Are Barnet punching above their weight in League 2?
Will the Bees eventually move to The Hive, the 44-acre complex in Edgware where the team trains?
Chairman Tony Kleanthous provides some answers to your questions in Part 1 of his Question and Answer feature.
Please note: ALL questions are anwered. All by the chairman.
The Ledger family from Block D
From David Ledger
1 The level of our home support suggests we should be a mid-table Blue Square Premier team. Can we keep punching above our weight if attendances don't improve?
In the short term yes, maybe, but in the long term no. Football has changed dramatically in the last 20 years and the rule changes, coupled with central League payments, make it harder and harder to compete without strong committed support and the regular income stream it provides. Some fans think the answer is to spend more money which would lead to more success and more support,but that only works if the increase in spend is sustainable otherwise you will just break the club as happened at Leeds, Portsmouth and countless others. I have always said that we can compete for promotion as long as we have an average attendance in any division and we proved that in the Conference, the trouble is our attendance is only half the average for League 2.
From David Ledger
2 Ian Hendon was in the Main Stand at the Watford pre-season friendly. Are you two still on good terms?
I would like to think so, there are certainly no hard feelings on my behalf and let's not forget he was our captain and talisman for many years.
From David Ledger
3 Can you help us spend our money by opening the Players' Lounge to fans at half time?
I would love to but the problem is the sheer numbers, we get too many people trying to enter too small a space. This is why we made the Players' lounge so cheap and good value, only £15 inc VAT for Players Lounge access, a meal and a programme, to encourage regular fans to use the lounge but to help us control the numbers.
From Helen Ledger
4 Your mum's a regular at matches. Does she tell you what to do when it comes to the club and the team?
No but she has a few choice words for most referees!
From Martha, Flo and Sally Ledger
5 We think we got promoted because you stopped cutting your hair. Will you please stop cutting it again?
I can't see that happening again, it was crazy enough first time round!
From George Myerson (season ticket south stand)
6 Seeing the Ladies team parading the trophy at the Burton game and the crowd response made me wonder whether it would be possible for them to play the occasional game at Underhill.
I realise that couldn't be a regular thing as the pitch would become a ploughed field by the end of the year, but maybe one or two of the best games? I think they'd probably get a decent though not huge attendance, don't you?
I want to see more of these games as well so we will need to try and find a way to facilitate the matches and cover the costs.
From Mike Moate (East Terrace Season Ticket Holder + Player Sponsor)
7 Is it your hope that one day you will be allowed to build a stadium and play league football at The Hive, or do you not see this as an option?
More a backup plan than an option. I desperately want to see Barnet FC playing at a new stadium in Barnet and this will be my focus over the next few years. Health willing, in another four years I will have been at the helm searching for a new home for twenty years so if we do not have something built by then I will look to move the club. This is not intended to put pressure on the Council or anyone else, it is just accepting the inevitable and organising the future of the club accordingly.
From Craig Clayton
8 Following the successful launch of The Hive, what's next on the agenda and is there a timeline?
Well, in the last few years we have stabilised the finances of the club, improved Underhill, built new training facilities that are the envy of every FL club and started our new Centre of Excellence. We now need to fine tune all the different elements of the club and ensure everyone and everything is focused on developing and improving the first team. Due to squad budgeting regulations in Football League 2 we can only spend revenue on the team that we generate so investments in things like our new Starbucks coffee shop or the pitch bookings at the Hive will start to filter through to the first team budget. We have also invested in better qualified staff and the quality of personnel assembled at the Hive will ensure some good young footballers coming through for the future. Unfortunately, some of our fans don't understand how modern football clubs work and we need to educate them to help them understand that we are building a club for the future form a base of quicksand. The club is ready for League 1 and we must now put together a squad and team capable of challenging.
From Craig Clayton
9 Would the Chairman/Club welcome marketing / money making suggestions for Barnet F.C.?
I would like to think we would welcome all suggestions and implement those that are viable.
