The Bees’ schedule for the 2017-18 season will include meetings with Swindon Town, who were relegated from League One, and Newport County, who retained EFL status on the final day.

And most of all the 23-year-old shot-stopper cannot wait to take on newly-promoted Forest Green Rovers, the club where he started out as a youth team player.

“Playing Forest Green will be great,” Stephens told barnetfc.com. “I went to the (National League) play-off final last year and sadly watched them miss out against Grimsby.

“I missed out on the final this year as I was in Japan but I’m really looking forward to playing them, especially away at The New Lawn.

“Newport should also be good – staying up was a miracle! Michael Flynn did a great job there with Wayne Hatswell.

“It will be good to go back there again, especially now that they’re going to try and fix that pitch.”

While he is looking forward to lining up at some familiar venues, Stephens’ main target for next season is to remain injury-free.

Having been awarded the Bees’ no 1 shirt last summer, the keeper endured a succession of injuries that sidelined him for much of the 2016-17 campaign.  

“Having injuries is part and parcel of football,” he added. “No-one wants them and it’s just hard to get any momentum to go into games when you keep getting little niggles here and there.

“This year, hopefully I can put things behind me and try and push on and, with all the lads as well, we can have a successful year.”

Don’t forget, a full list of the Bees’ fixtures for next season will be available here from 9am on Wednesday.