For March 13th I'm going back 28 years to 1993 and Barnet's League Division 3 game against York City.
Barnet came into this game sitting proudly on top of the table and were strong contenders for automatic promotion with only 12 games remaining. York were in fourth place, just outside of the automatic promotion places and had suffered unwelcome behind-the-scenes changes in the previous days. Manager John Ward, wrongly accredited in the programme as still being City's manager, had left City to become Bristol Rovers' new manager. Ward had helped to turn the club into promotion contenders in his first managerial appointment after previously assisting Graham Taylor at Watford and Aston Villa. Ward's assistant, Alan Little, who had already been at York for five years in a backroom capacity, stepped up to take the reigns.
What followed was nothing short of remarkable. York blew Barnet away at Underhill winning 5-1 thanks to a hattrick from Paul Barnes, one from Ian Blackstone plus an own goal. Future York player Gary Bull got Barnet's solitary goal. Despite the setback, Barnet managed to drag themselves over the automatic promotion line at the end of the season finishing in third place, four points ahead of York who would have to seek promotion via the end of season play-off route.
Barnet's side were in their second Football League season. In addition to larger-than-life manager Barry Fry, the infamous Stan Flashman was their Chairman, renowned throughout the sport and music industries as a ticket tout. York's side included future Premier League and International goalkeeper Dean Kiely, Paul Stancliffe and the aforementioned Paul Barnes. In his career, Barnes scored 206 times in 578 games although not one was in the top flight. In contrast, Barnes' son Harvey is currently carving our a fine reputation for himself in the top flight for Leicester City and England.
CRB Match No. 825
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