In the second part of Barnet Mad’s new series on players recently released by the club, we look at the two Hyde’s; Micah and Jake.
Micah arrived after having been released the previous season by Peterborough. He was installed as team captain by Barnet manager, Ian Hendon and made his Barnet debut on the opening day of the season at Lincoln City. The Jamaican international midfield player had enjoyed a successful career at Watford, Burnley and Peterborough, captaining the Posh to their successful League Two promotion campaign of 2008.
However, Micah never really seemed to impose himself as captain and central midfield anchor man at Underhill. Brought in as a replacement for the departed Neal Bishop, Hyde struggled to have the impact that the former York player had at Barnet and, accordingly, after a bright start, the side struggled too. He never really managed to capture the hearts of the Underhill crowd either.
Micah scored twice for Barnet; a close range tap in against Darlington in the FA Cup and a header against Aldershot in the 3-0 win at Underhill.
Micah Hyde’s playing record at Barnet:
|
STARTS |
SUB APPEARANCES |
GOALS |
LEAGUE |
41 |
|
1 |
FA CUP |
3 |
|
1 |
LEAGUE CUP |
1 |
|
|
JPT |
1 |
|
|
TOTAL |
46 |
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
Jake Hyde was also a new arrival at Underhill last season. Hyde was signed from Swindon Town, where he had been a reserve player who had been sent on loan at Weymouth. Ian Hendon saw him as a young striker of promise who would push for a regular first team place during the season. Jake started the season on the bench making two substitute appearances in the first two matches of the season before being brought in for the home match with Shrewsbury Town to partner Paul Furlong. Hyde marked his full debut with the club in scoring both goals in a 2-2 draw, having the coolness to score from the penalty spot after Paul Furlong had missed an earlier penalty award.
A fortnight later and all Bees’ fans were celebrating Jake’s late, late goal that sent promotion favourites, Notts County away smarting on the end of a 1-0 defeat. The following Tuesday, Jake scored again in the 2-0 defeat of League One promotion hopefuls, Millwall in the 1st round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. Jake was Barnet’s leading scorer with four goals from four starts and three sub appearances and then…well Jake’s season kinda fell away after that, mainly due to the fact that as John O’Flynn began to get back to full fitness, Hyde, despite his goals, was largely dispatched to the sub’s bench.
Whether or not it was Ian Hendon that just didn’t have enough faith in Jake or that he just wasn’t ready yet for a regular League Two place, the feeling amongst many fans was that Jake maybe didn’t really get a fair crack of the whip and that he was badly underused, particularly given Paul Furlong’s goal drought.
Hyde managed just three more goals all season, consolation goals in the away defeats at Rochdale and Dagenham & Redbridge and a smart headed equalizer in the 3-1 home win over Chesterfield.
The feeling remains amongst many fans that Jake is a young striker with great promise and many Bees’ fans will be sorry to see him having been released.
Jake Hyde’s playing record at Barnet:
|
STARTS |
SUB APPEARANCES |
GOALS |
LEAGUE |
17 |
17 |
6 |
FA CUP |
|
2 |
|
LEAGUE CUP |
|
1 |
|
JPT |
2 |
|
1 |
TOTAL |
19 |
20 |
7 |
Barnet Mad wishes both players all the best for the future.