The club invites applications for the post of first team manager. The preferred candidate will have experience of managing at a similar level or above and be able to demonstrate a proven track record of success in their career to date.
Please submit your application to chairman@etfc.london
After six years at the helm, manager Andy Leese and the club have agreed to part company with immediate effect.
Andy took over in May 2017 and steered the Town through an initial rebuild and the two Covid interrupted seasons before guiding the club in to the play-offs and our highest ever league finish in the 2021/22 campaign. He also steered us to Isthmian League Cup success in 2019, the 4th qualifying round of the FA Cup in his first season and a record run to the 3rd round of the FA Trophy in 2021.
Chairman Paul Reed said “Both personally and on behalf of the club I would like to thank Andy and his staff for all of their efforts during his time at the club. He’s given us many highs and fantastic performances, putting together a team that our supporters could be proud of. Andy has always proven himself to be a honourable, hard working and talented manager who has constantly had the best interests of the club at heart. On a personal level we have enjoyed an excellent working relationship and I truly appreciate his enormous contribution to our club over the past six seasons.
The club wish Andy and his staff all our best wishes for the future.
Huge congratulations to all those who won our season-ending awards, presented after Saturday’s final game.
Nathan McDonald (pictured with skipper Scott Thomas) picked up two prizes — supporters’ player of the year and players’ player for a series of outstanding saves made throughout the season.
Adam Cunnington won the management’s player of the season while Marcus Wyllie took the young player award.
Jake Cass took the Golden Boot award for his 18 goals while Ian Hamilton deservedly won the club person of the year award, having been an invaluable volunteer in a variety of different roles, all of them crucial – not least on the turnstiles.
Well done, each and every winner!
Enfield Town 1 Aveley 2
Report by Andrew Warshaw
Despite a healthy 600-plus final-day crowd, there was an inevitable sense of anti-climax on Saturday as we ended the league season in a disappointing ninth position, having taken just three of a possible 18 points during a tough run-in.
No-one can fault the players or the management team for their sterling efforts throughout the season and whilst no-one wanted or anticipated this outcome after we spent so long in the top 5, it gives everyone a chance to take stock and come again in the summer.
Lewis Knight was missing with an achilles problem but James Richmond returned after illness while Adam Cunnington was restored to the starting line-up.
Set pieces have been our downfall for much of the season and after starting slowly we were punished again on 13 minutes when Ryan Scott rose highest to head home a freekick.
Harry Gibbs headed another freekick just wide before we had a couple of dangerous moments ourselves, first when Andre Coker wriggled his way into the box but was stopped before he could get a shot away, then when Khale da costa ran on to a long ball upfield but was ruled offside.
We just couldn’t get going in the final third, however, and as Aveley continued to probe, Temilolu Babalola got in front of his marker but thankfully shot weakly wide.
H-T 0-1
With the supply line to our forwards frustratingly off-key, we just couldn’t test Jonathan North enough.
Until, that is, the 67th minute when Sam Youngs sent North the wrong way from the penalty spot (pictured) after substitute Lewis Taaffe was impeded after slaloming his way into the box.
That should have been the springboard for Town to burst into life. Instead, on 70 minutes, Babaoloa got his head to an inswinging corner to win the points for Aveley who finished fourth and can look forward to a semifinal against Canvey Island.
To compound our frustration, Taaffe received a straight red with 10 minutes remaining after he was adjudged to have lunged in dangerously on Emannuel Ogunrinde though it looked to many like he slammed the ball into Ogunrinde’s midriff.
Town
McDonald; Renee, Richmond, Wilson-Braithwaite, Payne; Thomas, Youngs (Cass, 77), Da Costa (Bakare, 63), Isaac (Taaffe, 61); Cunnington, Coker
Anyone who anticipates the team lacking fight in our final fixture of the season at home to Aveley on Saturday (3pm kickoff) after agonisingly missing out on the playoffs can think again.
As the management team pointed out after last weekend’s gut-wrenching disappointment at Bishop’s Stortford (to whom we extend our congratulations for winning automatic promotion), we want to end the campaign on a high even if everyone hoped for different outcome over the season as a whole.
Fourth-placed Aveley have taken one point from the last nine but have otherwise been in consistently decent form and have the luxury of knowing that they will definitely finish in the playoff places.
The Millers squandered a two-goal advantage in the dying moments of a thriller against high-flying Canvey Island in midweek but will be keen to showcase their ability as they bid for back-to-back promotions.
After a tough season when we came so close to achieving our goal, we need as many supporters as possible to get behind the Town and give the best possible rousing send-off to the players and management team for all their efforts in trying to secure a top-5 place, ultimately just falling short.
All fans are then invited to remain after the game for the end-of-season awards which include Supporters’ player of the season, players’ player, manager’s player, goal of the season and best club person.
Bishop’s Stortford 4 Enfield Town 1
Report by Andrew Warshaw
Enfield Town’s playoffs dreams were finally extinguished on a sobering afternoon on Saturday – yet at one point it might easily have gone down to the last game.
Just after we equalised in a dominant 15-minute spell in front of a bumper 1,300-plus crowd at the champions elect, we were very much in the ascendancy.
Stortford were wobbling at that point and had we scored the next goal, who knows what might have happened.
But three goals in 13 second-half minutes left us crestfallen, beaten in the end by an excellent side who are strong in all areas of the pitch and are where they are for a reason having now won six on the bounce.
None of that, of course, will ease the gut-wrenching disappointment of Town having taken just three points from the last 15 – and 16 from a possible 45 — as we attempted to cement fifth place in the latter stages of the season.
It’s not what any of us wanted but the fact that our final outing against Aveley on Saturday is now redundant should not disguise the fact that the players and management have tried their hardest to bring about a different conclusion.
In a game we effectively had to win, the management used virtually every attacking option at our disposal whether in the starting line-up or on the bench though Adam Cunnington missed out because of last weekend’s knock.
More crucially over the 90 minutes, perhaps, James Richmond was conspicuous by his absence at the back because of illness
The first half was all about digging in and repelling Stortford’s series of well delivered set-pieces in front of an expectant crowd.
Nathan McDonald was twice called into action early doors while Dequane Wilson-Braithwaite made a timely interception to thwart the dangerous Frankie Merrifield.
It looked like we would go in level after standing firm but on 35 minutes all our good work was undone when we conceded straight from a curling Darren Foxley corner that evaded everyone and nestled in the corner.
Just before the interval, having snuffed out most of Stortford’s attacks, we had a chance ourselves only for Michael Bakare to be flagged just offside from Jake Cass’ through ball
H-T 0-1
Whatever was said to the players at halftime we came out a revitalised team and levelled two minutes later.
Chez Isaac’s through ball found the experienced Bakare who showed fantastic composure by rounding the keeper to score the first goal Stortford had conceded for six matches (pictured).
Suddenly we started to burst forward with renewed vigour and Sam Youngs headed just over from a corner.
The next goal was always going to be vital but frustratingly it went Stortford’s way, Anthony Church converting after we lost concentration at a long throw.
Stortford now had their tails up again, playing through the channels with plenty of invention. A Merrified drive flew just over and on 65 minutes the hosts made the game safe as Foxley got goal-side of his marker to thump a bullet header past McDonald.
It might have been four when Merrified was clean through, Nathan somehow saving brilliantly with his legs.
But on 71 minutes another troublesome long throw by former Towner Matt Johnson was only half-cleared back into his path and from the resultant chip, Ryan Charles volleyed home.
The dejected look on all the Enfield players’ faces at the final whistle said everything about the sense of anti-climax after a season that for so long promised another playoff finish and another crack at promotion.
“You can’t sugar coat it, we haven’t been good enough from perhaps the early part of February and we showed that again,” said an understandably downcast Andy. “We conceded from three set plays after having spent all week working on that.”
“It’s sad because in the end it’s a difference of three or four points. It’s bitterly disappointing but we haven’t been good enough in both boxes. There’s a whole myriad of reasons why we’ve messed it up and it’s tough to take.”
“It’s a collective thing and I’m not just looking at the players. It has to start with me and the management team. I still maintain we have a squad that should be in the top five. I can only apologise to the supporters because we put ourselves in a great position.”
There’s still one more game, of course, and we now need as many fans as possible to get the behind the players and management team on Saturday and give them a rousing send-off for their efforts.
Town
McDonald; Renee, Knight, Wilson-Braithwaite, Payne; Thomas (Taaffe, 73), Youngs, Isaac, Dayton (Coker 63); Cass, Bakare (Wyllie 78).
If the home game on Easter Monday against Haringey was our biggest game of the season until then, this Saturday is now even more important with just two fixtures left.
If we can cause an upset at league leaders Bishop’s Stortford and/or Cray Wanderers plus those just below us slip up, then a playoff place is very much back in play.
The title will in all likelihood be won by Saturday’s opponents or Hornchurch or Canvey Island but of more concern to us is the five-horse race for fifth place and the final play-off spot between ourselves, Cray, Lewes, Horsham and Hastings United.
Cray may be favourites on paper but it may well go to the last day of the season on April 22.
The challenge for us, one point behind Cray, couldn’t be much greater. Runners-up last season, then beaten in the playoffs like we were, Stortford have won their last five games without conceding a goal and could clinch the title and win automatic promotion on Saturday if results go in their favour.
Of course we don’t want to give them that luxury at our expense and are well capable of stopping them in their tracks if we reproduce our best form which we may need to do to stay in the hunt. Our chances will certainly be boosted by a strong following in our final away game of the regular season.
Directions to the ground:
Meanwhile, congratulations to our Under-12 Side who won an international tournament in Italy over the Easter weekend beating Posilipo Santa Maria 4-0 in the final. We will be inviting them as our special guests to the Aveley fixture so we can all show our appreciation of their efforts.
Enfield Town Player of The Season
If you have not done so already vote for your Enfield Town player of the season using the link below.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for our right-back Juevan Spencer who hasn’t been able to walk freely, work or play football since suffering a terrible ACL injury playing for Town at Billericay in February.
Andre Coker has set up the page for Jueven who was in fantastic form at the time of his injury and has been a significant loss to the squad.
Jueven risks being out of action for up to two years unless funds are made available for him to receive treatment privately.
Andre explains: “After waiting on the scan results, Juevan has been told he would need two operations to rectify his injuries.
“Due to the current circumstances in the NHS, he was advised he faced a minimum of 10 months on the waiting list with an additional 9-12 months for full rehabilitation and recovery. Essentially, Juevan could be looking at 2 years of not being able to walk freely, work or play football.”
“Our aim, hopefully with the support from family, friends, the club, and the football community, we hope we can come together to raise enough money so that Juevan is able to receive private treatment and care and reduce the time he is waiting by half.”
“Not only is football a huge part of Juevan’s life but it is also a source of income for him and his family and the thing he loved doing the most. We appreciate times are hard but we would be grateful for any help and support to get Juevan back fit again.
Please donate to Juevan’s GoFundMe page if you are in a position to do so:
Enfield Town 2 Haringey Borough 2
Report by Andrew Warshaw
Football can be a cruel game as a draw was clutched from the jaws of victory in the dying moments on Easter Monday to leave Town’s playoff hopes hanging worryingly in the balance.
Seemingly in control against a Haringey Borough side who put up the usual resistance, combined with a fair few tricks of the trade, we were twice pegged back and ended up dropping vital points that could prove all-important in a couple of weeks’ time.
To put the result in stark perspective, the situation is no longer in our hands. For the first time since Dec 9, we have dropped out of the playoff places, the previous time being back at the end of September.
Of course nothing is done and dusted by any means. Two strong performances at title-chasing Bishop’s Stortford on Saturday and then at home to Aveley in our final regular league game could still clinch fifth.
But now we have to rely on Cray, one point ahead of us, to slip up. And maybe also Lewes, Hastings and Horsham, all in the chasing pack just behind us.
It’s a tough ask and three points out of a possible 12 at the business end of the season tells its own disappointing story. But whilst it may look a bleak picture, who’se to say there will be no more twists and turns.
Sometimes you don’t get what you deserve – and on the balance of play we certainly didn’t in front of a near-700 crowd, marred it has to be said by a couple of unsavoury incidents including two so-called “fans” – not Town’s as it turned out — who proceeded to encroach on to the pitch.
In a swirling wind, the ball often looked more like a beach ball than a football, both teams having to adapt such was the difficulty of finding the right weight of pass.
Lyle Della-Verde, in the starting line-up as one of three changes from the defeat at Horsham, delivered a trademark freekick early doors that Max Ovenden tipped over. Jake Cass then almost converted from a Joe Payne pass while another Della-Verde delivery resulted in a bullet header that was just off target.
The deadlock was broken on 23 minutes when Adam Cunnington was impeded in the box, suffering a nasty wound in the process that needed lengthy treatment as blood streamed down his face (pictured).
Cass walloped the penalty down the middle and although it was saved, he managed to get to the rebound first.
Before Haringey could kick off, Nathan McDonald went down in our area, apparently the victim of beer being thrown from someone in the away end.
Cunns, bandaged up not once but twice, inevitably couldn’t last much longer and was replaced by Andre Coker with Cass pushed further forward into his favoured position.
With halftime approaching, Haringey levelled after a bizarre passage of play. A poor Nathan McDonald throw-out was collected Matthew Young whose cross found Alphonso Kennedy who let fly.
Nathan appeared to have redeemed himself with a world-class save but from the resultant corner, Scott Mitchell got in front of his marker to head home.
H-T 1-1
If Town edged the first half they were even more dominant in the second but ultimately couldn’t make it count.
As the wind picked up, so Town’s pressure increased but quality in the final third and clear-cut chances were lacking while little luck was going our way as Della-Verde became the second player forced to go off injured.
Haringey had a penalty appeal turned down but on 65 minutes we were deservedly back in front as Cass collected Michael Bakare’s pass, drove into the area and shot powerfully past Ovenden.
Sam Owusu’s chip for Haringey was luckily only half hit but we continued to look the more threatening side and should have made the game safe with the best move of the game.
A sublime Cass back heel found Coker who played ball back into Jake’s path, only for him to blast over with his weaker left foot as his eyes lit up for the hattrick.
It proved a costly miss. In the last minute of regular time the visitors, who had started to push forward ominously, were awarded a spotkick of their own for handball.
After a lengthy delay as a result of a multi-player scuffle, Nathan moved to his left to save low down from Rakim Richards but Stefanos Georgiou was first to the loose ball, belting it into the net despite clearly having encroached into the area by several yards without either the referee or the linesman seemingly noticing.
It left a sour taste in the mouths of every Towner fan after a typically competitive derby that was followed by another unwanted incident near the tunnel.
Haringey had achieved what they set out to do by drilling arguably the largest hole to date into our playoff chances – hopefully one that can still be repaired in the final two outings.
Town
McDonald; Renee, Knight, Richmond, Payne; Thomas, Isaac (Wilson-Braithwaite, 83), Youngs; Della-Verde (Coker, 63), Cunnington (Bakare 38), Cass.
Horsham 3 Enfield Town 1
Report by Martin Bentley
Enfield Town’s play-off hopes took a major hit at the Camping World Community Stadium as defensive errors, as well as a brilliantly executed freekick, saw a disciplined Horsham side take the three points.
Town are still clinging on to fifth but are now just one point ahead of the chasing pack fronted by Cray, with three daunting-looking final games remaining.
Town welcomed back skipper Scott Thomas to the starting line-up, with Josh Okotcha replacing an ill Lewis Knight at the centre of the defence.
The game started with a bang with both sides squandering a good chance in the opening five minutes, Jake Cass for Town, and Jack Mazzone for the home side.
Apart from Mazzone’s 16th minute deflected effort that was gathered by Nathan McDonald, the main feature of the ensuing period were yellow cards for Andre Coker and Horsham’s Chris Sessegnon for a goalmouth dust-up, and one for Cass, following an incident involving Town’s centre forward and the home keeper Taylor Seymour’s water bottle.
Five minutes before half time though, the home side got their noses in front. Joe Payne pulled back Tom Kavanagh as he raced into the box, and Mazzone sent McDonald the wrong way from the penalty spot.
The second half saw Town introduce Adam Cunnington in place of Coker, and they got themselves back on level terms after eight minutes, Cass volleying in Payne’s right wing corner.
Five minutes later though, Town found themselves behind once again. Okotcha conceded a freekick 25 yards from goal, and home skipper Kavanagh proceeded to whip an unstoppable effort over the wall and past a helpless McDonald.
Once again Town chased an equaliser, their best opportunity falling to Cass, whose effort was well saved by Seymour.
Andy Leese introduced Khale da Costa and debutant Michael Bakare up front late on, but the home side made the game safe ten minutes from time, James Richmond’s miskick presenting Charlie Hester-Cook with an unmissable opportunity from ten yards.
It was a frustrating end to a disappointing Town performance, and immediate improvement is required to cement that final play-off place, starting with arguably our most crucial game of the season at home to Haringey Borough on Monday.
“Defensively today we weren’t good enough,” said Andy afterwards. “Bitterly disappointing and it’s made it harder for us. It’s still in our hands but we’re going to have to be a lot better than we were today.”
Town: McDonald, Renee, Payne, Thomas (Bakare 76), Okotcha, Richmond, Taaffe, (da Costa 76) Youngs, Cass, Dayton, Coker (Cunnington 45).
