Barnet FC sit 1st in the National League with 93 points and look set for a return to the Football League for the first time since the 2017/18 season. Join me as we look at how the Bees fared in their last spell in the promised land, how the Bees have been able to establish success in the 5th tier of English Football through Dean Brennan’s management and how they can become competitive should they return to the 4th tier for the 2025/26 season.
Relegation from the Football League –
In the 2017-18 season, after 3 seasons in League Two, Barnet were relegated from League Two on goal difference. This followed two 15th place finishes in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons respectively after their promotion from the National League in the 2014-15 season. The 2017-18 season was a period where the Bees picked up 46 points winning 12 games whilst losing 24 in a season which saw the London based side go through an unprecedented 4 managers on their way to relegation from the EFL.
Rebuilding After Covid –
The 2020-21 season was Barnet’s worst since their relegation to the National League with the threat of relegation looming and looking inevitable. With a 22nd place that would usually have seen the London outfit relegated to the National League South, Covid-19 saved them through the postponement of both the National League North and South which voided the results of the table leading to no teams being promoted that season which saved Barnet from relegation.
Following an 18th place finish in the 2021/22 season which saw their current manager Dean Brennan enter the club, the 2022/23 season gave Bees fans a first glimpse of success. With a 5th place finish which included 21 wins and a 74 point total, Brennan’s team were able to secure a play-off quarter-final spot and even with a loss to Boreham Wood in that quarter-final, the first signs of rebuilding and progress could be seen inside the club.
Improvement followed again in the next season as the turnaround continued with 26 wins and a 2nd place finish, although a heavy defeat to Solihull Moors in the semi-final, ended their hopes of returning to the fourth tier through the play-offs.
The 2024/25 season –
The 2024/25 season started with a period of summer recruitment which saw the Bees sign players such as Harry Chapman, Nick Hayes and Harry Glover with the first two arriving off the back of previous experience in higher leagues. This came alongside keeping key players such as Callum Stead who currently leads the way in Barnet’s goal scoring numbers with 16 goals. These players alongside others created a competitive squad that would be able to challenge for promotion in the National League.
What followed this period of recruitment is a season of immense success which has been powered by their success at the Hive – where Barnet remain unbeaten this season with 17 wins and 3 draws. As well as this, the Bees’ away form – which has seen Brennan’s side pick up 37 points – ranks 2nd best in the division further contributing to the success of the London outfit.
Furthermore, the runs that Barnet have put together have also benefited the team greatly and have acted as a big contributor to the success of the side. With runs of 6 wins in a row and most recently 9 wins in a row, the Bees have been able to pick up points quickly allowing them to move both to the summit of the division and to open up a gap of 8 points over 2nd place York City, increasing their chances of being promoted automatically to the Football League.
How can Barnet be competitive in League Two? –
If Barnet were to be promoted to League Two whether that be automatically by winning the title or through the play-offs, they would need to do several things to be able to compete and stay in the division. One of these is the correct recruitment. In previous seasons, we have seen Chesterfield, Notts County and Wrexham all come up from the National League and their ability to invest and recruit in players suitable for League Two has helped them to succeed in the division. This is something that must be done by Barnet to target success in the division whether it be through improving their attacking threat or becoming more defensively robust than they currently are.
With sides such as Swindon, Crewe and Gillingham looking likely to be in the division as well as several of the best sides in this year’s division in the top 7, a correct recruitment could help them to compete against these sides and alongside the other sides that will look to improve on their performance in their respective divisions.
Becoming tough to beat is also very important – especially away from home – in the division. The EFL’s most recent addition Bromley are a good example of this. This can be achieved through the correct defensive shape and the Bees’ 3-4-3 formation which they currently use allows for a 5 at the back system when defending making them hard to score against. This can help to gain points in games away from home – points which may be crucial in Barnet’s pursuit of survival in a first season.
Barnet – A Team On The Rise? –
Barnet are a team who have been on a journey with the highs of the Football League and the lows of the National League. The Bees seem to be on the rise after a period of flying around the 5th division of the English football pyramid and are threatening to return to their best-ever league in League Two. With the correct recruitment, strategy and support, Brennan’s side will aim to build even more next season whether this be in the National League or the EFL. What do you think – are Barnet on the rise? Comment your view below!
