National League high-flyers Barnet F.C will look to finish the season in style as the division draws to a close and the race for a top-3 finish heats up.
With only one game left in the season, the Bees find themselves in second with 83 points, 15 behind runaway champions Chesterfield, and are now assured of a place in the National League playoff semi-finals.
And in a season that began with a run of seven victories from their opening ten fixtures, the mood around the club has never been higher, something thought impossible after a disastrous 2021 that saw Barnet only spared from relegation due to Covid-19.
Charlie Cassen, co-host of the Barnet football podcast Beespod, said: ”If it wasn’t for Covid, we would’ve been relegated.
”We were at rock bottom and couldn’t really see a way out to be honest.
”The mood around the camp was shocking.
”I had never seen the fans so divided before and it was not a nice club to be a supporter of, and then Dean Brennan took over and completely turned it around.”
Brennan, 43, took over at The Hive in 2021, replacing former Liverpool and Australia star Harry Kewell after the latter oversaw a run of five defeats and two draws in his first seven matches in charge of the club.
Since then, the Irishman has lifted Barnet to 18th and fifth placed finishes in his first two seasons, thanks in part to his keen eye for footballing talent, with much of the squad joining under his management.
Striker Nicke Kapamba, 31, who had his contract cancelled by League Two side Northampton Town in 2022, was signed by Brennan that same summer.
Kapamba has not looked back since, scoring 19 goals in 42 league appearances during his debut campaign and registering 24 goals in 37 league appearances this season.
Starring alongside him are midfielders Harry Pritchard and Zak Brunt, the latter arriving on loan from Sheffield United, as well as forward Callum Stead and defender Danny Collinge, all signed by Brennan.
Cassen added: ”Brennan’s an unbelievable recruiter, an unbelievable manager.
”He’s assembled this squad who want to play for the team.
”He’s created the connection between the fans again, which we didn’t have before.
”I think every fan is really positive now, really behind Dean and trusting everything that he does.”
Cassen added: ”We’re excited to be going in the direction that we’re going in.
”It’s going to be an exciting few weeks for sure.
”Very nervy but one we’re looking forward to.
”I’m glad how far we’ve come in the last three years.
”It’s magnificent.”
Featured Image Credit: Kafuffle via Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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