Another of the Barnet Football Club family has sadly passed away - Dennis Roach
I pay tribute to Dennis Roach a classic old school Centre Half who
captained Barnet during three of his four seasons at Underhill during
the period when the club was a power in the Southern and Athenian
Leagues. Dennis, whose story after his playing career was a
fascinating one, very sadly passed away on 16th May aged 79.
As I
have said before there are certain players who represent a football
club who are foundation stones and when we reminisce they are the
players who we refer to as “A fine player”. Roachy” was another
of these in the days of numbers 4,5 and 6 - the half back line!
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| Dennis 1964 |
He
made his debut in the Athenian League on 22nd August 1964
in the following line up which drew 2-2 with Woking.
Johnny
Barr – Bobby Warman, Jeff Voyce - Les Picking, Dennis Roach, Stuart
McLean – Don Whyte, Tony Brimacombe, Roger Figg, Tony Harding,
Reggie Finch.
In his first
season Dennis made 55 appearances scoring just once (goal scoring was
never his forte although the forward line that year scored 107 league
goals in 30 games) helping the club to the Athenian League title and
was given a professional contract the following year as the club
moved into the Southern League.
He was
bestowed the club captaincy and with a further 54 appearances the
team cruised that Southern League Division One campaign in 1965-66.
The teams slick, fast passing football, building up from the back was
a new style in the amateur game and most teams could not live with
them. 114 league goals in 46 games to win at a canter. Dennis was the
linchpin of the Les Picking, Roach and Barry King half back line
which started in virtually every game.
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| Barnet 1965-66 - Dennis Roach 2nd from left, back row. |
He featured
in a mind blowing 69 games the following season in the Southern
Premier scoring three times. In his final season he featured in
another 67 games scoring one goal. A total of 255 in four years which
in any era is unbelievable.
His final
game in black and amber was in a 5-0 defeat at Wimbledon in May 1968
in the following Bees line up.
Johnny Barr –
Roger Thompson, Peter Jenkins – Gerry Ward, Dennis Roach, Barrie
King – Peter Anderson, Les Eason, Roger Figg, Keith Searle, Bill
Ratty.
It is still
discussed amongst us more senior supporters how the club failed to
win more silverware during the mid 1960's with those wonderful
players and the style of football engineered by Dexter Adams. It
always seemed to be a loss of form at key times due to the lack of
squad players able to fill in when injuries took hold in most fans
opinions and that of the players from the time too. For example we
won only 2 games in all of April and May to finish fifth just 5
points behind champions Romford in 1967 after leading the table for
months The club operated it seems with a minimum of numbers for
many years. Dennis was one of those who was extremely fortunate with
injuries during his spell at Barnet and barely missed a game as his
stats prove.
Derek Scott a
fervent supporter from that era whose Father was the Underhill
Groundsman commented. “Dennis had a carpet shop in Borehamwood when
he joined the club, and helped to organise a club tour to Ireland.
Dennis invited myself and another supporter to travel with the team
on the plane. We jumped at the chance. He was a wonderful commanding
player”.
Dick Rolfe
another long standing supporter remembered him again as an old
fashioned centre half in the Jack Charlton mode. “Brilliant in the
air but not the quickest and relied on his comrades to cover, but
then not many got passed him!”
After leaving
Underhill he joined Bedford Town finishing his playing career at
Hillingdon Borough coming up against us for both teams.
Allegedly a
chance meeting in 1973 while on a family holiday in Portugal he met
and got to know the legendary Dutchman Johann Cruyff and it changed
his life. It seems Cruyff was so impressed with his business acumen
he persuaded him to help with his future career. Roach negotiated
Cruyff's contract with Barcelona and virtually became a football
agent overnight forming PRO International Ltd which successfully ran
until his retirement. His list of clients is quite amazing including
Trevor Francis (the first £1,000,000 player), Terry Venables, Tony
Adams, Paul Gascoigne, Glen Hoddle and Harry Redknapp. It is fair to
say he became a controversial figure in a very challenging and high
profile world of football agents but it is also fair to say he was a
pioneer and had a significant role in helping to promote the modern
players to superstar status. And to think he started out playing for
Barnet on a mud bath sloping pitch at centre half?
He died in
Hospital after a short illness in Christchurch Dorset leaving a wife
Janet and two sons Nicolas and Matthew.
A
memorial service is being held on June 10th
at Christchurch Priory.
Rest in Peace
Dennis.
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| With Tony Adams |
Reckless May
2019
I was following Crawley Town in the 60's and remember Dennis well in what was a great Barnet team. They made mincemeat of the first division when they joined in 65. I was a great admirer and it shows they should have joined the Southern League much earlier, as should Wimbledon.
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