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Cause for optimism, perhaps
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By:
Max Bygraves
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30/08/2022
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This article has been viewed 1137 times.
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Second to Chesterfield at the end of August with only one defeat in six (away to the aforementioned) and a 100% home record after three games. As we were all expecting, right?
It’s important at a time like this to keep a little perspective. That’s not to be a killjoy, but I always think back to the excitement when top after five games in League 2 in 2009/10, only for us go into the final game not yet safe from relegation. Things can change and experience perhaps hardens us to not get carried away so easily.
That’s not to say everyone shouldn’t be enjoying the here and now, though. Barnet fans have been starved of anything like this for a long time. The league table should make people smile and feel proud. But a game at a time feels very much the right approach.
My guarded optimism goes wider than just how well the team is doing. In my strange state as a new-old fan, as explained in my previous article, there is some trepidation as to how much I am genuinely feeling excited about all this. There is a worry this feeling will evaporate and revert to the disdain and misery of the last decade or so of my association with Barnet FC. However, if things continue in the manner of yesterday, hopefully the buzz will very much remain.
It’s helpful as a returning regular to be coming into watching an almost totally new set of players. We’re all at the start. In the past few years, I have felt somewhat fraudulent when asked to give my opinion on any current player due to lack of time spent watching them play. Yet after just attending a few of these early season games, I genuinely feel like I am building an affinity with this side and enjoying watching them play.
Sean Shields looks like a simply marvellous footballer and has me recalling memories of several great wingers that have inspired Bees teams in the past. Laurie Walker is a proper presence in goal that hasn’t been seen for a long time. And Dale Gorman can clearly play a bit, as well as being a shithouse of the highest order. Exactly what we need as captain.
There are a couple of other names that come to mind from these early performances, but again, let’s not go absolutely wild this early on.
Aside from a comfortable 3-1 win and two very good goals, it is again very much the general feeling in the ground yesterday that’s as much of a source of positivity as anything.
Ticket offers or not (and credit where it’s due on that, again), to have nearly 2000 people there for a televised evening game is a big step forward. For context, against AFC Fylde in December 2019, only 661 (13) turned up. More recently, 1336 (172) were at the Aldershot Town game last October where there was also a ticket promotion. Yes, more freebies were dished out for this one, but a healthy number, nonetheless.
It was also great to see so many enthusiastic young fans in the ground. It’s been highlighted that we do appear to have something of an ageing fan base, but there were loads of youngsters there yesterday who seemed to be really in the thick of it. Watching a load of kids scramble for the keepers’ autograph down at the front at full time had me harking back to the late 90’s on the North Terrace. This kind of engagement is so important and vital to the club going forward.
The teenagers and younger adults are also making a go of it with songs coming from the back of Blocks B, C and E in the absence of a terrace. Not every song choice is perhaps to the taste of the older supporter, but the ground needs more atmosphere and fair play to these youngsters for making the effort to add it. On this however, to the gents in Block E, I would like to take this opportunity to let you know that as much as I enjoy hearing ‘Eyes right...’, you are saying the wrong word when opting for ‘hunt,’ in that song…
Ben Strevens was on the BT Sport punditry team for the game. Unfortunately, the wrong side of the ground to receive the sort of reception he would have deserved. It was interesting to read his tweet last night: Really impressed with @BarnetFC and to see the connection between fans and players/staff returning, best connection since Daz (Darren Currie) was in charge...
Strevens is someone who gets the club more than most and from his previous comments when we spoke to him on the podcast, I don’t feel he would have said this lightly. If someone from the relative outside looking in can see things seemingly starting to click for the first time in a while, signs are positive. Credit to Dean Brennan for the work he’s doing to build a team and indeed more cohesive club. Long may it continue.
Just to ensure we don’t go a whole article without a Downhill Second Half moan; they have got to do something about the bar and food situation in the ground. The club must have missed out on a considerable chunk of money yesterday as many like myself will have looked at the queues and decided not to bother. Especially if the crowds continue to grow, this is a problem that could really be done without. The on-pitch stuff is clearly a lot better, it’s essential that every effort goes into the same with the rest of the match day experience.
We are a non-league club - why don’t we ever reach out for help within our support if logistics are proving difficult?
Anyway, queuing issues aside, it’s early days but looking at the next few fixtures, there’s no reason why the feel-good factor can’t last a little longer…
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