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Anthony Hartigan
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Our title winning captain - a legend of Barnet FC moves on...
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By:
Max Bygraves
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08/05/2026
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More On Anthony HARTIGAN
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Title winning captains are special. Leadership over a 46-game season through the highs, wobbles and moments of doubt is not easy. Anthony Hartigan’s captaincy was very much aligned with how he played the game in the Bees midfield. Calm, measured, accurate and always productive.
After 137 outings for the club and three years of fine service, captain fantastic moves on with his name firmly written into Barnet history. What a privilege it’s been to witness the Hartigan era.
In mid-August 2023, just after the season had kicked off, a late arrival is announced. Anthony Hartigan joins National League Barnet on a season-long loan from League 1 Mansfield Town. There’s much excitement. Reports from the north are very good. Some social media comments even hint at outcry from those in Nottinghamshire that the Stags have let him go.
It would quickly become apparent why.
Phrases like a ‘silky footballer’ or ‘great technician’ or even the much used ‘Rolls Royce’ analogy are everywhere these days. For Anthony Hartigan, they’re all most apt.
Hartigan was subbed on for his Barnet debut away at Eastleigh on a Tuesday night in August 2023. After this, he started every other competitive fixture in all competitions in that campaign. What more do you need to know?
Effortless grace. Obscene vision. Passing range and, on occasion, an eye for the spectacular. We were in for a treat.
In his 11th appearance for the club, he curled in a delightful first strike. A wicked, curling free kick nestled in the top corner at Kidderminster Harriers. At the time, some were suggesting we don’t make too much noise about this online before Mansfield realised what they’d let go.
Goals were never free-flowing from the midfielder but his contribution in making them happen was undoubted. To jump around a little chronology wise, on only his 5th start, his display in a 3-0 stroll past Altrincham had us reaching for the book of superlatives. There looked like little he couldn’t do.
Notching his second goal for the club in an incredible 2-3 comeback at Dorking Wanderers in early October, it looked like he was one of the needed missing pieces to turn us from playoff contenders to title challengers.
In the event, that season, we weren’t ready and before Christmas any realistic hope of top spot was gone.
Nevertheless, whilst collective form wavered, Hartigan was Mr Consistent. Always at least a 7/10. Undroppable. Even when other names were rested for cup games at Radcliffe and Welling, Hartigan in midfield remained a constant. Reliable, fit and something of an old head on deceptively young shoulders.
An utterly absurd free kick from near the corner flag at Hartlepool concluded his goal scoring exploits for his loan spell. Three free kicks. He never scored a goal inside the box for Barnet, which tells you most of what you need to know on that front. Bangers.
The 23/24 season ended in painful play off disappointment. There was no time for cheery goodbyes when the final whistle went against Solihull. There was hope we may see him once more but everything suggested this was a level below him.
Player’s Player of the Season, Manager’s Player, Player of the Season, Goal of the Season and in the National League Team of the Season. Fair to call it a productive loan spell.
On June 24th 2024, having already signed 11 players for the campaign ahead, signing number 12 caused the most excited reaction of all. Harts was back. And now he was ours. Penning a two-year deal, a man of relatively few words and little fuss, his main sound bite was, “let’s get promoted!”
Having taken the armband a few times in the previous campaign, the now permanent Barnet player was named as captain. A lot of responsibility on a 24-year-old’s shoulders yet it never looked too much for him. Without insight into the changing room, you don’t imagine he ever was barking in faces or pinning against walls. You can’t imagine him having to. The kind of presence to command the respect of his colleagues and lead by example in his play.
Anthony Hartigan played every minute until the final one of the 2024/25 season. Taken off at the end at Fylde for the ovation he deserved.
His contribution was near immeasurable. Consistency on consistency but now in a better team with others hitting the same heights around him. There were games where it just felt unfair on the opposition as we blew teams away with our captain gliding around the park.
No pace, no real physical power and absolutely no problem.
A goal didn’t come until one of the most important of times. In mid-February, a huge 6 pointer title race clash with York City. Hartigan’s free kick deceiving everyone and harrowing straight into the far corner. A goal and win that surmised Barnet’s incredible dominance on the night. Magic all round.
A few weeks later, another goal from range, this time against Yeovil as they were swept aside in a 5-0 demolition. We were going to win the league, it was now a matter of when.
Like most teams in such situations, a little wobble did come near the end. A few poor results brought some frustration but none of it aimed towards the skipper. Always available, never hiding, ever reliable.
On April 26th 2025, Anthony Hartigan lifted the National League title. That image of him in the armband with the trophy is a forever one. Whatever he goes on to do in the game, he will always be synonymous for that moment of success with Barnet.
A 2 year deal the previous summer meant there was little doubt we’d hold on to our captain as we stepped back into the league for the first time in seven years.
The early stages of the 25/26 season were a shock to everyone’s system. Results not what we’d wanted or hoped with inflated expectations. And for the first time, even Hartigan himself was not flawless as games slipped us by.
By early September, a bizarre situation for all concerned as Anthony Hartigan found himself on the subs bench. Having barely missed a kick in two consecutive seasons, this was something none of us were used to.
From September onwards, Hartigan started no more than 4 games in succession, at any point in the season. This makes it sound perhaps like a sorry tale of decline, but that would be unfair and simply wrong.
Injuries hadn’t been an issue in the past but did rear their head this time around. A lengthy spell over new year doing no favours for consistent game time.
There were some highs. His controlled display, running the game in the middle of the park at Tranmere Rovers in October. The one time in the season we sat in a playoff berth, that one stands out.
It was recognised by Brennan and apparent for most that Hartigan’s style did perhaps suit certain opposition more than others. The physicality of League 2 did not go in his favour at times. However, in games where he got on the ball and had time to orchestrate, it was the usual genius we’d come to know and love.
After an in-out few months with further injury and illness setbacks, Hartigan started in each of the Bees final three games of the season. This coming shortly after his final goal for the club at Fleetwood on Easter Monday, very soon after coming on at the break.
Three games and three impressive wins. It really felt like he was back to his best, with performances akin to those a year previous. Maybe a little bit of feet finding had been needed but there was no doubt now, we had an established, classy Football League midfielder on our hands.
By the sounds of things, it’s Hartigan and his representatives declining the offer of a new deal as opposed to the club not offering. This is a shame but when you play out the events of the last year, it’s understandable. At 26 years of age, arguably in or reaching his prime, Hartigan is a player that needs to be playing every week. Squad rotation is not for him.
At the time of writing, it remains to be seen where he’ll end up. Wherever that may be, he’s one of many players from this era who should always be welcomed back to the club with open arms and a lot of love.
You get the sense Anthony Hartigan just loves playing football. The limelight, fuss and adulation aren’t really for him. During some of the title celebrations, whilst joining in with everyone, you also got the sense of a little bit of embarrassment from him. A humble chap with so very much to offer.
From brief interactions with him signing things for my kids, I can only speak well of a polite, respectful guy who was a terrific ambassador for Barnet Football Club, on and off the pitch.
Not just anyone can be a title winning captain. As his manager for the last three years will tell you, it takes character. Hartigan has that and was a key one.
In twenty years’ time, you’ll be telling anyone who’ll listen of this slick midfielder who controlled games and made it look easy. You don’t always know what you’ve got when it’s there in front of you. History will look back justifiably kindly on Anthony Hartigan, who leaves Barnet in May 2026 as a club legend.
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