Remembering Edgar Davids’ wonderful then weird stint at Barnet

In October 2012, legendary Dutch midfielder Edgar Davids came out of retirement to become player-manager of Barnet F.C. It was a wild ride.

Few footballers have achieved superhero status as effortlessly as Edgar Davids. With his orange goggles and long dreadlocks, the ‘Pitbull’ gave off an aura in the 90s and early 2000s that could definitely be described as ‘otherworldly’.

To those who grew up in that period, the Dutchman seemed not so much a breed of dog as a force of nature or a mythological character — his unique combination of image and ability making him both a marketer’s dream and a genuine inspiration to young fans.

He did not need to self-promote, either. Having turned out for European giants like Ajax, Juventus and Barcelona, as well as both Milan clubs, he didn’t beg for your attention. He just got it.

Davids’ superhero status had an unusual knock-on effect, too: fans never quite believed it when he turned up at their club, contract in hand, to hold their shirt aloft in front of the cameras. He simply didn’t seem real.

So when the midfielder came out of retirement at the age of 37 to join — of all clubs! — Crystal Palace, Eagles fans were flabbergasted.

Never mind that he was miles off Championship pace; never mind that there were better options in the squad: the prospect of superhero Davids, even past his peak, was awe-inspiring.

But the Pitbull saved his most surprising career move — a move that would barely seem credible on Football Manager, let alone in the stark reality of Chipping Barnet — until two years later.

Davids’ move to Barnet F.C. was surprising for several reasons.

For one, Davids was 39 years old and hadn’t played since his unsuccessful six-game stint at Palace two years prior. And that spell