Mark Stimson says that his appointment as Barnet manager is "a fantastic challenge".

Stimson, who only took over two days ago, revealed to www.barnetfc.com this morning these encouraging words: "I am already talking to players and their representatives about coming to Barnet and I am hoping to sign a few in the near future".

The manager also said that he had been trying to contact the holidaying Frenchman Kenny Gillet and 16-goal top scorer John O'Flynn, whose contracts with Barnet are due to expire at the end of this month.

He has been to The Hive, the Bees' 44-acre training ground site at Edgware and calls it "an amazing set-up".

Stimson told BBC London 94.9 in an initial interview: "I've met the chairman and other people at the club.

"They've got beliefs that I've got about how the game should be played and we look forward to putting those into practice".

Watch this space!

Add to this morning's Stimson story this footnote:-

Footnote: Mark Stimson played six games for Barnet on loan between September-October 1995 on loan from Portsmouth.

Dennis Signy