Barnet happy to tap Grazioli's talent as title triumph ends the wilderness years

There are bad tidings for the beleaguered householders of north London. The scarcity of local plumbers is not about to be eased by the addition of Giuliano Grazioli. Instead of spending next season clearing U-bends and draining radiators the Barnet striker will be seeking to unblock the defences of League Two.

There are bad tidings for the beleaguered householders of north London. The scarcity of local plumbers is not about to be eased by the addition of Giuliano Grazioli. Instead of spending next season clearing U-bends and draining radiators the Barnet striker will be seeking to unblock the defences of League Two.

Was there ever a choice? Actually, yes. Grazioli has played football for a living since he walked away from a degree in sports science and geography a decade ago to chase his fortune with Peterborough. He subsequently put together a respectable career as a professional goalscorer but never found that fortune. So last year he began preparing for a future outside the game by joining a friend's plumbing business. Thoughts of qualifying in the trade were, however, put aside in August as Barnet, full-time like many clubs in the Conference, and Grazioli dedicated themselves to a return to the Football League.

At Underhill today Barnet complete their league programme, against Dagenham & Redbridge, as champions. Concerns about the future - not least the three-year deadline to either find a new ground or level their sloping pitch - will be forgotten as the club celebrate.

"It's been a marvellous season," said Grazioli, "especially after last year when we came so close but failed in the play-offs [losing on penalties in the semi-final]. Some teams find it difficult to reproduce that and have a mediocre season.

"When we got thrashed 10-1 by Arsenal in pre-season I thought we might be one of them but we've gone from strength to strength. The gaffer [Paul Fairclough] added some good signings to the squad we had last year - a lot of young, hard working, talented and enthusiastic players - and it's worked very well."

When Barnet were relegated from the Football League in 2001, a decade after first entering it, many thought they had gone for good. Low crowds, problems with the development of Underhill and the increasing strength of Conference rivals did not augur well. Grazioli, then playing for Swindon, watched closely.

"I'm a local boy - I went to school in Barnet - and I know what happened with Barnet going down. I always kept an eye on them, reading the local paper as you do, and it was a terrible time for the local area. When clubs go down into the Conference they find it hard to get back again. Players leave to stay in the League, attendances fall, income goes down. But every year we've improved and now we are back."

For Grazioli - London-born to Italian parents - it is a return to a level he has spent the best part of 10 years at without quite cementing his place. This despite a decent goals record since he left Wembley FC, and the student life, to join Peterborough.

"It was really bad money but it was what I wanted so I joined them," he said. "That was the Tuesday. On the Saturday John Still, the manager who had signed me, resigned. That was a good start. It seems to be a pattern in my career, someone signs me, then leaves. Another manager comes in and he might not fancy you. And as a forward if you don't score in your first few games you get dropped, and that's it."

Grazioli moved on to Swindon, where he particularly enjoyed working with Roy Evans and Neil Ruddock, then Bristol Rovers, where he was not so happy under the disciplinarian Ray Graydon. "I enjoyed his coaching, but we didn't see eye to eye on many other things."

Martin Allen persuaded him to join Barnet. Typically Allen then joined Brentford, but Grazioli harbours no grudges. "He brought the best out of me," said Grazioli. "He's a very clever man who I think will go very far."

Grazioli always figured he would one day play for Barnet, as several of his friends had done when younger. He nearly joined them in 1998, while at Peterborough. "Two days later I scored five against them. It was a bit ironic."

That five-goal haul, in a 9-1 away win, is one reason why Grazioli's name may ring a bell with the wider football public. The other is the goal he scored while on loan to Stevenage Borough earlier that year, in the FA Cup against Newcastle United. Grazioli's goal earned Stevenage a replay at St James' Park. The manager at Stevenage was Fairclough. Last spring he came back into Grazioli's life when he took over from Allen at Barnet.

"When Martin left it affected me," Grazioli. "I had a manager who showed great faith in me and I'd done so well I'd signed a new contract. Then I was left thinking 'who will come in next?' When I heard it was Paul Fairclough it was fantastic."

Fairclough almost made it into the League at Stevenage, but their ground controversially failed the grading process. It has been a long nine years since but Grazioli is confident Fairclough will step up successfully.

"He's a good tactician. He's studied coaching methods in other countries and worked with Arsène Wenger. He does things in training I've never done before. The lads enjoy it. It's the most relaxed season I've had.

"Warm-ups and cool-downs are a very important part of our training. We do a lot of speed training with pulleys and bungee ropes. We talk a lot about our games. He's changed but even when we played Newcastle Paul got us so relaxed. We had no fear.

"That Newcastle match was great but, like the five goals, it was a one-off. Winning the Conference title is the best ever. It's over 42 games and to have 'champion' on the CV means a great deal."

Grazioli has scored 29 league goals to date, easily the best in the Conference and three more than he got last season. "It's all down to my team-mates," he said. "I'm a striker who thrives on service. I don't go past players and I can't hit them from 30 yards. I rely on crosses and I've had plenty this year."

Next season promises to be more demanding but Grazioli, one of the few players in Barnet's young squad with League experience, is confident he will score goals in the higher level.

"I've done it before and I could have got a move back into the League last year. But I'm back home with my family and friends, scoring goals for a team I enjoy playing for. Why move?"

And the plumbing? "When you get to a certain age you have to think of other things. I'm getting married in May, I've not made the money the big boys have and I know I'll have to do something else. I can't be playing golf every day. But football's still my biggest joy and I'll play as long as I can."

Conference ups and downs

Champions: Barnet

Play-offs (one club promoted): Carlisle, Hereford and two from Morecambe, Aldershot, Stevenage, Exeter and Woking.

Relegated: Forest Green, Farnborough, Leigh RMI.

(Forest Green and/or Farnborough could stay up if Northwich Victoria and/or Gravesend fail to meet the 31 May deadline to upgrade their stadiums.

Promoted to Conference: Grays Athletic (champions of Conference South), Southport, Droylsden or Nuneaton (from Conference North), and play-off winner (16 teams from Conference North and South in contention).