Barnet manager Ian Hendon has swooped to make three loan signings today with the loan deadline looming tonight. Bees’ fans will be most excited about the return of former Underhill favourite, Dean Sinclair who joins the club on an initial month’s loan from Charlton Athletic.
Sinclair originally joined Barnet from Norwich City in the summer of 2004 and was part of the new look midfield that Paul Fairclough put together that season. He played a very important part in the club’s Conference winning season of 2004/05, scoring 11 goals from midfield and finishing as third top scorer for the Bees only behind Guiliano Grazioli and Liam Hatch. Sinclair was, of course, in the same team as Bees’ current manager and then club captain, Ian Hendon and Bees’ centre back, Ismail Yakubu. He went on to score 19 league goals in 125 appearances for the Bees before joining Charlton at the end of the 2006/07 season for £125,000. However, he failed to make an impact at the Valley and has not yet made an appearance in the league for the club, only a couple of appearances in the Carling Cup. He had two spells on loan with Cheltenham and last season a spell at Grimsby, where he played for the Mariners in the 3-3 draw against Barnet at Underhill. I’m sure all Bees’ fans will welcome Deano back to the club.
Barnet have also signed Exeter City’s 6ft1” striker, Craig McAllister from Exeter City. The 29 year old Scot scored 7 goals from 8 starts for the Grecians last season, being mainly used as an impact substitute. McAllister began his career at Basingstoke Town where he scored 22 goals from 32 matches before joining Stevenage Borough in 2004. After a spell on loan with Gravesend & Northfleet (now Ebbsfleet), he joined Woking in the summer of 2005 and scored 23 goals in two seasons at the Kingsfield. He had short spells at Grays and Oxford United before joining Exeter in July of last year.
The third signing is 6ft 1” right back or central defender, Calum Butcher from Tottenham. The 18 year old signed for Spurs as a professional in April and, although he is yet to make his first team debut, was named as a substitute for the UEFA cup tie with Shakhtar Donetsk this year. Like Sinclair, McAllister and Butcher are on loan for an initial spell of one month. They will all be available for Barnet’s League Two match next Tuesday at home to Bournemouth and Hendon is waiting to hear if the three players can get clearance to play in Saturday’s FA cup tie at Accrington. Barnet Mad welcomes all three players to Underhill.