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BFCSA Programme Notes
Shrewsbury, 15 August 2009

Alex Jones

AT LEAST WE AREN’T NORWICH

The pre season optimism gave way to a harsh dose of reality when we continued our poor record at Sincil Bank in recent years. Apparently we have not won a Football League opening day game since 2000. Anyway, for some consolation read my opening heading.

JUST LIKE EDDIE

The BFCSA are pleased to announce Eddie Thompson as new chairman, after my temporary six month stint ended last month. He has written a short biography for www.bfcsa.co.uk. As well as recalling Alf and Dennis D’Arcy he declares “I see BFCSA as an independent yet vital part of the club dedicated to working closely with the club chairman, directors and management. Every supporter wants to see Barnet FC continue to be a success story and I firmly believe the SA has an important role to play to ensure that the club meets with success both on and off the pitch”. Eddie sent a message to Tony Kleanthous on behalf of the BFCSA, congratulating him on his election to the FA board.

PAST ENCOUNTER

We met Shrewsbury on October 3rd1993, and you could buy the official match day programme for a pound. The Shrews team that day included Paul Edwards, Dean Spink, Carl Griffiths and five men named Mark-Taylor, Blake, Barham, Smith and Williams. The programme included a feature on Shrewsbury’s first season in the Football League written by David Howgate, action photos taken by Sue Morgan, and a spot the difference column. Barry Fry praised his opposing boss John Bond as “one of the few characters left in the game”.Bazza also thanked Ron Atkinson for arranging a practice match at Villa Park a few days earlier. The final score was Barnet 2 Shrewsbury Town 2, both goals scored by the prolific Gary Bull. I checked on these stats by referring to the results history on www.bfcsa.co.uk, once again marshalled by John Snow. This particular page included an appeal by the Finchley Choral Society for sponsors.

FCBFCSA

Today the Supporters teams of both Barnet and Shrewsbury were scheduled to play. Last season my very mentioning of the fixtures seemed to guarantee postponement, but hopefully the team can build on the pre season thrashing of Celtic. Listen out for the score on the tannoy.

MORE TONY KLEANTHOUS INTERVIEWS

The three part BFCSA meets Tony Kleanthous feature is available on the website. The interview was carried out by Ben Kentish and Sam Norris .They quiz the Chairman on his long-term plans for the Prince Edward Playing Fields, and he replies;

“I’m hoping it will become known as one of the best football academies, not only in London and England, but in the world. My intention is to have a first –class facility that is recognised throughout football. We want the site to be used for teams who are playing England at Wembley……that is why I don’t particularly want us to have our stadium there; I see it as being a first class training centre, and I don’t want any distractions from that”.

Tony goes on to hope that ladies and youth games will played at the stadium. A nice afternoon out for those of us like me who live within walking distance in the Colindale area or west side of the Borough. For the full interviews refer to [here]

TRAVEL PREVIEW

For the seventy fourth consecutive year, Steve Percy will organise the Supporters travel. Please consult with the travel line 01707 647365, and leave your name if you wish to go to Devon. To travel to Torquay costs £35 or £30 for a category F game under the revised system. The coach will leave the Odeon at 8.0am. Once again the BFCSA will run transport to all competitive matches.

BFCSA

To join the Association it will cost you just £10, a mere £5 for concessions, and this is necessary if you wish to use the luxury coach travel. Other benefits include a prize draw, newsletters and free or priority entry to social events including the Player of the Year presentation. Download a form or write to the Membership Secretary at 63, Western Way Barnet Herts. EN52BU. Steve Mann will no doubt be at hand with the forms in the Pavilion today.

THE LEGENDARY MR ROLFE

Today we honour Dick Rolfe, tannoy man at Underhill for as long as anyone can remember. The Lester Finch Award is given by the BFCSA to anyone who has made a major contribution to our club, and past winners include Paul Wilson, Tony Kleanthous, Barry Fry, Ian Hendon and Kevin Mullen. Illustrious company, I think you must agree.

FOOTBALL LEAGUE SHOW

Those of us who prop open our eyes with matchsticks might have stayed up last Saturday to see the new BBC venture. Sadly my area of Wales was still a couple of weeks away from the exciting upgrade to Digital so I was not able to press the red button the following day before starting out for chapel. Manish Bhasin and Steve Claridge presented from a studio which echoed like a chapel. So what do we make of the dramatic arrival of Sven to our division, and the fact that he will be with us in only a few weeks? Well surely any publicity for League 2 is good, and it was encouraging that Richard Bacon on Five Live mentioned Hooters bar and Macclesfield in the same interview on the afternoon that the appointment of the cherubic Swede was confirmed. Anyway let us hope that we can make our own minor headlines with an encouraging start to our own Football League season at Underhill this afternoon.

Good luck to the Bees.