In
the spotlight is a central defender and club Captain who made close
to 400 appearances for the club and was the ultimate Mr Reliable.
I hereby
declare that Kevin is another player from Underhill's history who
will always hold a special affinity with me as a player,
and a person, and is in my all time Barnet FC line up.
Kevin
signed Junior forms at his home town club in 1969. “But I soon
discovered girls and other delights as you do. I put on a fair bit of
weight and grew my hair. I admit I got distracted from playing and
training drifting into Sunday League whilst doing my apprenticeship
in the printing trade”.
Fate
struck whist Kevin was playing for a local side run by his Father.
“Dad had arranged a friendly against Dunstable reserves and who
should be playing up front for them making up the numbers? Yeah,
their manager Barry Fry and I was marking him. He didn’t get a
kick, so after the game he said ‘I wanna sign yer my son’, so I
joined Dunstable Town in the Southern League. Soon afterwards Barry
signed George Best, and the lads just couldn’t believe it. He sat
down next to me in the dressing room and said ‘hi lads’ and I
couldn’t take my eyes of him there he was the legend, absolutely
incredible that I played on the same pitch as Best.
Kevin
moved to Hillingdon Borough (with Fry) and then joined Barnet (and
Fry again) in the summer of 1979. “Funny enough Billy Meadows tried
to sign me for Barnet in 1977 and I could have played with another of
my heroes, Jimmy Greaves”.
Millett signs for Fry |
“We
had a very young side, under achieved without question, but playing
at Underhill at the time was infectious. As a defender at Barnet you
had to be composed and focused as we normally started with game with
8 forwards!”
Kevin's Debut was 18th August 1979 in the following line up that lost 2-1 at Nuneaton Borough in the Alliance Premier League;
Kevin Blackwell - Chris Hullett, Graham Pearce, Steve Oliver, Kevin Millett -Russell Townsend, Les McCormack, Steve Turner, Steve Robinson - Brian Siani and Martin Sperrin. Sub: Gary French.
Kevin Blackwell - Chris Hullett, Graham Pearce, Steve Oliver, Kevin Millett -Russell Townsend, Les McCormack, Steve Turner, Steve Robinson - Brian Siani and Martin Sperrin. Sub: Gary French.
Among
his central defender partners were Steve Oliver, Steve Robinson, Pat Kruse, Alan
Garner, Bill Baldry, Martin Chivers, Tony Bennett, Bob Pittaway and
Glyn Creaser but Millett was the first choice in central defence and
was made club Captain. He singles out Creaser and Baldry as his two
favourites. “Bill was such fun to play alongside and we are still
close friends even after all these years. Glyn was so easy to play
with as he always seemed to be there when I needed him, you never
needed to worry about him. Strong as an ox too”
The
highlights at that time for Kevin were the FA cup games against
Peterborough, Brighton and Bristol Rovers, the later two including
replays in front of big crowds while the disappointments were the
unjustified defeat at Northwich in the FA trophy and the Bob Lord
Trophy Final defeats against Stafford Rangers and Scarborough.
Millett was forever being singled out for praise in press reports, Mr
Reliable he was. “I knew we had the potential at the club and felt
that if someone could come along and inject some money we would
succeed”.
Kevin
moved on when Roger Thompson took over the reins at the club and had
a very brief spell at Maidstone Utd (yes with Fry!) but returned to
play in the side that was the catalyst for the promotion success five
years later. “The cheque book came out and quality players arrived
on a regular basis” Kevin’s all time favourite Barnet performance
was against Boston in the replayed FA Trophy tie. “We beat them 3-0
at Cambridge United’s ground and was the perfect game. The pitch
suited our style, the crowd were electric and David Sansom and Edwin
Stein were brilliant that night, great memories.
Such
was Kevin’s ability that he received offers from the top non-league
clubs of the time including Runcorn and Telford United but always
chose to stay at Barnet. “I had a thriving business career and the
balance between playing and working was perfect”.
Kevin Millett 1989 |
Kevin
suffered with his fair share of injuries and would have certainly
played 500 games for the club had he kept fit. At the end of
the 1987-88 season he decided on semi retirement to concentrate more
on his printing business. “Barry came round to my house and he
spent about two hours trying to persuade me to continue playing, but
I was struggling for fitness. I offered my services for reserve games
and the Club Call Cup fixtures should I be needed though. The club
granted him a testimonial against Tottenham in May 1988. His final
game was in the Club Call Cup Final versus Hyde United in May 1989
“It was the only winners medal I ever won with the club!” Line Up: Andy Lomas - Paul Wilson, Wayne Turner, Kevin Millett, George Reilly -Gary poole, Steve Ketteridge, Edwin Stein - Gary Bull, David Sansom, Frank Murphy. Subs David Regis and Richard Nugent.
Kevin
played for Vauxhall Motors and then Langford before a move to Hitchin
Town and then to Baldock Town before a return to Dunstable where he
took a joint Manager role with his long time friend and ex Bee Steve
Brinkman. “I finished my playing career aged 37 at Brache Sparta
playing alongside my old friends John Margerrison, Bill Baldry and
Brinks. The Barnet connection has always been there and will never
leave me I am sure.”
Kevin
lives in Dunstable, still in the printing trade, with his wife Liz
and has four very grown up children. Kevin
is the Sales Director of Regal Litho, the current Bee’s programme
printers and is amongst the clubs sponsors. We keep in regular touch and will be seen at the Hive very very soon.
Bill Baldry, Reckless, Kevin Millett |
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