Michael Leary joins Grimsby Town

Michael Leary has joined Bees', League Two rivals, Grimsby Town on a two year contract. Leary was released by Barnet on a free transfer at the end of last season. He joined Barnet in the summer of 2007 and was one of a number of new faces at Underhill following the departure of a large number of players from the previous season including the likes of Dean Sinclair, Simon King and Nicky Bailey.

Leary joined from Luton Town where he had spent five years but had never been able to gain a regular place in the side. Luton had been a Championship side at the time. He made 9 league starts and another 13 appearances as a substitute for the Hatters, scoring twice.

During his time at Luton he had loan spells at Bristol Rovers, where he played against the Bees, Walsall, Torquay and Brentford. He played 17 times for Brentford in League One prior to moving to Underhill. He made his Barnet debut in the opening match of the 2007/08 season at Morecambe. However, he suffered a bad injury early on in the season, ironically at his old club, Brentford. Manager, Paul Fairclough brought in young Charlton midfield player, Josh Wright on loan.

Leary returned to the side in November for the home match with Notts County and soon after regained a regular place in the side after Wright's loan spell ended. However, Leary was sent off in the FA Cup 3^rd round replay at home to Swindon Town, which, despite playing with 10 men, Barnet won on penalties. Wright then returned to Underhill on loan for the rest of the season and Leary lost his place in the side.

Leary returned to the side for the home match with MK Dons, Neal Bishop being out injured. He was sent off for the second time that season, for elbowing an opponent. Leary's reckless behaviour on the pinch was making him unpopular with sections of the home crowd, but, surprisingly, with Barnet suffering a number of injuries towards the end of the season, Leary returned to the side as a makeshift central defender and was given the role of captain. Leary did quite well and was much better disciplined. He even scored his first goal for the club in a 2-0 away win at Accrington. His form at the end of the season probably ensured that he would start the following season still at Underhill. After only making 19 league starts in his first season at the club, Leary surprisingly perhaps, was pretty much a first team regular for the first half of the season after starting on the bench for the opening game of the season at home to Chesterfield. He also scored with a superb shot from outside the penalty area in the 2-2 home draw with Gillingham in December.

However, following Paul Fairclough's resignation after the home defeat by Aldershot on Boxing Day, Leary's first team appearances became much more infrequent. This was not helped by the penalty incident in the away match at Exeter City, when Barnet, 2-1 down at the time, were awarded a penalty. For some reason, Leary stepped forward and took the penalty even though John O'Flynn was the designated penalty taker. His shot was saved and the Bees lost to the anger of new caretaker boss, Ian Hendon. Leary didn't appear in the first team again until April.

Leary scored his third goal for the club with a fine shot in the 1-1 draw at Aldershot on Easter Monday, but a poor performance at Macclesfield, playing at centre back, led to him being severely criticised by Hendon for being the cause of the first Macclesfield goal. Keeper, Ran Kadoch was blamed for the second and the game seemed to seal both their fates as they were both released at the end of the season.

Leary made 43 league starts altogether in his time at Underhill with another 7 appearances as a substitute and scored 3 goals. It is true to say that he never really endeared himself to the Barnet fans though there was a mixed range of opinions about him. Barnet Mad wishes him all the best at his new club.