The main talking point at Underhill after Neal Bishop's added time first goal for Barnet earned a 2-2 draw and a welcome point - a depressing attendance of 1,303, 100 of them the travelling Macclesfield supporters.

The reasons for the missing 500 or so from the previous home game varied from Christmas shopping to the appalling weather to a recent poor run of results. Oh yes, and the referee, Carl Boyson seems to have qualified for the 'worst referee-I-have-ever seen' tag from what seemed to be some outstanding candidates of recent weeks.

Was it only November 3 when the Bees' unbeaten run of 10 League games came to an end at Bury and Paul Fairclough was the Manager of the Month?

I don't think Christmas shopping or the weather or poor results were responsible for only 1,230 Barnet supporters attending the Notts County home game the Tuesday after Bury.

Don't shoot the messenger. I am merely reporting the facts. Attendances at Underhill have been disappointing all season for chairman Tony Kleanthous and the board of directors and perhaps we just have to accept that our fan base at home is No 72 out of the 72 Football League club and cut our cloth accordingly.

It's no good asking for new signings in January's transfer window - with attendances of 1,300 Barnet FC are hard pushed to sustain the wages of the current squad and may have to move players on.

The priority anyway, surely, is to achieve Football League criteria this season to avoid possible expulsion. The cost of any immediate short term upgrading of Underhill is £500,000.

Note: Six hundred pupils of schools in East Barnet, Finchley and Potters Bar were guests of Barnet Football in the Community at that Notts County game. Don't accuse us of forgetting incentives to bring people in.

Dennis Signy