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STREVENS,
Ben
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Born In Edgware On
24/05/1980
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England
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Joined On 13/01/1999
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Player
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Left: 12/08/2006
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Local boy, who largely, done good.
Signed by John Still from Wingate & Finchley in 1999, Strevs made his Barnet debut as a sub in the (then) Worthington Cup, at home to Bournemouth in August ’99. That same season he had loan spells with Slough Town and St Albans City to aid his development, before being slightly more involved the following season.
However, it wasn’t until relegation to the Conference that Ben became a real first team regular and earning plenty of praise for his performances in the 2001/02 season, with bigger clubs allegedly watching him. Nothing ever came of these rumours however and Ben stayed with the Bees. In the 2002/03 season, he bravely fought a rare blood disorder which at the time could have been fatal. If anything, Ben came back stronger than ever after this ordeal and had a very strong 2003/04 season under Martin Allen, playing alongside Grazioli, who at the time said Strevs was the best strike partner he’d ever had.
At the end of the 2004 season though, Strevens handed in a transfer request, saying he wanted to see if he could get the chance at a higher level to prove himself. The club didn’t receive an offer to let Ben go and he went onto play a big part in 2004/05, largely playing out wide, but still scoring several key goals, including one in the game that won the Conference at home to Halifax Town.
When Barnet returned to the football league in 2005, Strevens was the only player from the previous relegated squad to make the comeback. Despite a good season in 05/06, he was released by the club in April 2006, but was still there to support the side at the final must win away game at Rushden & Diamonds.
After Barnet, he first joined Crawley Town, before being signed by former manager John Still, at Dagenham & Redbridge. Strevens had two and a half very successful years at Daggers, possibly the best of his career, prompting League One Brentford to sign him in July 2009.
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