Barnet F.C. have made an excellent start to the season, causing fans to be optimistic about their promotion chances to the Football League.
The Bees have won seven out of their first 10 games in the National League and currently sit in third place, having been top until last weekend.
These results are more impressive given the tough fixture list they have faced.
They defeated Hartlepool, a team relegated from League Two last year, alongside victories over Bromley, Woking and Boreham Wood, who each finished in the top seven in 2022/23.
Barnet’s optimism derives from the extent of their sharp ascent following two tough seasons. In 2021, they would have been relegated to the National League South had Covid-19 not curtailed the season.
They battled to 18th in the following season and flew up the table to finish 5th the year after, losing to north west London rivals Boreham Wood in the playoffs.
This trajectory has fostered a positive atmosphere throughout Barnet’s fanbase, echoed by lifelong fan Charlie Cassen, 29, who co-runs the Barnet football podcast BeesPod.
#barnetfc made hard work of that 2-1 but
— BeesPod (@beespod) September 19, 2023
🟠🖐🏼straight home wins
⚫️🖐🏼goals for @DannyCollinge
🟠 another 3 points for the Bees
⚫️ 9 goals for @nickekabamba 😬
🟠 3rd place with 22pts in 10
Averaging 2.2 pts a game is a 100 point season. Great start to the season for the 🐝
Cassen said: “It’s a good time to be a Barnet fan. I cannot see us going backwards.
“Expectations have risen each season and I would have bitten your hand off for the start that we’ve had – I don’t see why we can’t get promoted.”
Much of the credit has gone to manager Dean Brennan, who took over the club in 2021.
Cassen enthused about him: “He has transformed the team and its identity. Everyone loves him to bits.
“He’s completely stripped the club from top to bottom. There’s a special connection between the fans and the manager at the minute.”
This sense of community is reflected within the squad, all of whom have been brought in within Brennan’s tenure.
Cassen said: “There’s a togetherness and unity that we haven’t seen for a long, long time.”
The increased media coverage towards the National League, largely due to Wrexham’s Hollywood-scripted promotion last year, can only be a good thing for fans like the BeesPod podcaster.
He said: “It doesn’t feel like non-league anymore. The media attention has been brilliant in putting us more on the map.
“Players from bigger teams like Zak Brunt aren’t embarrassed to play at this level.” The 21-year-old loanee arrived from Premier League side Sheffield United this summer.
High spirits will be evident during Saturday’s home game against Halifax, where all 6,500 spectators will be hoping they can take another step towards Football League status.
Featured image credit: Kafuffle via WikiCommons
Join the discussion