Barnet fans have called out their own club for what looks like a deliberate wind-up after social media posts appeared to hint the League Two side had signed former Spurs star Dele Alli.
The ex-England midfielder, without a club since a difficult stint at Como following his Tottenham exit, was seen training at Barnet’s facility this week, sparking hope among fans of an English football comeback. Boss Dean Brennan added fuel to the fire when asked directly about a potential signing, simply saying they’d wait and see.
Barnet, currently unbeaten in League Two, posted a string of cryptic tweets referencing a “date to remember,” a handshake, and “the start of something special,” teasing fans to stay tuned — before revealing the posts actually marked the five-year anniversary of Brennan’s first game in charge, not an Alli signing.
Supporters weren’t impressed with being strung along, with several accusing the club of baiting its own fanbase and pulling in rival fans in the process. Others played along, joking that their favorite Brennan moment was actually signing Alli.
Brennan clarified earlier in the week that he has nothing to do with Alli’s training sessions, explaining the club simply rents out its pitches and that Alli has used the facility privately with his own team for the past few pre-seasons to stay fit. He was full of praise for the 30-year-old regardless, joking he’d run a marathon to get a deal done despite not having run in two decades, and insisted he’d sign Alli in a heartbeat given the chance. He pointed to endorsements from managers like Mauricio Pochettino and Karl Robinson, who both rated Alli highly, and said the player still has quality but has been let down by how quickly the game has moved on from him.
