Barnet FC Strengthens Squad with Leyton Orient Loans as Stadium Saga Continues

By Sports Desk

January 20, 2026

Barnet Football Club has made a significant move in the January transfer window by securing the services of two players from Leyton Orient on loan until the end of the 2025/26 season. Defender Phillip Chinedu and midfielder Diallang Jaiyesimi have joined the Bees, aiming to inject fresh energy into the team as they push for a stronger position in League Two.

The signings come at a crucial time for Barnet, who are currently sitting in 13th place in the league table. Manager Dean Brennan expressed his delight at the additions, stating that both players bring valuable experience and versatility to the squad. Chinedu, a robust defender known for his aerial prowess and tactical awareness, is expected to shore up the backline, which has shown vulnerabilities in recent matches. Jaiyesimi, on the other hand, offers creativity in midfield with his dribbling skills and ability to unlock defenses.

"We're thrilled to welcome Phillip and Diallang to The Hive," Brennan said in a club statement. "They've both proven themselves at this level and higher, and we're confident they'll make an immediate impact. With the season heating up, these additions will give us the depth we need to compete on all fronts."

The loans were announced just days after Barnet's disappointing 1-0 defeat to Grimsby Town on January 17 at Blundell Park. Playing with ten men for much of the second half, the Bees put up a resilient fight but ultimately fell to a goal from Grimsby's Jack Sweeney in the 51st minute. Despite the loss, there were positives to take from the performance, including strong defensive efforts and moments of attacking promise.

This setback followed a more positive start to the year, with Barnet securing a 2-1 victory over Crawley Town earlier in January. Defender Joe Kizzi was the hero that day, scoring a brace to kick off 2026 with three points. The win highlighted the team's potential, but consistency remains a key challenge as they navigate the competitive League Two landscape.

Off the pitch, Barnet FC has been dealing with ongoing developments regarding their stadium situation. The club has decided to abandon its planning appeal for a new community stadium at Underhill, following the refusal of permission by Barnet Council in July 2025. This move comes after discussions with the Bring Barnet Back campaign, which has urged the club to explore alternative locations for a potential return to the borough.

The decision to drop the appeal, which had a deadline of January 24, 2026, opens the door for new dialogues with the council. Bring Barnet Back has identified several possible sites and is advocating for positive engagement to bring the Bees back home. Chairman Tony Kleanthous emphasized the importance of finding a sustainable solution that benefits both the club and the community.

"While it's disappointing to step back from the appeal, we believe this is the right path forward," Kleanthous noted. "We're committed to working collaboratively to secure a future in Barnet where we can thrive."

As the transfer window progresses, Barnet fans will be watching closely for more activity. With the new signings bedding in, the team prepares for upcoming fixtures, including a home clash against Crewe Alexandra. The Bees are determined to climb the table and make 2026 a year to remember.

Amid these changes, attention also turns to standout performers like defender Adam Senior, who has caught the eye of higher-division clubs. His consistent displays have sparked speculation about potential moves to League One sides, adding another layer of intrigue to Barnet's season.

With a blend of on-field action and off-field progress, Barnet FC remains a club in transition, poised for exciting developments in the months ahead.

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Home of Barnet FC

Opened 2013

Capacity 6,500

History (from Wikipedia)

Barnet F.C. chairman Anthony Kleanthous had sought to move the club from its long term home at Underhill Stadium since the 1990s due to the poor facilities at the ground. Various attempts to move to Barnet Copthall athletics stadium or to the greenbelt site directly to the south of Underhill were both unsuccessful, with then deputy prime minister John Prescott over-ruling a move to Copthall in 2001 after planning permission had initially been granted.[2]

Construction of a stadium at the Harrow council-owned Prince Edward Playing Fields in Canons Park had originally begun in early 2003, specifically intended as a new home for local non-league club Wealdstone F.C. In April 2004, with the building work more than 25% completed, Wealdstone F.C.'s investment partners in the project, a private company called Stadia Investment Group, went into liquidation and this caused the construction work at the site to be brought to a sudden halt due to lack of funds to pay the builders.[3] With Wealdstone F.C. unable to afford the completion of the project on their own, there was no further progress at the site for two years.

Harrow London Borough Council then decided to put the site up for tender in 2006. Barnet F.C. bought the tender, and with it the right to occupy the site which they stated they would use purely as a training centre, and not as a new home stadium. It was a condition of the tender that the stadium must be completed by the new owners for the use of Wealdstone F.C., but this did not happen and Wealdstone F.C. received no recompense for their initial investment into the ground.[4]

Having used the surrounding site as a training centre, Barnet F.C. eventually moved completely to the stadium in summer 2013, ostensibly as a result of a disagreement with Barnet London Borough Council with regards to the lease of the land surrounding their home since 1907, Underhill Stadium,[5] as well as the limited facilities at Underhill restricting the club's income. The awarding of the Barnet Copthall site to Saracens F.C., effectively ended Barnet F.C.'s hopes of ever moving to that site, accelerating the move to the Hive further.[6]

The club originally claimed they intended the use of the stadium at the Hive to be a temporary arrangement, with the long-term aim to build a 10,000-capacity stadium back in the London Borough of Barnet. However that changed in 2015 [7] with the chairman announcing the club would no longer actively search for a home elsewhere.[8] Initially there was a restriction on the lease of the Hive that prevented its use for Football League matches, however Barnet F.C. were granted a 10-year change to this condition which came into effect in June 2015. In 2018 Kleanthous purchased the freehold for the site from the London Borough of Harrow and so this restriction no longer applies.

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