After a disappointing finish to the 2021/22 season, in which Barnet FC finished 18th, supporters of the bees will surely hope for much better from their team going into the 2022/23 campaign.
With this being Barnet’s fifth consecutive season in the National League there is surely still hope that this year could be their year.
Aydogan Mehmet of the Barnet FC Supporters Association said: “I think most fans would be happy to hover around the playoffs and then next season the expectation would be promotion.”
Mehmet added that there was optimism in the club over the summer due to the culmination of good summer business and growing confidence in the project from supporters.
Despite the trials that face any team pushing for promotion, a return to the Football League is possible under manager Dean Brennan, especially with plenty of new faces ready to don the amber and black shirt to compete in one of the most competitive leagues in the English football pyramid.
Last season
The 2021/22 campaign certainly did not go to plan for the Bees.
Seven games into the season, Barnet had just two points, and were thrashed 5-0 by Notts County on the opening day.
This led to the sacking of the manager Harry Kewell towards the end of September and in his place came Brennan.
Brennan brought Barnet their first win of the season in a 3-1 victory against Weymouth and over the rest of the season managed to steady the ship, albeit with some very inconsistent results, as the Bees finished in 18th, an improvement on the previous campaign.
Summer signings
The club signed a plethora of players during the summer window with the number of new faces at the time of writing being 12.
The biggest and most exciting of these signings include:
Nicke Kabamba
The DR Congo striker, who signed from Northampton Town, has extensive experience in both the National League, League 2 and the Scottish Premiership which could be invaluable to the Bees bid for an even more positive campaign this time around.
Jamar Loza
The Jamaican striker and former Norwich City youth player will surely have a lot to bring with a strong goal-scoring record in Premier League 2 with 33 goal involvements in 46 matches. He and Kabamba together up front could form a deadly partnership.
Jerome Okimo
The 34-year-old centre-back, who arrived on a free transfer from Wealdstone FC brings with him the leadership and experience and the back Barnet desperately needs after conceding the second most goals of any team in the National League last season.
A player with nearly 200 career appearances, both in National League and League 2, Okimo knows what it takes to play in such a competitive part of the football pyramid.
Key fixtures
In what will be a long old season in the National League there are some fixtures that Bees supporters will look to as the biggest challenges this campaign.
The first real challenge will be on the 26th of August when Barnet travel to face Chesterfield as a potential competitor for the playoffs.
Next promotion hopefuls Wrexham could cause Barnet some problems when they travel to Wales on the 8th of October.
Long-time Barnet supporter Steve Court said: “Wrexham will be looking to steamroller every opposition, so we will have to be at the top of our game to get anything when facing them.”
On the 26th of November Barnet will also travel to the oldest professional football club Notts County, who will also see themselves as a playoff hopeful.
Barnet will then round off the end of the calendar year by hosting the derby against Boreham Wood FC on Boxing Day.
The reverse fixture will be the first match of 2023 on the 2nd of January at Meadow Park.
Going forward
Barnet have had a very decent start to the season with three wins and a draw in their opening four games putting them top of the National League.
Mehmet added: “There is a lot of positivity around the club, we might be there or thereabouts for the playoffs.”
Mehmet also commented on the improved relationship between supporters and the club with the new buy one get one free season ticket offer this season.
Fred Inglis, another supporter of Barnet and the new ticket deal said: “This has the potential to cultivate a genuine sense of community.”
He also hoped that this would bring some welcome new faces into the Hive.
With the strong relationship between the Supporters Association and the club, the home fans are able to enjoy watching their team in a state-of-the-art ground at the Hive, and an impressive start from Barnet FC, after the last few years of instability and inconsistency, perhaps this one might be different.
Perhaps the Bees will continue to take the right steps forward to eventually see themselves back in the football league.
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