The Bees Are Going Up Ole, Ole
Champions again ole, ole, champions again, champions again
CHAMPIONS. No better word to use to start off this blog, and it really is a case of ‘So you wouldn’t believe what happened at Barnet FC’, the title chosen by Howard Gunstock is just so perfect because plenty outside of our club didn’t think Barnet could do it.
No more using those three words (you know the ones) either, it is now part of the past although this is a moment that won’t be dying for more than a few weeks either.
I did call for calm, I’m never or not really one for saying I told you so or forcing that onto people more a realisation of the situation. Since we ran all over York City back in February it’s been in our hands. Even during that three game non-winning spell, it was still in our hands, we were top and York had to keep winning, anything less was useless to them, that was the pressure.
They still couldn’t get to top spot until Saturday had we extended that run at Sutton Utd on Easter Monday. The twists and turns I said would come even when we were 14 points clear happened, and both sets of supporters experienced that in the last four weeks alone.
Fortunately, the last twist fell to them and our opportunity to put it to bed in front of a packed Hive. Now that phrase of ‘teams are on the beach’ is trotted out a lot. Yes, many could be looking like that, but a reminder too that compared to 10 or 15 years ago contracts are normally up for many across the board at the end of any season.
Potential new clubs will be looking at attitude and motivation in these kind of games, still there to do a job and still there to entertain. Now I have many friends at Aldershot Town so I won’t be sitting here and passing too much judgement.
We know how impressive we are at home and in possession, but I worry for them in the Trophy Final a little. Saturday’s result wasn’t a one off for them in the last few weeks, the penalties which we’ll come to shortly were clumsy, both of them. I do hope that Sunday in May they come out all guns blazing, if not Spennymoor Town will be licking their lips.
The game then, an early goal helped by the bouncing crowd, Mark Shelton cool as ice from the spot as per Easter Monday, then again not 20 minutes later. It felt relaxed from minute one, the atmosphere was as you expected, vibrant, loud and enjoyable.
Deano mentioned the third goal in the game was crucial, it never looked like it would come from the Shots and two quickfire Callum Stead strikes in a matter of minutes sealed the emphatic win and cue the joyous celebrations of a return to the Football League after a seven year absence.
Despite York expecting to finish second for weeks, those glimmer of hopes that flickered prior to last Monday will still have hurt because they got so close, news of that early Shelton penalty no doubt all but confirmed things for them despite 83 minutes still to play at the point.
The celebrations I watched from afar, not that the youngest would have jumped for joy, no doubt getting lost on the pitch with the amount of people.
In true Barnet fashion it went a little chaotic with the trophy lift and seemed pretty disorganised. Whilst the many were sensible, there were a few it felt didn’t quite understand that keeping a little bit more distance was safer than trying to smother all and sundry.
But you can counter that with what came probably less than an hour afterwards, the players and staff mingling on the pitch in a more relaxed atmosphere and posing for countless pics with our fanbase, then right there that togetherness I feel Dean has talked about for a long time and others outside of our club jumping on that bandwagon, or is it being a trail blazer?
Yes, I did get my pic, many of you know I’ve a great friendship with Dean, courtesy of Dave Anderson and I’m very grateful for that. Two guys and not just them that trust me with knowledge and information knowing I will part with what I can and what needs to remain between us, privileged position to be in that you just don’t abuse.
I couldn’t do the further celebrations at the Tavern, much as I would have liked, the youngest has a shorter attention span than most, but enough for two drinks at The Hive bar, plus Howard like me lives on the South Coast and a lot further along, we had our moment, however.
This journey this season in particular has been fruitful, from the bottom to the top. Give Tony Kleanthous the credit for the backing, yes there has been times when I wanted more from him and I won’t stand back from that, next season will be interesting working with transfer windows.
Seeing the training pitch already having work on prior to Saturday afternoon tells me we are back to being a proper football club, and whilst at it the superb surface we’ve enjoyed at The Hive has allowed us the unbeaten home record, the only side in the National League top division to do so.
Let’s not forget the work Natasha and Alex have done behind the scenes, a Kleanthous working business. Dan Martin, the face and now the hair of almost everything around the ground, immense amount of work put in and these days are for them as well.
Saturday afternoon I met so many people that I already knew, friends for a year or many years, but also many of you that I tag on Twitter, share conversations with, a few were first time meetings, nice to see you all, don’t be strangers!
The players will take all the plaudits, they deliver on the pitch, but I constantly say that if it’s not working off the pitch it’s extremely hard to deliver anything on the pitch.
It’s been a pleasure to sponsor not only Ryan Glover, but also Jerome Okimo with my two good mates, Nick Patel and Lee Crocker. Seemed to have picked a good one when Pritch had to step away lads, believe we’ve got a good track record when it comes to them winning awards!
I know it’s very easy to get attached to players, and I’m not here to tell anyone it’s not your place to do so, but there will always be an upgrade to any player in any squad up and down the land. Whether those clubs choose to do that is up to them but we are very good at it.
Some of those lads on the pitch on Saturday and possibly this Monday at Fylde won’t pull on the shirt again, it’s the game. Over the last three years we’ve seen some very good players in black and amber and we’ve seen some very good players leave the football club and replaced them with better, trust in the recruitment it’s top drawer as we’ve proved this year and every year we’ve upgraded.
Which brings me onto a point Nicholas Rowland put up on Twitter on Tuesday morning, Toby Savin. His contribution can easily be forgotten, but how immense was it.
A two game spell, arriving at The Hive on a Tuesday afternoon at 3.45pm to face York City that evening without meeting his team mates until then, playing his part in that tear apart 3-1 win and then keeping a clean sheet away at Rochdale on an awful pitch deserves a bit of recognition, so well done for reminding us Nick!
As Sam Fresco mentioned months back on The Bee Brief podcast, there will be players who will impact our season and we just don’t it yet, how right was he! Although I do believe we lifted the National League ‘trophy’ though Sam!
Owen Evans, Lee Ndlovu, two huge differences to the way we played from January onwards. I mean, what team changes their goal keeper, sells their top scorer and then powers their way to a title, it’s just ridiculous isn’t it.
20 odd clean sheets I think I heard Dean say in the post-match, incredible when you think back to games last season that were much closer than they should have been because of the goals leaked, an evolvement of a team and a management staff.
Finally, the backbone, that office full of those who make the footballing decisions. And I’m pleased they got the recognition during the celebrations, people like Jade and Liam and also Skip on the strength and conditioning side.
Just think back to your Daniel Powell days and the scraping together of a 16 to play, Tavares and Browne available much more than I expected, the latter took a while, but he was worth the wait.
Hutch with the kit and the analysis, finding us players to get in as well, and able to get involved with drills pre-match. Kirk is just Kirk, my vote actually for the Lester Finch, the glue that brings it all seamlessly together.
When Connor was promoted to number two I had plenty of people asking me if he was just a Dean Brennan ‘yes’ man. My response was watch what happens, he has an excellent football brain, very level headed and talks very well in the pre-match interviews.
As a pair they bounce off each other so well, they all have an input and if Dean ever walked off into the sunset I’d put my money on Con to continue what’s progressing now.
And the gaffer. Stayed true to his word after the Solihull game and fixed it, Plenty had us down as favourites to win the division, it’s another thing putting into performances and making it happen. I certainly feel he’s evolved as a manager over the last three years and this is the culmination of that, but not the end of the journey.
I know that’s been a long read but hopefully enjoyable, thank you to anyone and everyone whose read this to the end, and any other piece during the year, certainly not the last blog of the season by a long shot.
Quick last mention to NL Full Time Podcast’s Rob Worrell and Joe Pope, first time I was able to meet the both of them on Saturday afternoon and while most of you won’t listen next season thanks to our promotion it is a great National League podcast especially the latest episode.
As per always if you wish to ‘buy me a coffee’ or make a donation the link is here and please feel free to share this blog with your fellow Bees fans, they’re all FREE and always will be.