Former Hartlepool United promotion-winner scores twice as Barnet clinch National League title

It's been a remarkable season for Shelton, who scored two penalties as the Bees thumped Aldershot 4-0 to secure promotion back to the Football League for the first time since 2018 with a game to spare.

The 28-year-old signed for Barnet in July following a challenging spell at Oldham, where he fell out of favour under Micky Mellon and struggled to win over the demanding Latics fanbase.

Shelton has never looked back since joining the London club, scoring a career-best 11 goals in 33 appearances and forming an impressive partnership in the Bees midfield with the metronomic Anthony Hartigan.

Barnet, who finished second in the National League last season before losing out in the play-offs, have clinched the title with 99 points following an engrossing battle with second placed York. Dean Brennan's side looked to have at least one hand on the trophy after the Minstermen endured a mixed run of results between February and March, winning just three of eight matches during an ill-timed dip in form, only for the Bees to falter in recent weeks. A run of three games without a win had given York hope of pipping them to the title but back-to-back victories, coupled with the Minstermen's draw with Oldham last week, saw Barnet crowned champions with a game to spare.

Shelton received a warm welcome on his return to the Prestige Group Stadium back in November. The hardworking midfielder was an integral part of the Pools side that won promotion to the Football League under Dave Challinor, making 39 appearances, forming part of the midfield 'wolf pack' alongside Nicky Featherstone and Gavan Holohan and scoring a penalty in the play-off final shootout win over Torquay. In total, he made 110 appearances for Pools before departing in January 2023 after falling out of favour under Graeme Lee, who tended to deploy him as a makeshift right-back.

Hartlepool-born attacker Harry Chapman, a perennial transfer target for Pools, was also part of this season's title-winning Bees side. Despite suffering a serious injury in October, the 27-year-old scored four times in 22 appearances.

Barnet are set to return to the Football League for the first time in seven years following one of the most challenging spells in the club's recent history. The Bees were relegated back into non-league in 2018 and almost dropped further down the pyramid, only avoiding another relegation after the 2020/21 National League North and South seasons were abandoned due to the Covid pandemic; at the time, the Bees were languishing in the relegation zone and would have dropped down another division. Barnet have had to contend with various other issues, not least dwindling attendances following the controversial move from historic Underhill to The Hive, located some distance from their former home.

Yet outspoken Irishman Dean Brennan has taken the various challenges in his stride since his appointment in the summer of 2021. Renowned for his energetic and inimitable touchline manner, straight-talking approach, savvy recruitment and commitment to playing an attractive brand of possession-based football, Brennan has transformed the London club into a team on the up.

"It's an amazing feeling," Brennan told Barnet's official club website.

"The sacrifices everybody's made since the first day of pre-season, this is what it's all about. We're all proud, the supporters, the players and the club.

"My dream was to take Barnet back into the EFL and we've done that, but we can't rest on our laurels now. We've got to enjoy this weekend and then we've got to step on again."

Your next Hartlepool United read: Poolie Podcast reflects on takeover developments and Dale drubbing