Wot — no civic reception? (From Times Series)

Wot — no civic reception?

8:39am Monday 23rd February 2009

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Euphoria swept over Underhill on Saturday as "little old Barnet" - one win in 21 games - swept to victory in their League 2 David v Goliath home game against promotion hopeful Bradford City by a thumping 4-1 margin.

I was amazed that the songsters on the East Terrace did not adapt the Barnsley chant when that Yorkshire side were strutting their stuff in the higher echelons of the Premier League: "It's just like watching Brazil".

I sat by the telephone all evening sipping plentiful glasses of celebratory Famous Grouse waiting for the Mayor of Barnet (Councillor John Marshall) to ring offering us a civic reception.

Maybe it was a tad too much to think of an open top bus for the players up Barnet Hill accepting the congratulations of thousands of cheering residents but, believe me, my fellow under-the-cosh council taxpayers, the lads done good for the borough with their second win of the season at Underhill and we were all 'over the moon'.

Not only did the Barnet aces silence the songsters among the 700 visiting fans from Yorkshire they had many of them scuttling for the exits long before the final whistle.

The last of my New Year resolutions has now 'gone for a Burton'. In outposts such as Accrington, Exeter and Nottingham I have so far steadfastly refused to shake hands with the home directors before a game and offer the time-honoured football cliche through clenched teeth: "May the best team win".

Not only was this a first win in eight games for Ian Hendon since taking the reins at Underhill on New Year's Day, it was victory against a side that had not conceded a goal in four games and boasted clean sheets in eight out of 11.

From waking at 4 a.m. on Saturday and anxiously previewing in my mind what we might say at the post-match Press conference in the event of another defeat or dropped points, I was able to walk in and ask the assembled throng: "Are you all available for the next game at Chesterfield?"

I must confess, though, that when the first Barnet goal went in I said to Dave Wilding, my travelling companion to away games, "Do you think we've scored too early?"

When the second goal went in I said to Dave, in the wake of previous games when we went two ahead and were pegged back, "Do you think that's enough?".

Mindful of the fact that we led 4-1 away to Rotherham United and only squeezed through 4-3 due to a wonder save by goalkeeper Lee Harrison I stayed on tenterhooks even when we led by that score.After 88 minutes I said to Dave: "I think we can relax now".

The strong willed Mr Wilding, a rock in the face of adversity, responded to each of my comments as he does every week with the cryptic:"Oh, shut up, Dennis". Oh me, of little faith!

A week can be a long time in football. Was it only seven days before that we walked away from Notts County after not managing a shot for some 80 minutes and losing 2-0 ?

Seven days of gloom and doom from one and all, forecasts of relegation from the Football League, never to return.

Now the sun is shining and the "little old Barnet" faithful are smiling. God's in His Heaven and all's right with the world ... at least until 3 p.m. at Chesterfield next weekend. Maybe the reaality was just like watching Barnsley, not Brazil.

There's talk in the papers about Premiership managers - particularly that geezer at Tottenham Hotspur - moaning about League, Cup and European fixtures coming too thick and fast.

I subscribe to the view of former Barnet and Tottenham Hotspur manager Peter Shreeves, who said: "Players don't get tired when they are winning matches".

Mind you, there's also a losing mentality. I recall the story from my days in the Sixties as "the Fulham man" for the national papers.

Fulham travelled to Everton to play a side hoping to clinch the old First Division title. As the team got off the coach at Goodison Park, a former Fulham official approached one of the visiting players and started to talk about the importance of the game that day to the home side.

After listening for a few minutes my Fulham pal thought he got the trend.

"Hey", he said. "You don't have to bribe us to lose".

PS: If you are reading this, Mr Mayor, I haven't forgotten that I promised an invite for you to a game at Underhill. I've just waited for a euphoric moment.

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