I WANTED TO FINISH BOTTOM!
Fantasy League champion Barry reveals
BARRY HENSON admits winning this year’s Fantasy Non-League competition for a second time came with a tinge of disappointment – he wanted to win the prize for finishing last!
Playing as DOVERBAZ, Ipswich-based Barry clinched the FNL main prize by 269 points from YELLOW & BLUE manager Vince Duffy, of Harpenden, Herts, in second, and HATBOY S.A.C.F.C’s Richard Funnell of St Albans, Herts, in third.
But, despite walking off with the £1,500 first prize, Dover Athletic fan Barry admits he still harbours hopes of taking home the £100 pot for finishing bottom of the pile.
“I’ve played Fantasy Non-League every year since it started in The Non-League Paper and I’ve been fortunate enough now to win it twice,” the 67-year-old told The NLP.
“But, the truth is, I really wanted to come last! I always enter a team to finish last and have been in the bottom ten twice, including fifth from bottom this year, but never lower. It’s not as easy as you might think!”
Deduction
Barry confesses he had to enter his own team Dover into his bottom club selection, insisting they had to be “dead certs” following their 12-point deduction for failing to complete last year’s Covid-hit season.
But it was Barry’s other FNL picks, littered with league champions and high-fliers, which took him into the money stakes.
“It was one of those years really,” he said humbly. “I had Stockport to win the National League, which I’m sure many others did too, and also had Banbury and Worthing. I also had two teams that came through for me in the second half of the season; Plymouth Parkway who had a very strong run to win their league and, similarly, Taunton Town.”
As well as indulging in a bit of FNL again next year, Barry will be stood on the terraces at Crabble, hoping his Dover side can find their feet again in National League South.
“I’m quite hopeful,” Barry added. “With the squad they’ve assembled, I’d be happy with a mid-table finish and to build from there.
“I just hope they’re not accumulating points for managers hoping to finish last again in the FNL next year!”