Nick Sandamas on Barnet FC’s preparations for another promotion bid

With the 2024/25 season just over a month away, Dean Brennan has high expectations that this could be the season for Barnet FC to finally end their seven-year exile from the Football League.

Following two play-off failures, Brennan has shown his intent in preparation for the new season with plenty of comings and goings in recent weeks.

As I write this, nine new players have entered The Hive door with twelve departures: these were Ben Wynter (who has since joined Woking) Courtney Senior, Laurie Walker, Gary Hooper, Moussa Diarra, Sam Graville and Connor Stevens with the other six being the loan players including midfield rock Anthony Hartigan.

Captain Dale Gorman also left to join National League rivals Woking after failing to agree terms on a new deal.

The good news was the one-year deals signed by veteran defenders Jerome Okimo and Ben Coker, with talks ongoing with a few other players about extending their deals.

The first of the nine new players to arrive was striker Rhys Browne, who came from Woking on a two-year deal, followed by tricky winger Jermaine Francis from Chelmsford and defender Nik Tavaras from fellow National League side Dagenham & Redbridge.

They were closely followed by another defender, Joe Grimwood from newly promoted Braintree Town and 22-year-old attacking midfielder Finlay Wilkinson. Wilkinson started at Ipswich Town before being released last summer and joining Hitchin Town where he scored a very impressive 16 goals.

With one keeper, Laurie Walker, being released and another, Josh Keeley, returning to Spurs after his loan deal ended, finding a new number one became a priority. This was achieved with the signing of the impressive Nick Hayes, who spent the second part of the last season on loan at Solihull and played in the play-off match which ended the Bees season.

Centre half Joe Kizzi became the Bees seventh summer signing, arriving from relegated Sutton United having hardly missed a match in his three seasons there. Days later another centre half in Joe Rye joined from Worthing, whilst experienced 27-year-old midfielder Mark Shelton became the Bees ninth signing to date from Oldham Athletic. Shelton is very experienced at this level having achieved promotion with both Salford & Hartlepool United.

With these exciting new signings and the players from last season, Bees fans are feeling good about the forthcoming season and they are fancied to do well after coming so close in the previous two campaigns.

With the fixtures being released on 10^th July and with the new season starting on 10^th August, the Bees have a number of pre-season friendlies to look forward to, giving the fans a first chance to see the new signings in action before the new season starts in earnest.

The Bees kick off their pre-season campaign on Tuesday 9th July with a visit to Hitchin Town followed by a trip to the home of Dunstable Town to face MK Dons, then trips to a trio of National League South sides Chesham United, Hemel Hempstead, Chelmsford City and Hornchurch.

The Bees conclude their pre-season schedule on Saturday 3rd August when they host League Two AFC Wimbledon in their only pre-season game at The Hive (a week before the real business begins).

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