FANS of Barnet Football Club have launched a campaign to bring the club back to Underhill just days after the Bees played their last game at the historic ground.

The Barnet FC Supporters Trust is hoping to submit a planning application to build a 10,000-capacity stadium next to the site of the existing stadium in Mays Lane, High Barnet, as part of its “Back 2 Barnet” campaign.

From next season Barnet will play at The Hive training ground in Harrow, after a breakdown in talks between the club and Barnet Council over extending the club’s lease for the cricket ground next to the stadium. The stadium is owned by the authority and provides access to the ground.

The club, which has a ten-year lease for The Hive, aims to expand the ground into a 5,100-capacity stadium.

However, supporters’ trust director Derek Rocholl said the move to Harrow was not a permanent solution.

Saturday’s 1-0 win against Wycombe Wanderers saw the League Two side move out of the relegation battle, and Mr Rocholl said added revenues from The Hive’s gym and leisure facilities meant that things could get even better for the club over the next few years.

“Provided we retain our league status everything should be on the up and up,” he said. “If you have got a successful club that could be in League One you could get to the point where 5,000 capacity is going to be short of requirements.”

“There is no suggestion that Harrow Council and the residents around The Hive want the stadium to be anything above 5,100.”

Mr Rocholl said the trust would be submitting an application to build the new stadium on the existing site and on the cricket ground – which has previously been the subject of disputes between Barnet chairman Tony Kleanthous and the council.

While the application has the backing of the club, which would also fund the development, the estimated £75,000 needed to cover the application fee would be covered by the trust and donations from fans.

Mr Rocholl said he hoped a supporter-funded application would force the club and the authority to re-enter serious negotiations over a new lease for the adjacent plot of land.

He said: “We want the politicians to see a show of strength from the community about how passionately they feel about getting their local football club back.”

Barnet Council leader Richard Cornelius said he would be “delighted” to meet with the trust to discuss its plans.
To support the campaign visit www.bfctrust.co.uk