It's an historic landmark in the annals of Barnet FC.... on this day 100 years ago football was first played at Underhill.

Crystal Palace were the visitors on September 14, 1907, and a crowd "numbering close on 800" according to the first match report, were "well satisfied with the game provided" as they saw Barnet Alston run out the winners 1-0.

The report starts: "The new ground of Barnet Alston was opened under auspicious circumstances on Saturday last. The playing pitch is not yet in tip-top condition, but it will soon be brought to a better state. The other conditions on Saturday last tended towards a good exhibition of footer".

Barnet played up the "slight slope" in the first half and, "after a much needed breather of the regulation five minutes period, the winning goal was scored by Seabrook in the second period ...."this goal brought down the house".

The report ended: "The game was played in the best of spirits and was the best seen in Barnet for a considerable time. Altogether, a happy augury for the new venture by the local club".

To mark the anniversary, Barnet are playing in 1907 replica kit this season and the old gold and black stripes shirt have proved a popular choice among supporters. The kit was launched at a pre-season friendly against Crystal Palace, which attracted a crowd of 1,371 and saw the Championship side win 3-2.

Underhill, which looked in pristine condition this week, is geared for the Coca-Cola League 2 visit of Rochdale tomorrow, these days with a crowd capacity of 5,300 and an average attendance of just over 2,000.

Improvements are needed by the end of this season to meet Football League criteria, including more covered seating accommodation, and a crunch date comes in October when new plans for Underhill that have been submitted for planning approval will be heard. The plans include a new roof on both the North and South stands, plus new floodlights.

Since Tony Kleanthous became chairman 13 years ago, the search has been on for a new stadium for the club in the borough of Barnet to enable the club to move forward and compete on a level playing field with other clubs with larger attendances and greater commercial opportunities.

Copthall and South Underhill, on the site of the Barnet Cricket Club, which is now owned by Barnet FC, have proved costly and there have been unsuccessful efforts to improve.

Efforts to improve the facilities at Copthall and South Underhill, the site of Barnet Cricket Club, now owned by Barnet FC, have all proved costly and unsuccessful.

The club has said for years that continuing playing at the spiritual home of Underhill is a short term measure ... but 100 years have gone by and we are still here.

Underhill has staged many good exhibitions of footer since 1907 and Barnet players have scored many goals that have "brought down the house". Jason Puncheon seems to be doing that on a weekly basis in 2007.

Let's raise a glass to 100 years at Underhill.

Dennis Signy