What follows is the evolution of Barnet FC into the club that now proudly bears the name. In the beginning, the town created Woodville FC, this was in 1882. In 1885 the name changed to New Barnet FC. The first outing of Barnet FC came in 1888 when the New was dropped from the name. In 1901 Barnet had to be dissolved after financial difficulties, coupled with a suspension for overpaying their amateur players’ excessive expenses proved too big a bridge to cross. Another club called Barnet Avenue renamed themselves Barnet FC and the name was reborn in 1904. Two weeks before the original Barnet FC dissolved another club was formed from the workers of a dental manufacturer in Alston Road, and they named themselves Alston Works AFC. Nicknamed “The Dentists”. They also felt the need for a change of name in 1904, so became Barnet Alston AFC. Are you still with me? In 1912 a merger was suggested so the old Barnet Avenue side, now called Barnet FC, merged with the once called Alston Works AFC, now called Barnet Alston AFC and the merger produced no, not Barnet FC, but Barnet and Alston AFC. A little bit like pulling teeth init. After the end of the First World War Barnet and Alston AFC felt the need for a change so in 1919, came the final name swap back to Barnet FC and so it remains to this day. Phew! Many thanks, to Barnet anorak John Atkins for his help as well as some interesting and informative phone chats. Thanks, also to Tony Rayner who John went to on my behalf. Thanks lads you’re a couple of diamond geezers.
John informed me that Barnet had sported a badge as early as 1959, but only on the odd special occasion. The badge worn today on every occasion is made up of both the football club’s history and the borough’s coat of arms. (PIC 1) Incidentally, John told me a bit of interesting trivia and that is the fact that Barnet is the only club named after the London Borough in which they are located. Back to the badge, and the shield stands on a scroll and within it are the club’s initials. The shield itself has a green mound and it represents Barnet Hill on top of which used to sit the club’s old ground Queens Road. The ground has since moved from the top of the hill to under the hill. Underhill Stadium held about 6,000 fans. An early nickname of the club was “The Hillmen”, but it was short-lived. Another of John’s interesting facts was that the pitch itself was a hill and the steepest in the country. So steep in fact that at one time the crossbar of one goal was level with the goal line of the other! Visitors to Barnet now play on a level playing field thanks to a move in 2013 to the Hive Stadium. Wherever you look you can get a different number regarding capacity but it averages out at about 6,500. The Hive is of course derived from the club’s nickname “The Bees”.
Back to the badge, and on top of the hill is a football to represent the beautiful game and on each side of the ball are two corner flags that are flying the club colours of black and amber giving rise to the club’s nickname of “The Bees”. The shield sits on a scroll displaying the clubs initials BFC. Barnet itself begins with a B giving rise to the nickname of, wait for it, “The Bees”. The symbols in the chief of the shield have been lent from the borough coat of arms. (PIC 2) The red and white background and the red and white roses are alluding to Lancashire and Yorkshire. Lancashire has the red rose and Yorkshire the white. These along with the swords allude to the War of the Roses. The last battle of the war was fought on nearby Hadley Green in 1471. The symbol between the two swords that are not included in the badge looks like a horseshoe but is in fact omega, the last letter of the Greek alphabet, and also represents the last battle. The rest of the arms include the two crosses and fleur-de-lis in the chief or top of the shield. These are symbolic of the Parish Church of St Mary’s, East Barnet. The leafy wreath is again in the colours of York and Lancs. On the crest is a six-pronged crown relating to the six wards of the district. Out from the crown rises a hart from the Hertfordshire County Council Arms. Around its neck is a wreath of oak alluding to the woods of the area, especially Oak Hill. The shield hanging from the oak shows the arms of the Abbey of St Alban’s. The motto “WILLINGNESS RIDS WAY” is taken from Shakespeare’s Henry VI Part III where these words are spoken by King Edward after the battle of Barnet, and mean that determination ensures progress.
The name Barnet comes from the Anglo-Saxon Baernet, which means, the place cleared by burning. John tells me Barnet has no rivals in the league but down the years a fierce rivalry has built up with nearby Enfield. To find out more on Barnet FC then buzz off to www.barnetfc.com
