Post by Cantankerous Gas on Jan 14, 2016 11:18:15 GMT
Surely Mad Dog wouldn't exaggerate? 
www.times-series.co.uk/sport/14202252.Allen_doubts_Barnet_will_ever_reach_Bristol_Rovers__level/
Martin Allen says Barnet will never reach the same level as Bristol Rovers because they are competing in a different worlds.
The Bees beat Rovers to the Conference title on a dramatic final day of last season, forcing Darrell Clarke’s side to go through the play-offs in order to return to the Football League at the first attempt.
A 1-0 win over the Gas at The Hive on Saturday saw the Bees go 14 points clear of the relegation zone whilst Rovers are fifth, five points shy of the automatic promotion places.
Asked if he was frustrated to see a fellow newly-promoted thriving whilst Barnet languish at the opposite end of the table, Allen said wasn’t concerned.
He told the Times Series: “There were a few players on their bench on Saturday that were earning more than my whole squad put together.
“They’re in a different league completely when it comes to recruitment of players. We’re not at that level and I very much doubt this club will ever get to that level. They are paying big money.
“Do I look at that and stress over it? No.
“I make enquiries for players and we get in what we can afford. Towards the end of last season, when we were going for the championship, they went out and signed Jermaine Easter and Chris Lines from Port Vale and they bought a centre-forward from Kidderminster Harriers (Nathan Blissett).
“We didn’t buy anybody – everyone was a free transfer and some of our players were on the last season of their career.
“That’s how it is and I’ve got no problem with that. If you can sign the players they’ve signed then they should be up the top of the league. It’s the same with Portsmouth, Northampton, Cambridge United – their budgets are in a different world.”
The Bees beat Rovers to the Conference title on a dramatic final day of last season, forcing Darrell Clarke’s side to go through the play-offs in order to return to the Football League at the first attempt.
A 1-0 win over the Gas at The Hive on Saturday saw the Bees go 14 points clear of the relegation zone whilst Rovers are fifth, five points shy of the automatic promotion places.
Asked if he was frustrated to see a fellow newly-promoted thriving whilst Barnet languish at the opposite end of the table, Allen said wasn’t concerned.
He told the Times Series: “There were a few players on their bench on Saturday that were earning more than my whole squad put together.
“They’re in a different league completely when it comes to recruitment of players. We’re not at that level and I very much doubt this club will ever get to that level. They are paying big money.
“Do I look at that and stress over it? No.
“I make enquiries for players and we get in what we can afford. Towards the end of last season, when we were going for the championship, they went out and signed Jermaine Easter and Chris Lines from Port Vale and they bought a centre-forward from Kidderminster Harriers (Nathan Blissett).
“We didn’t buy anybody – everyone was a free transfer and some of our players were on the last season of their career.
“That’s how it is and I’ve got no problem with that. If you can sign the players they’ve signed then they should be up the top of the league. It’s the same with Portsmouth, Northampton, Cambridge United – their budgets are in a different world.”
