Barnet today announced that Mark Byrne has been released. Byrne was, apart from Mauro Vilhete, the longest current serving player at the club and many fans will be sad at his departure. Byrne arrived at Underhill in the summer of 2010 with Mark Stimson newly installed as manager. Byrne joined on loan from Nottingham Forest, having spent the previous season on loan at Rushden & Diamonds where he had been voted player of the year.
Byrne made his Barnet debut in the opening League Two match of the 2010/11 season away at Chesterfield where the Bees lost 2-1. He was part of a side struggling to make an impact but Byrne did look a good signing. He scored his first goal of the season in a 4-1 home defeat by Rotherham in September and was a regular in the first team, scoring away at Stockport County (1-2), at home against Macclesfield Town where he scored the only goal of the match and away at Torquay United in a 1-1 draw.
Byrne was injured after coming on as a substitute in the 4-1 home win against Northampton Town and his loan finished early and he returned to Nottingham Forest. However, following on from Stimson’s departure after the 2-1 home defeat by Aldershot on New Year’s Day, Byrne returned to Underhill for a second loan spell in February under Paul Fairclough. Byrne formed a very useful midfield partnership with Sam Deering who had arrived from Oxford United, also on loan. In late March, former Bees’ boss, Martin Allen returned to the club for a second spell and immediately brought life to the club with 7 points from the first 3 games giving hope that the club, seemingly doomed, may yet avoid falling out of the league. After the 2-1 home win over Crewe in April, Allen left to take over Notts County leaving a shocked Underhill. However, under Barnet legend, Giuliano Grazioli, Barnet somehow managed to reach League Two safety after a last day win at home to Port Vale. Byrne scored two more goals, at home to Morecambe and away at Gillingham in a 4-2 win and, following his release by Forest, was signed on by Barnet for the new season.
In the next part, we will look at Byrne’s time under Lawrie Sanchez.