they could gain so much momentum going down the slope that a nasty accident could occur). The sloping pitch proved of great benefit, especially to the park footballers, when Barnet’s opponents hoofed the ball over the bar at the lower South Stand end. Promotion from the bottom division was achieved, but despite a litany of ex-Spurs (Alan Mullery, Terry Gibson, Ray Clemence) being involved in management at the club (or because of it) they still linger in the Third Division.

In their non-league days, they were noted for their giant-killing exploits, but this club, still in the early years of it’s League life are pressing for promotion and a move to a bigger and better ground at Hendon to make the future brighter for them and their supporters.  A start was made on the pitch, when they reached the 1999-2000 play-offs, but lost out in the semi-final.

Unfortunately for the Bee’s, the 2000-2001 season was plagued by uncertainty.  A poor start saw Tony Cottee installed as manager, while John Still was “moved upstairs”, but he had to get down those stairs when Cottee was removed from his post in March 2001.  Even he couldn’t turn the tide and after another bad run, it all came down to a last game showdown with Torquay United at Underhill.  Losing their goalkeeper and missing a penalty, they went down 2-3 and went down and out of the League.  

Making changes including bringing in experienced Conference manager Paul Fairclough and some experienced players the club gained promotion back to the League as champions in 2005 and looked forward to a successful return.  With problems still surrounding their home ground, it could be a difficult time for the North London side and could be some time before there is honey again for tea.

Promotion was achieved in 2005 and the team managed to stay up on the last day of the season for two years running, but got through managers like used fivers.  However, in 2013, things looked a little brighter with their final season at Underhill before moving to a new complex at Barnet Copthall seeing the team under the management of former Dutch international and Champions League winner Edgar Davids.  The new manager was going to give trying to save Barnet from relegation his best shot and hoped to be as successful as rescuing 36 Barnet fans whose transport had broken down on a cold and snowy trip back from Accrington Stanley … and all without being paid a salary too !

Unfortunately, a slide into the National League in 2018 came just ahead of the Covid-19 pandemic, which hit lower 

Famous Players : – Dougie Freedman, Jimmy Greaves (although he doesn’t remember too much about his time there), George Best, Norman Wurst.

Famous Fans : – .

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