Today is the 10th anniversary of Gary McCann becoming manager of Hendon FC, and David Ballheimer has written an article to mark this.

On Monday 31 January 2005, Hendon produced only their fourth worst performance of the month when losing 4-2 to Ryman League Division One South Fisher Athletic in the London Senior Cup - and it had been 4-0 at half-time. It was the final straw for the Hendon directors, who, on 2 February, relieved manager Gary Farrell of his duties.

His replacement was a 32-year-old former Hendon goalkeeper, Gary McCann, one of Hendon heroes of the 1997 FA Cup victory over Leyton Orient. His playing career had been ended by a knee injury suffered whilst playing for Hendon and although he tried to continue playing, it was sadly impossible. So instead of being at the peak of his career, Gary was starting on a new one: football manager.

This was his first job and like all good managers, he surrounded himself with good football people. Gary Anderson, who had previously worked with Frank Murphy at Hendon, was the physio and fitness co-ordinator, while Gary's assistant manager was former England Non-league goalkeeper Andy Pape, a long-time friend and mentor.

Gary had 10 days before Hendon's next competitive match, but there was a reserve game at Aylesbury, which the new management team used to see how big his task was. The equation was simple; Hendon had 14 matches left – all in the Ryman League – and they needed probably an average of a point from each of them to stay up. That doesn't sound much, but having won only twice since 23 October, it was quite a target.

Gary's first League match in charge was against fellow strugglers Cheshunt and Dave Sargent's second goal in stoppage time - with almost his final touch in a Greens shirt - brought a 2–1 victory. After the game, Gary said, "Three points was the most important thing today. Nevertheless there is much room for improvement needed in terms of the team's performance." He got the improved performances and six wins, five draws and three defeats later, Hendon were not only safe from relegation, but comfortably so.

The following season, it became clear that Gary wanted a very different style of football from that which had been seen in the previous five years. The ball would do the work, passing and possession were the prime concerns, along with doing things the right way. It didn't actually work in that first season as a terrible winter and spring resulted in the Greens being relegated - for a week. The 4-2 final day defeat at Margate was one of the bleakest days I have had as a Hendon fan - Blaise O'Brien's open goal miss after 50 minutes and leading 2-0 may live with me for ever. During the season, Pape had to step down and in his place came Gary's long-time friend and Hendon team-mate, Freddie Hyatt, a kindred soul when it came to football policy. And, before the following season started, there was a new physio, Mark Findley as Gary Anderson moved on.

Gary had already made it clear he was going to go with a young team in 2006-07, and when the fixtures were released, he told me in confidence he had a plan. It is now known as the "McCann plan" and he could not have executed it more perfectly. Quite simply, against the best teams, Hendon would do their best - of course - but expect nothing; against the mid-table teams, it was give everything and try to win more than they lost; against the bottom third, it was win or bust. The results were as follows: against the top seven teams, seven points; against the middle seven (in which section Hendon would end), it was 15; but against the bottom seven, 31 points were accrued, including six wins against the three teams which were relegated. Two of the regulars in that side were Lee O'Leary and Belal Aite-Ouakrim, still members of the first-team squad (albeit both have spent time away).

Hendon's off-field issues have made Gary's job significantly harder than anyone would consider reasonable, but for all of the issues - losing the ground, playing in front of disappointingly low crowds, little or no money for the squad - nothing has changed his policy. The team will continue to play football the right way - or at least try. Fans of Hendon have been treated to some magnificent football and footballers. The brief return to the club of Bontcho Guentchev, who played alongside both his sons, Lubomir and Iavor, ensured there would be plenty of good and - more importantly - entertaining football played.