Darren Currie last week became the latest in a short line of mercurial talents to have donned the Green and White shirt with pride over the last 20 odd years of my attendance at Hendon. This video special gives a platform for some of these free spirits to showcase their talents.
1) Dale Binns
The one genuine success story to come from the youth system set up by Ivor Arbiter in the mid 90s and benefit the first team, Binnsy (or Dusty as I believe he’s been nicknamed at other clubs) broke through in the 1999/2000 season with a terrific solo goal to break his duck at home to Basingstoke Town on a pudding of a pitch hinted at the quality he possessed. The following season, the one that never ended, saw Dale become a genuine star at Ryman Premier level as he tore defences apart with his pace, trickery and creativity and ended the term as leading secorer with 18 goals. Before leaving the club at the close of the 2003/4 season for Cambridge City and long time admirer Gary Roberts, he amassed 41 goals in 212 appearances for the club. Since leaving Claremont Road Binnsy has established himself as a perennial promotion pusher in the Blue Square South, and has had a couple of spells in Non League’s top flight with Stevenage Borough and Hayes & Yeading United. Below, you can see the kind of thing we all became accustomed to watching him do in his time at Hendon.
2) Frank Murphy
Well past his best when he took over at Hendon nominally as manager, but occasionally deigned to bring himself off the bench in various matches, and indeed, his final match as Hendon boss at his old stomping ground Champion Hill at the age of very nearly 42. Although his legs had gone, his ability to kill the ball on a fivepence, light a cigarette whilst looking up, assessing his options, nutmegging his marker and then playing Steven Brady through on goal remained undimmed. His cameos were a joy to watch. The video below from 50 seconds give you an idea of just what a terrific player he would have been to witness in his full pomp.
3) Bontcho Guentchev
An obvious inclusion really. Gary Mac tells the story in Hendon Centenary book of a player turning up at pre-season training in a Bulgarian training top from USA ’94. Thinking he was just another fantastical park player with a fantastical CV to match, he looked on astonished as Bontcho displayed his credentials. If the fans had any doubts as to what Frank Murphy had taken on, they were swiftly dispelled when on his home debut against Canvey Island, wearing golden boots he sent a wonderful overhead kick beyond Brian Horne in the Islanders net and found himself immortalised in song by Saint Etienne in Teenage Winter on their album Tales from Turnpike House (check it out, it's great). Although used sparingly in his time at Claremont Road, Bontcho certainly provided plenty of memorable moments. His goal against Bath City in the FA Cup 1st Round followed by a performance that warranted a couple of magnificent goals in the next round at Blackpool. A true cult hero, where ever he’s been as this free kick for Luton (from 30 seconds) bears testament to.
4) Darren Currie
Although the younger generation of the Currie footballing dynasty has yet to write himself into Hendon folklore just yet, the announcement of his signature last week had me extremely excited. I knew enough from people I knew who had seen him play just how good he was. Genuinely two footed, extremely skilful and above all, intelligent. Even at Boreham Wood this season, the quality was there for all to see. Barnet fans on their forum have recently voted him as one of their top 10 Bees players of all time (I think Frank Murphy came in at around number 51) and on the evidence below, it’s easy to see why. Evidence so far suggest Currie is more likely to be a Bontcho Bhuna rather than a Speedie Vindaloo for the Greens. Let’s hope so!
5) Freddie Hyatt
His career at Hendon was book-ended by two pieces of absolute genius. The first came on his debut at home to Basingstoke Town when in the first half, he sent a brilliant scissor volley into the top corner from just outside the penalty area (a trick he repeated a few days later at Sutton United) and the second came on his final competitive appearance at Heybridge Swifts where an outrageous piece of skill saw him backheel the ball over his own, and a defender’s head, skipping past said player and firing a shot as the ball dropped on the half volley narrowly wide of the target. Even Bontcho, who had played alongside some true greats like Hristo Stoichkov and Luis Figo said it was amongst the best pieces of skill he’d ever witnessed in a game. Few will forget Freddie’s many moments of opportunism – the goal at home to Sutton from just outside the centre circle, the late free kick winner in the Full Members Cup Semi Final against Maidenhead United, the performance at home to Leyton Orient, the drop of the shoulder and shimmy before spreading the ball wide for John-Simon White in the build up to the winner in the replay. Although the video below doesn’t do him justice in any way shape or form (see from 8 seconds), it’s still quite funny and was the only one I could find.
So although much of Non League football is blood, guts and thunder, there is always space for quality. The game is much the richer for it as well.
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