What a match at Priestfield Stadium yesterday. The sun was out to play, and so were the Bees players, who seemed buzzing in the sweltering heat. In those conditions you expect players to look slow and sluggish, but Barnet were far from that. They were committed. The players were willing to work for each other. It seemed as though the players were enjoying their football. Before Martin Allen arrived, it couldn’t have been more different. Allot of the time it was dire and depressing. There wasn’t a good atmosphere around the club. The supporters were disgruntled and just turning up to show their faces. Although he was only with the Bees for 19 days, Allen totally transformed the club.
The players have gone from looking like they were just playing to go through the motions and just waiting for their fate to be confirmed, to showing a desire and will to stay in the Football League. I believe that if ‘Mad Dog’ hadn’t joined Barnet in the first place, then we wouldn’t even have a glimmer of hope. Instead, he has left us with a very good chance. I admit that I was one of those who criticized him for going to Notts County. But even still, the abuse he has received on Twitter since his move is disgraceful. People were wishing for him to die! Or get cancers! This isn’t Robert Mugabe or Joseph Fritzl we’re talking about! This is a good, honest man who is just trying to earn a living! Bill Shankly infamously said that ‘football isn’t a matter of life and death. It’s more important than that.’ He was wrong. Sure, football is a very emotional game. It can cause tears, it can cause joy. But it should never, ever be taken so seriously in that death comes involved. I find it sickening to think that I share a stadium, a borough, or indeed a country with people who come out and say such things, like they have done with Allen on Twitter.
I don’t care if he turned down six figure salary with us! The truth is, County are a much bigger club with Championship aspirations. I obviously don’t like the way the move came about, but if I were him, I would have probably done the same thing. Martin Allen left us with a glorious opportunity to stay up and we should thank him for that and get behind Grazioli, Sanchez and the lads. We have to move on, and with Lawrie Sanchez joining the fight, we are doing just that in my opinion.
The battle is by no means over and there are 3 matches left. Starting at home against Oxford tomorrow, we have put in three performances identical to the Gillingham display. Commitment, passion and good finishing in front of goal is all Barnet need and those things were evident against the Gills. I’m not going to dwell on Izale McLeod’s awful penalty miss, no matter how livid it made me at the time, because we won the game in the end. Let’s just hope our fate isn’t decided by goal difference. He got a hat-trick so we can't complain too much. It was a brilliant performance and the result Barnet desperately needed.
There’s only one point between us and Northampton, who are on an atrocious run. They have Stockport tomorrow so expect them to get a win up there. But, using an old cliché, there are no easy games in this division. There are no, if, buts, or maybes we have to win our next three games. So please, get down to Underhill tomorrow and cheer on our fabulous little club that we are fortunate enough to support.
Come on you Bees!