Despite three League Two defeats against Chesterfield, Rochdale, and Brentford, plus an exit from the Carling Cup at Brighton and Hove Albion, Fairclough remains upbeat.

He said: "We have set a points tally to play in a higher league. The aim is to try and be promoted."

The Bees boss is keen to nurture young talent that have had their dreams shattered at other clubs.

He said: "We're continually picking up young players who've had their hopes dashed.

"They're brave young people who are prepared to come back and get back on the track and start all over again.

"These kids will look up to the coaches and we've got to be very careful on how we nurture them and bring them along."

Fairclough, who joined Barnet in 2004, warned other clubs of their responsibilities to young players.

He added: "There is no doubt every year young players who are released from clubs, in my experience from these is that they're not debriefed properly at all.

"On some occasions they're just told that's it and they're left bewildered.

"Some clubs do an excellent job of it but there are others who I feel don't debrief their boys in the right fashion and perhaps don't do enough on their way.

"It is an issue we all have to face. How do we help the young players who since they bought their first pair of football boots believed they were going to be professional footballers to be told that they're not, and clubs like Barnet will benefit from that.

"We don't bully them when they come in, we try and maximise their true potential."

Fairclough has a choice of three goalkeepers for tomorrow's match at the Deva Stadium, with new Israeli signing, Ran Kadoch, 22, joining this week from Israeli third division side Nes Ziona, vying for the shot-stopping role alongside player-coach, Lee Harrison, and Rob Beckwith.

Harrison has a wealth of experience with more than 400 first team appearances to his credit.

He signed for Barnet in 1996, before keeping goal for both Peterborough United and Leyton Orient, and he then rejoined the Bees in 2006. He is currently a player/coach at Underhill and club captain.

Joe Devera, Ismail Yakubu, Michael Leary, and Aswad Thomas will link up in defence.

Devera has progressed through the ranks at Underhill and deservedly won Barnet's Player of the Year Award.

Yakubu has been with Barnet since he was a schoolboy and prefers a role in central defence where his pace is a major asset.

Leary joined Barnet last year from Luton Town, but he had enjoyed loan spells with Bristol Rovers, Walsall, Torquay, and Brentford.

And Thomas, currently on loan from Charlton Athletic, has previously had a loan spell at Accrington Stanley.

Albert Adomah, Neal Bishop, Max Porter, and Ashley Carew are expected to team up in midfield.

Bishop joined Barnet from Conference club York City in the summer of 2007. He won England C honours prior to joining the Bees.

Porter joined the Bees from Conference South club, Bishops Stortford, in the summer of 2007.

Carew declined the offer of joining up with the Barbados national squad for their World Cup qualifying matches against the USA to concentre on recovery from injury he picked up at the end of last season.

He has switched to the left wing position after playing as a right back for the majority of last season.

Adam Birchall will partner either Cliff Akurang or Luke Medley in Bees front line.

Birchall was Barnet's top scorer last season with 15 goals in all competitions.

He started his career as a youngster with Arsenal and he had experience of league football at Wycombe Wanderers and Mansfield Town before joining Barnet.

The striker has 12 under 21 caps for Wales and still hopes to catch the eye of Welsh boss John Toshack.

Akurang signed for the Bees last season from Histon and he has also played for Heybridge, Hitchin Town, and Dagenham and Redbridge.

And Medley, who signed from Bradford City last season, has also had a spell at Cambridge City.