Star-studded Premiership giants Arsenal kick-off the new season at Underhill on Saturday, July 19, in the now traditional pre - season friendly. Their youngsters play their home reserve matches at Underhill and the Gunners, in return, send their strongest available first team squad players to test Paul Fairclough's side.

Three Footballers of the Year, Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pires, are among the Arsenal players who have played in this fixture in recent games, but Barnet are fortunate to boast that nearly all the Gunners' first team squads over the last seven years have at one time or another graced the Underhill turf. This includes the likes of Sol Campbell, Patrick Vieira, Jose Antonio Reyes, Emanuel Petit, Marc Overmars and Tony Adams.

With two months still to go before Arsene Wenger brings his side, arguably the best footballing team in Britain, to play the Bees, the main stand and the newly-named West Community Stand are SOLD OUT, apart from hospitality packages in the Players' Lounge and a couple of sponsorship packages in the Directors' Lounge.

Tickets for the South Family Stand and the North Family Stand are on sale now at £21, plus standing on the East Terrace (£18) and the North and NW Terraces (£15). Early purchase is advised with nearly half the stadium already sold.

Also lined up for the Bees are two more attractive Saturday home games against higher division opposition ... and the club has a very special buy-one-get-one-free offer to all supporters ... if you buy one match of the visits of Leeds United and Watford you get the other for free.

It has been football bargain time at Barnet FC this close season. Not only cut-price season tickets if purchased before May 31, but the offer of two games for the price of one for Leeds and Watford if tickets are purchased in advance from the ticket office at Underhill. These offers will not be available on the day of the match where normal League 2 entry prices will apply.

So clearly getting them in advance makes sense. See you all in July.

Dennis Signy

Click here for more ticket information for the 2008/2009 season.