2012 Prediction League; Game 18 v Barnet FC (away)

[Div3North]

Barnet FC

V

Accrington Stanley

2012/13 Prediction League – Game 18; v Barnet (away)

This week’s starter for ten; who won the FA Amateur Cup Final in 1945/6, beating the mighty Bishop Auckland (ten times winners) 3-2 at Stamford Bridge? Answer; Barnet, who also lost in the Finals of 1947/8 to Leytonstone (1-0) and 1958/9 to Crook Town (3-2). Didn’t know that, did you?

Whose first two games in the Football League resulted in a 7-4 loss to Crewe in the League, and a 5-5 draw with Brentford in the League Cup but still managed to reach the promotion play-offs in their first season, losing to Blackpool in the Semi-Finals? Answer – as you’ve probably rumbled by now – is also Barnet

For 50-odd years they played in the Athenian League, only turning semi-professional in 1965/6; in 1967/8 they reached the 3rd Round of the FA Cup, losing to the famous Colchester Utd side which then went on to take out Leeds 3-2 in Round 4; they were Conference runners-up in 1986/7 (to Scarborough), 1987/88 (to Lincoln) and 1989/90 (to Darlington) – actually not the unluckiest run, because Hereford were runners-up three times in three years (2003/4 to Chester, 2004/5 to Barnet (!) and 2005/6 to – erm – let me think ); they (Barnet) eventually got promoted to the old Division Four in 1991 (Colchester being the runners-up).

They don’t half flirt with danger, though; three seasons ago they beat Rochdale 1-0 on the last day of the season, to stay up; two years ago they beat Port Vale 1-0 (Izale McLeod penalty) on the last day of the season, to stay up; last season they beat Burton Albion 2-1 on the last day of the season, to stay up; nerves of steel, or just bloody lucky? You tell me ………..

Among their managers over the years (and they had four during 2011 alone! ) they number Alan Mullery, Tony Cottee (briefly), Ray Clemence and Lawrie Sanchez (also briefly); among their ex-players they count new Bolton manager Dougie Freedman, who they sold for a club record fee (reportedly £800,000) to Crystal Palace in 1995; ex Huddersfield and Arsenal defender Bob McNab, who slotted in a season with them between spells at the San Antonio Thunder and the Vancouver Whitecaps; Terry Mancini – Irish International, Leyton Orient, QPR and Arsenal defender – seemingly; and, perhaps most famous of all, Jimmy Greaves , who retired aged 31 in 1971 after playing 516 League games and scoring 357 goals , his career to that time taking in Chelsea, AC Milan, Spurs and West Ham, only for him to make a comeback in December 1975 with Brentwood, which led him on to Southern League side Chelmsford City, and thence to Barnet, for whom he played for two seasons, getting 25 goals from midfield in 77/78, and 3 more in 78/9, before Barry Fry finally released him. I don’t know whether you knew that – I certainly didn’t, until I started researching for this thread ……….

At the end of last season they released many of their out-of-contract players, including ex Luton and Oldham keeper Dean Brill (26) who signed for Luton once again); French-Senegalese forward Alassane N’Diaye (22), once of Crystal Palace, joined Heyes and Yeading, as did Spurs ex u16 captain Sam Cox, now a 22 year-old MF; MF Sam Deering (21), once of Oxford, signed for Cheltenham; and striker Izale McLeod (28), ex Derby, MK Dons and Charlton, waited and waited and waited , and eventually managed to join Portsmouth, when – maybe only temporarily, although I hope not - they were saved from the chop and allowed to sign players again.

In came some 17 new players ; Barbadian international striker/winger Jon Nurse (31) joined after serving Stevenage for 3 years and Dagenham for 5; 22 year-old striker Jake Hyde returned, having played for the Bees in 2009/10 but having footled around Dundee and Dunfermline for a couple of years; from Gillingham they signed both ex Stevenage (and Gillingham) defender Barry Fuller (28) and MF Curtis Weston (of Millwall, Swindon, Leeds before Gillingham), whose greatest claim to fame was substituting for Dennis Wise in the 89th minute of the FA Cup Final against Man U in 2004, that being only his second Millwall game, they losing 3-0, and he becoming the youngest player to play in the FA Cup Final at 17 years 119 days, beating the record which had stood for 125 years . From Hibernian – currently top of the SPL I see – they got Republic of Ireland u21 GK Graham Stack, most of whose career apart from Hibs seems to have been spent on loan, including at Koninklijke Sportkring Beveren (“Royal Sporting Club of Beveren”), together with Welsh u21 defender David Rhys Remington Stephens (21); 33 year old MF John Oster signed from Doncaster, after a career going back to 1994 and taking in Grimsby, Everton, Sunderland, Burnley, Reading and Palace; and Liberian-born Dutch international striker Collins John (27) arrived after spells at Twente Enschede (Holland), Fulham, KSV Roeselare (Belgium), Chicago Fire (US), Gabala FC (Azerbaijan – managed for 18 months by ex Arsenal and England CH Tony Adams) and Mes Sarcheshmeh, an Iranian side who play in kit the colour of sand, presumably so that their opponents won’t notice them sneaking up at corners ………….

Their season started like a complete nightmare ; after 12 games they had just 3 points , drawing 1-1 with Bristol Rovers and 0-0 with Rotherham (both at home) and 2-2 at Southend, and 9 defeats; they also departed each of the Cup competitions in the First Round – the CapOne Cup by 5-1 at Birmingham, the Tinpot 1-0 in the second round at Leyton Orient (don’t get excited, they got a bye in Round One), and the FA Cup 2-0 at home to Oxford. Then they acquired Dutch legend (is he a legend? Probably is!) Edgar Davids – Ajax, AC Milan, Juventus, Barcelona, Inter and Spurs, 74 games for Holland, christened “the Pitbull ” by Louis van Gaal, and the wearer of unusual eyewear (for glaucoma), 388 games in his pro career, who is both player and Joint Head Coach; then things started to happen for the Bees – like 10 points in their last 5 games, involving wins over Northampton (who included our best friend “You Fat Bastard” ) by 4-0 (on a Friday night, may I point out!) and Torquay by 1-0, both at home, and a 0-0 draw at Wycombe and a 1-0 win at Snakefield; happily for us, they’re now back on form, getting thumped 4-1 at the Globe by Morecambe on Saturday (now who else shipped four on Saturday – ah yes, we did!) …….

Home form is 2 wins, 2 draws and four losses, scoring 10 and conceding 13; away, it’s W1 D2 L6 F5 A17, for a current overall record of P17 W3 D4 L10 F15 A30 for 13 points and 23rd place – above Aldershot by virtue of goals scored; only the Wombles have conceded more than the Bees (31), and all the teams who’ve let in 13 or more at home have played a game more than Barnet. Counting only League games, they’ve managed 4 goals once and 2 once (see above), plus one nine times and none 6 times; they’ve conceded four twice, 3 four times, two four times, one twice, and kept 5 clean sheets; leading scorers are strikers Jon Nurse and Jake Hyde with just three each, and Ricky Holmes (25, picked up from Chelmsford) has two; 17 goals in 20 games explains much about why they’re where they are …………….

Twelve meetings since we joined them back in the League, plus two (counting the replay) in the Cup (the proper one); we shade the League games with 5 wins, three draws and 4 defeats (but we lost 3-0 at home and drew 0-0 away last season); we did win the FA Cup reply in December 2009, though, which bought us Gillingham and then Fulham thereafter

The deadline for entries is scheduled kick-off time, which – as you’ve all recalled – is 8.00pm on FRIDAY 16th November (NB The Times and the BBC Sports website have it as 20.00 – so has Barnet’s website – even though the fishy says 7.45 ). Back to winning ways, methinks; a hat trick (or even a fat trick, Cashy, if he’s put weight on) for James Beattie , and maybe more besides; a couple for Marcus ? Entries any time you like before the deadline, please; keep the Faith ……………. Come on Team Leam!

Good luck to everyone ………….. and thanks for playing!

[Stevie R]

Barnet 1 Stanley 2 please

[Redash]

3-1 to The Stanley, please.

[cashman]

2-0 the Stanley.

[accybeme]

last season Stanley had an unbeaten run of 11 games, then lowly placed Barnet came to the Crown ground and outplayed us winning 3=0
hoping we can return the favour

Barnet 0 Stanley 3 please

[smobile]

3-1 Stanley Please (Beattie Hat-trick)

[Tommy McQueen]

Barnett 1 Stanley 3 please

[Wynonie Harris]

6-1 to the Stanley please!

[football19]

Never been a fan of travelling to London on the day of the game,so its a pessimistic Barnet 2 - 0 Acci

[LongLostSon]

Barnet 2 Stanley 3

[Mysteron]

Agree with the down side of travelling to London on the day of a game, doesnt provide the best preparation but can never predict a defeat for the Stanley, so its Barnet 1 Stanley Boys 2

[cmonstanley]

1-1 please

[Tom D]

2-1 to stanley

[teach]

2-2 for me please

[norwich stanley]

2-2 draw please