Despite a chequered history of problems on and off the pitch, Barnet FC can point to recent years as the most successful in their long history.
That history began in 1888 and although Barnet FC disappeared in the 1901-02 season, the club re-emerged after various mergers as Barnet and Alston FC in 1912, eventually becoming Barnet FC six years later.
The new club spent 50 years in the Athenian League, winning it seven times before turning semi-professional and moving up into the non-league football pyramid in 1965.
It then took the club 26 years to make it to the Football League, with colourful manager Barry Fry finally guiding the club into Division Four in 1991 after taking the runners-up spot in the Conference three times in four years.
A year later, Barnet gained promotion to what had become Football League Division Two, the highest level the Bees have ever reached.
That lofty position was lost after just one season and has never been matched despite the efforts of some high-profile managers, such as Ray Clemence, Alan Mullery and Peter Shreeves.
After twice reaching the Division Three play-offs in 1998 and 2000, the club then slipped out of the Football League a year later after finishing bottom of the 92 league clubs.
But back in the Football League after winning the title in 2005, it is now down to current manager Ian Hendon to try and mount a promotion challenge to return to the third tier of English football
Hendon’s first season in charge led to a 17th place finish in League Two, and he will be aiming for some solid improvement as Barnet look to climb the Football League ladder once again.
