5 Hendon Mercurial Magicians

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 1^st 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.

It's An Anderson Guentchev Dowie Derby

I was halfway through writing a review of my Saturday afternoon spent in front of twitter watching updates coming through from Maldon when my phone flashed. ‘Sh*t, it’s in’ I thought and nervously switched tabs on Firefox to the FA website. Hesitating before pressing F5, I silently said a prayer. ‘Southend Manor or Redbridge, Southend Manor or Redbridge’. The FA site confirmed my suspicions, the draw for the final qualifying round of the FA Cup had been made. Deep sigh, and I opened the link. It took a moment to load, prolonging the agony. There we are. Scroll down. Further down. ‘Ooh, Sutton v Leatherhead, that’s a toughy for the Tanners. Game 29. Luton Town, hoho, don’t fancy the poor sods who got the….. bugger.’

I didn’t really think ‘bugger’. I didn’t really think anything. I just swore repeatedly for a few minutes audibly. The 1^st round suddenly looked an awful lot more distant than it did just moments previously. If the Chelmsford match last season had all the difficulty of an away draw at a league side but with a fraction of the glamour, then this tie has all the glamour of an away draw at a league side but with a fraction of the potential prize money available. Swings and roundabouts I suppose.

Firstly, a quick note on how we found ourselves getting prepared for a trip up the M1 to Luton, which was of course by way of our 3-1 win in Essex on Saturday. Other commitments sadly kept me away but my phone kept buzzing at regular intervals. After going a goal behind to set the nerves jangling just after @HendonFC said that we had just shaded a quiet opening half hour, the longer time went on without a text coming in starting GOAL, the more I worried. Sometimes, I’m not sure whether it’s a blessing not being at games. Apples and pears I suppose.

Fortunately, two texts starting GOAL in quick succession settled me down just after the hour mark as first Carl McCluskey and then Greg Ngoyi netted to turn things around quickly. James Lawson was then dismissed for an off the ball incident before Elliott Godfrey provided the coup-de-grace latching onto a long Sean Thomas punt and poking the ball over the advancing Darren Behcet to seal a win that looked pretty unlikely just half an hour previously and which by all accounts, was a tad harsh on our hosts.

And so immediate attention turns to the League Cup and FA Trophy before the game at Kenilworth Road on the 29^th October. Perhaps slightly strangely, considering the distance in footballing terms between the two sides, there are a few famous links between the two clubs that ought to get the two sets of fans reminiscing together. Peter Anderson made 125 appearances for the Greens between 1968 and 1971 scoring 58 goals before moving north to Luton where he made more than 180 league appearances before moving to Belgium and later on the United States before ending his career as player-manager at Millwall. 

Peter Anderson, in his NASL days

Iain Dowie signed for Hendon in November 1986 and made his debut in a 4-1 at Hitchin Town, setting himself a high standard by scoring twice. Over the next couple of years the beanpole striker kept scoring. 23 in his first season, 28 the following season and then 27 by the time he left the club in late 1988, Luton acquiring his services for what remains a club record fee received of £30,000. The rest is pretty much history, as he enjoyed a couple of seasons at Kenilworth Road before moving on to Southampton, West Ham, Crystal Palace and then Queens Park Rangers, all the while scoring 12 goals in 59 appearances for Northern Ireland, a tally that leaves him joint 4th on their all-time goalscorer list. 

With thanks to Sporting Heroes.net - Iain Dowie in Luton kit

The third man to have had a significant influence at both clubs is one Bontcho Guentchev. I’d love to know his thoughts on the draw, but knowing that he was very much a cult figure at both Hendon and Luton, any appearance by the great man at Kenilworth Road will be lapped up by all four sides of the ground. He made more than 65 league appearances at Luton between 1995 and 1997 before heading home for a brief goal-filled spell at CSKA Sofia and then turning up at pre-season training on Clitterhouse Park in July 1999 dressed in a Bulgarian World Cup 94 track suit. Again, the rest is history. The great man went on to star in our run to the 2^nd round at Blackpool in 1999 before returning later on to join the coaching staff and introducing his sons to the glorious surroundings of Claremont Road and latterly, Vale Farm. 

When he were a Tractorboy - Bontcho

As far as ex-pros go at Non League level, Bontcho was an absolute class above. Although he spent much of his time on the bench, he never bitched and moaned, he always gave the impression that as well as helping less talented players out, that he absolutely loved every single minute that he was on the pitch. Even when he made the odd cameo in his 40s a few years ago. Both sets of fans of varying vintages are bound to have plenty of memories of all three men.

Early signs are that Hendon are treating the game as they have any recent big game at League clubs, and quite rightly too. The two clubs will agree prices, hopefully they’ll come in a little cheaper than the £18 currently charged to get in the away end in a bid to encourage plenty to attend – particularly amongst the home fans where I imagine the lure of Hendon hasn’t really set pulses racing any higher than comatose. And who can blame them? The benefits of the game though, and any potential large crowd for Hendon are pretty significant though. Baring in mind that realistically, we won’t be getting the £12,500 prize money for winning in the 4^th Qualifying Round, the more people through the gate means more money in the coffers in a few months time.

What we mustn’t do, and what I’m sure Gary, Freddie and Junior won’t be doing is allowing the players to take their eye off the ball and simply focus on the potential financial rewards. As well as that we need to be seen to do ourselves justice on the pitch. We didn’t do it at Stevenage (in fact, that episode was wholly embarrassing) and we didn’t do it against Woking. There is a different ethos around the club now though, more professional, more structured and dare I say it, more focused. The squad has players who have a bit of experience behind them – Scott Cousins was part of the St. Albans set up when they were in the Conference, Isaiah Rankin has years of professional football under his belt, Sean Thomas has spent a lot of his early career around the professional game and England youth teams, Elliott Charles has played for Barnet’s first team, Elliott Godfrey has plenty of experience of playing in front of big crowds from his time at AFC Wimbledon. As much as anything else though, it’s a real chance for some of the talented younger players to make a name for themselves and show that they have what it takes to play at a higher level. This stage could be made for someone like Carl McCluskey, for example, who for the most part hasn’t simply looked like he belongs at this level this season, but that he looks better than a Ryman Prem player at times.

The more I think about it, the more excited I’m becoming. Roll on October 29^th!