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Programme Notes Dagenham & Redbridge, 26 December Good afternoon and welcome to the BFCSA page. CHRISTMAS GREETINGS I hope you all had a great day yesterday and got all the things you wished for. Hopefully the day will have gone with out any hitches and you all had an excellent dinner washed down with a few glasses of your favourite tipple. Still, it's back to the real world of football today so I'd like to give a warm welcome to all the Dagenham & Redbridge fans who have made the relatively short journey to Underhill today and hope you enjoy yourselves and have a safe journey home. FOREST GREEN ROVERS As you will know we have been drawn away to Forest Green Rovers in the FA Trophy. Bill Cresswell and I came up with the idea of making it more of a day out, so Bill has arranged with Andy Whiting (the Forest Green Supporters Club Chairman) to have a 'get together' before the game in the Forest Green clubhouse. This is open to all and promises to be good fun. As I write this there is also talk of arranging a game between fans (indoors at the leisure Centre) if anyone is interested. If you would like to play you can e-mail me at psnow@bfcsa.net or let one of the committee members know today. Because of the above the coach will have to leave earlier than usual, but I'll let you know the exact details in the Doncaster programme, also on the website at www.bfcsa.net MEET THE COMMITTEE
I have been following Barnet since 10th October 1967 when I made my first 'appearance' at Underhill v Cheltenham Town and have been going to Barnet ever since. I have not missed a home game since 12th October 1968 and only one away since 24th April 1973. That was the 0-0 draw with Enfield on Boxing Day 1981, the story of which has been told many times before. I also follow the results of Tottenham and Millwall, due to family connections and my other great love is Glasgow Rangers. I have been on the BFCSA Committee for 24 years and have been the Chairman since the late 80's. In any spare time I have I visit as many grounds as possible and also follow Speedway and Cricket. Reading, Rock Music and drinking also play a part in my life, the latter I can incorporate with the football! Following Barnet is a continual 'Roller Coaster' ride, however I feel the good times have far outweighed the bad. The two things I always dreamed of as a boy was to see Barnet play in the Football League and the great Jimmy Greaves play in the Black and Amber, both of which would have been impossible back in 1967 but would later happen. So now my dream is to see the current ground problem resolved and see Barnet back in the League. The highlights have been the Trophy final at Wembley in 1972 and that great day at Fisher in 1991 when we won promotion to the Football League. Unfortunately there have been a couple of lows, relegation in 1975 and of course the sad day against Torquay in May 2000. It has been a great pleasure to know so many nice people and characters in my time supporting the Bees. My favourite Manager is Barry Fry, not just because of the Conference win but because of the way he plays the game and is also a 'top bloke'. I am still in contact with him and there can't be many Managers who would let you take home the Conference Championship Trophy, which I did the day we won it! We have had so many great players at Barnet in my time that I could fill the entire programme, but if I had to name my favourite player I would find it difficult to split Les Eason and Nicky (God) Evans, both tremendous players and great blokes. I also seem to have had a great rapport with goalkeepers with Jack McClelland, Wilf Woodend (both sadly no longer with us), Gary Phillips, Steve Humphries, Andy Lomas, Maik Taylor and Lee Harrison all being great servants to the club, not to mention Paddy Powell, Kevin Millet, John Margerrison and (5) Bill Baldry. Being Chairman of BFCSA has brought me into conflict with various Chairman of the Club at different times. This includes Stan Flashman who went from threatening to have my legs shot (!) to sending me a top Christmas hamper with a £50.00 note in it. I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank the current Chairman Tony Kleanthous who drove me to Bristol and back in December when he heard I couldn't get to a reserve match that had been switched at the last moment. Which other Chairman would do that? As I complete writing this article, the news has just come through that the Football League may change the rules regarding ground criteria which should knock on to the Conference and hopefully the 6,000 capacity being lifted. After the last few years the Bees have had we must be due some good news. I will sign off now. I hope you are having a good Christmas and have a Happy New Year. |
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Well, here it is, a man who I'm
sure needs no introduction: