One of the oldest arguments in the football world - what does it take to become a Legend?
Part 2
Club
legends? I do hope you read and enjoyed the first part of this piece. It highlighted suggestions by club
Message Board users for their Barnet Legends. Favourite players are
one thing, as at last count when asked my favourite ever Bee I worked
out a short list of 23! However a Legend has to have more about him
(or her). The argument it a mammoth one and rightly about personal
opinion – so with apologies in advance I offer you my three
indisputable Barnet Football Club Legends and then.......the Nearly Men!
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| Les Eason 1966 |
Legend - Les
Eason – A club record 648
appearances with over 300 goals, Les
will always be held in the highest esteem by Barnet supporters as
illustrated by the Supporters Associations recognition award of
‘Barnet FC Player Of The 1960’s’. He is without doubt one of
non league footballs’ all time greats and rarely put a foot wrong
on the pitch and never seemed to have a bad game. A Dexter Adams
signing in 1965 Eason graced the turf at Underhill until 1978 and
built up no less that four wonderful striking partnerships with all
time great Bees Roger Figg, Billy Meadows, Lou Adams and John
Fairbrother. He fittingly finished his career at Barnet playing in
midfield alongside his idol Jimmy Greaves. Clubs had made bids for
him year after year but he simply loved playing for Barnet. A shy man
who still frequents Barnet home games and whose footballing mind is
still as sharp as his finishing skills. It is difficult to explain
exactly why but it is somehow rather special to be in his company and I see him a lot. It is still plaintively obvious that he is extremely fond of the club
too that idolised him for well over a decade. Barnet Legend.
 |
| Les Eason 2015 |
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Legend - Barry
Fry – Everybody
loves Barry Fry, don't they? Barry is a Legend not just because he
was arrested for clearing the Underhill pitch of snow on a Christmas
morning or re-mortgaging his house to aid the club or allegedly being
sacked 19 times by Chairman Stan Flashman - there was the little
matter of producing a team to win the Vauxhall Conference and
promotion to the Football League while scoring 103 League goals after
three times out of four finishing second.
During Barry's rein
the
football played was as exciting if not more exciting than that
delivered by the great Barnet teams of the 1960’s and the early
1970’s it was a privilege to be part of it. Attendances trebled,
players of real class came and went, some for colossal transfer fees.
Andy Clarke £350,000 to Wimbledon, Phil Gridelet £175,000 to
Barnsley and most incredible of all Lee Payne £125.000 to Newcastle
after just a handful of appearances are just some examples. Kenny
Lowe, Mark Carter, Nicky Evans, Paul Showler, David Howell and others
arrived, players of class and quality. There was constant publicity,
we were in the tabloid press everyday, and every club wanted to beat
us. They were exhilarating times and it was exhilarating to be a
supporter.
I have not been given enough space to entertain you all with stories
that surrounded him. Barnet Legend.
 |
| Barry Fry 1991 |
Barry and John Still 2015
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Legend - Lester
Finch – A foundation stone
and the first pioneer who helped to establish Barnet Football Club as
one of the finest outside of the Football League. A player from 1928
until 1953 - although five years of World War interrupted his 500
game, 226 goal career at Underhill. 116 representative matches and a
further 73 goals, including 24 England Amateur International caps
plus one full England cap plus a British Berlin Olympic athletic in
1936. Impressive? Certainly but just part of the Finch/Barnet
folklore. He won 4 Athenian League medals and an Amateur Cup winner
medal, while Capitan and club secretary.
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| Lester Finch 1946 |
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| Dennis Kelleher and Lester Finch 1995 |
It
doesn’t really end there, as in later years he accepted the
invitation to become President of the Barnet Football Club Supporters
Association. Finally Barnet Council asked Lester’s permission to
even name a road after him – Finch Close – which runs parallel to
Barnet Lane. Lester passed away in 1995. Barnet Legend and some!
________________________________________________________________
So
who were the “Nearly Men” I pondered over?
Gary Phillips, who
spent 15 seasons at Underhill as a player and player/manager and
later a coach, and was a major factor in ensuring Barnet's survival
during the Summer of 1993 securing a squad from absolutely nothing to
represent the club in Division 2.
Dexter Adams, manager at the club
from 1962-1970 who was responsible for overseeing Barnet's transition
from its powerful Amateur status to its feared and much revered Semi
Professional one.
Martin Allen and Paul Fairclough created teams that
won promotion from the Conference.
Nicky
Evans, who is ultimately my favourite all time player and seen as
“God” in the eyes of so many who saw him play at Underhill for his
goals, his charisma and his looks!
Lee Harrison, a dear friend and
the ultimate Ambassador for Barnet FC plus three times in succession
Player of the Year.
Ricky George, for his devotion to the club during
that Summer of 1993 alongside Gary Phillips and another “without
whom” nominee.
Edwin Stein, 500 appearances/Club Captain/Assistant
Manager/Manager and amber blooded servant for over a decade.
Alf
D'arcy, the finest centre half in the clubs history never to have
become a professional, and every player who played for and against
him will tell you the same and also another who has become a dear
friend over the years.
Sorry Gentlemen but there always has to be a
winner, or in this case three!
Reckless.
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