June 2022. A rebuilding phase in North London, with signings being announced almost every day at the Hive Stadium in preparation for the next Vanarama National League campaign. The previous season was ugly, described as a team with a 'lack of togetherness', finishing 18th.
Barnet had been a side in turmoil that were struggling to score, being on the receiving end of five, even six goal beatings by some of the league's best and not-so-good sides.
Nicke Kabamba was struggling to find the net as well for Woking, where he had been signed on loan from Northampton Town after penning a two-year deal at the League Two club.
December 2022. Kabamba has just scored three in the black and amber shirt against promotion rivals Chesterfield, who only 24 hours before were willing to pay good money to acquire his services, as the Bees fly high in the promotion race. Yes, Chesterfield. The same Spireites team that had thrashed them 4-1 only 11 months prior. Rings of The Champs' 1958 hit 'Tequila' are sung enthusiastically by supporters at the Hive to the tune of 'Kabamba'.
March 2023. Barnet are in fifth in the National League and have almost confirmed their playoff position, with Kabamba bagging 19 for the club, only bettered by Macaulay Langstaff's incredible 35 and Paul Mullin's 26 in the league at the time of writing.
The Bees are back.
Kabamba has been a revelation for manager Dean Brennan after he lost out on star man Adam Marriott to Bromley last summer, who was one of the few sweets in a sour side.
Standing at 6"3, the number nine has a strong aerial presence, but an insanely powerful shot that ripples into the back of the net. Examples of this are plentiful throughout this season, with some excellent strikes against Chesterfield and Wrexham, but most recently in the televised derby game against Wealdstone.
It does help that he has worked with Brennan, of course, but the season spent with Hemel Hempstead Town was nowhere near as prolific as this season has been for the Barnet forward. In 14 apperances, Kabamba only netted twice, achieving a sixth-placed finish in the National League South.
It was at his next club that Nicke made a name for himself, forming a formidable partnership with current QPR attacker Jamal Lowe,, in which he scored 33 times in 70 appearances.
But that's when things changed. Kabamba earned his move to the Football League with Portsmouth, where he only featured on five occasions. Over the next five years, he moved all across the English leagues and veered into Scotland too at Kilmarnock.
After a spell at Northampton Town, and then on loan at Woking, Kabamba failed to make a significant impact, scoring only 29 goals in five years. That's when the two former Hemel Hempstead men crossed paths again.
What do the stats suggest?
Statistically, Kabamba is one of the top in the league as well. He is in the top eight of the 'goals per 90' in the Vanarama National League (0.52), according to FBRef, albeit three of the eight are designated penalty takers for their club.
However, the Bees have been boosted by the addition of more attacking support in the form of Harry Smith on loan from Leyton Orient, David Moyo on loan from AFC Barrow and winger Courtney Senior.
Smith opened his account in superb fashion with five goals in eight matches, forcing Kabamba into an unnatural role on the left wing where he contributed well, but didn't get on the scoresheet as much.
However, Smith sustained an unfortunate injury that has kept him out of the past few games. And with Moyo and Senior featuring from the bench, Kabamba has been thrown back into the spot he has been excelling at for Barnet.
With a maximum of nine matches, excluding playoffs, left to fight for this season, the forward has a pivotal role to play to secure success for the Bees.
Kabamba has finally found a home again, where he has an excellent relationship with the fans, and if he can help get Barnet back into the Football League, he could engrave himself into the history books at the Hive.