Best Moments of the Twenty-First Century: Hendon

For me, the Playoff Final between Dulwich and my beloved Hendon, eighteen months or so ago now, is my personal highlight of the last two decades.

If it wasn't for Billericay, with Glenn Tamplin and all his money, it would have been one hell of a title race in 2017-18. Dulwich had gone through real adversity, being evicted from their Champion Hill Ground due to a dispute with the property developers who owned it, causing them significant financial problems. This had happened early in the season, but not before my lot committed night-time robbery there, in a game that saw my Hendon side battered for most of the ninety minutes before Josh Walker- now at Barnet- scored on his debut, in time added on.

Hendon had their own difficulties to overcome as well, and were still trying to find some stability. We were almost relegated the season before, and after our nomadic existence- when we lost our own Claremont Road Ground to developers- we were still trying to entice old and new supporters to our new home, at Silver Jubilee Park. So with both teams having their own issues to overcome the fact that they’d both made the finale was even more amazing- and it was special that Billericay were made to work for their title all the way to the end of the season, when with their finances it should have been a formality for them.

Folkestone and Leiston also deserve a mention for the part they played that season. Along with Hendon and Hamlet they both made the playoffs, and all four clubs deserved massive credit for achieving what they did on much more modest budgets than the eventual champions.

The game itself was a great advertisement for the Isthmian League and for Non-League Football, with over three thousand fans, all behaving impeccably, creating an amazing atmosphere on that sunny afternoon. We took the lead in the first half, only to be pegged back by Dulwich after the break. Extra time followed but the deadlock was not to be broken again; which meant that we hadn't lost to Hamlet all season; in fact we hadn't even been behind in any of our games and that included the extra thirty minutes here. Unfortunately spot kicks were not to go the same way, as we finally succumbed to them, in the lottery that is a penalty shootout.

Although my team ended up on the wrong end of the result that day, I still consider us winners for even getting there. Although I always believed that we had a chance of success after keeping most of the core of the team that had performed heroics at the end of the previous term; keeping us up on the final day with a draw against Staines Town.

Unfortunately Dulwich and Hendon both left the Isthmian League that day, Dulwich because of their promotion and Hendon because of FA restructuring; a reorganisation that also saw Harrow Borough leave as well, taking out the three longest serving clubs in the Premier Division, which was a real shame. Of course Met Police also departed, as well as newly promoted Walton Casuals. Anyway, who knows what the future holds? Maybe one day Hendon will be back to compete in the Isthmian League again, but one thing for sure is that my memories of that day will always be the highlight of our time in the Isthmian League.