Enfield Town FC are inviting applications for the role of first team manager.
The preferred candidate will have experience managing at a similar level or higher, and be able to demonstrate a proven track record of success in their career to date.
Please send your CV and covering letter to chairman@etfc.london
The board can confirm that it has reluctantly accepted the resignation of Gavin Macpherson from his position as first team manager.
Gavin joined the club in May 2023 and bought immediate success in his opening season with our play-off victory at Chatham, securing promotion to Step Two for the first time in our history. In our inaugural season in the National League South, he was able to rebuild the squad and guide us to a tremendous second half of the campaign which saw us stay up on the last day of the season; possibly an even bigger feat than our play-off success. This year, we again battled with clubs with much bigger resources than our own and ultimately fell short of achieving our goal of staying in the division.
Gavin has worked tirelessly alongside his coaching team over the past three years and his hard work, dedication and commitment to the club have been exemplary throughout his tenure. It was the board’s wish that Gav remain in charge for our return to Step Three, but having considered his position long and hard he feels that a complete reset of things is in the club’s best interests moving forward.
The board are extremely grateful for all of Gavin’s efforts as manager. He brought us arguably the finest day in our history in our play-off win together with many other happy memories during his time with us. Aside from the first team, he has been instrumental in forming fantastic relationships with our youth team and academy and truly understands the unique nature of our club. During his three years he has built a tremendous relationship and rapport with our supporters and he will always be welcome at the Dave Bryant Stadium.
Gavin and his staff will remain in charge for the final two games of the season and we hope this will give supporters a chance to acknowledge his brilliant contribution to the club over the past three years.
Weston-super-mare 1 Enfield Town 0
Report by Andrew Warshaw
It was all too familiar territory and the same old story for Enfield Town on the Somerset coast yesterday – switching off at a crucial time after defending manfully coupled with an disappointing lack of quality at the other end.
Gavin Macpherson had called on his players to finish the campaign with pride but the fact we hardly created a worthwhile chance speak volumes about the paucity of attacking otions though perhaps on this occasion there were mitigating circumstances, with Lamar Reynolds injured, Jake Cass having departed and Eli Ackeson still away on trial.
Add in the fact that not one but two academy players were on the bench – one of whom had never been in the squad – and you get some idea of the resources at our disposal. It didn’t augur well and so it proved, the match ending with Sam Youngs virtually up front on his own.
Playoff-chasing Weston were desperate for points yet for large parts of the game were frustrated by a Town backline featuring the returning Adam Thompson who replaced the suspended Henry Hawkins.
With precious little fire power to call on, Town pushed Nino Adom-Malaki into a more advanced left-sided role but we rarely managed to hurt the Seagulls who invariably controlled the play.
They almost took the lead inside 60 seconds only for Louis Britton’s shot from six yards to be luckily fired straight into the gloves of Joe Wright.
As Town settled down, Weston’s crosses from wide areas were frequently overhit though a huge home penalty shout went unheeded when Don Bernard appeared to be impeded.
Joe got down well to push Michael Smith’s attempt round the post after he latched on to a neat backheel. But just when the Seagulls’ rushed approach seemed to be playing into Town’s hands, the hosts took the lead seconds before the interval.
One again it was a set-piece that did for us when a corner was flicked on into the six-yard area and Sam Avery nodded home, undermining all the solid defending that had gone before.
H-T
Joe was soon called into action to save again from Britton and Ollie Dewsbury, between which Luke Spokes curled an attempt over the bar. Scot Bennett then carved his way through but couldn’t beat Joe.
Town’s punchless predicament intensified when Billy Leonard, having been earlier hacked down with no help from the referee, had to limp off.
Corie Andrews, who worked hard but was largely ineffective, also suffered a knock and had already been subbed himself. As we tried to chase the game, young Kaobi Efobi came off the bench for his senior debut to add his weight — or rather lack of it – to the attack as we pushed for a late equaliser without success.
Chippenham being relegated with us after a decade at Step 2, and long-time participants Bath on the verge of the same fate, shows what a tough league this is, however scant consolation that might be.
“We were lacking considerably in forward options and didn’t have much to shout about,” said Gavin. “Having said that I expected a bit more from one of two of them. I understand relegation has just happened and that human nature kicks in to try and see the season out. But the fans applauding the players off the pitch today should give the players and the management team plenty of desire to want to win the last two games.”
Wright; Appiah, Benjamin, Thompson, Donaldson; Leonard (Efobi 84), Parcell, Bullas(Brown 75) , Adon-Malaki; Youngs, Andrews (Traore 58)
Whilst the pain of being relegated is still very much uppermost in everyone’s mind, Gavin Macpherson insists his players will react as professionally as possible in an attempt to end the season on a positive note.
Town make the long journey to playoff-chasing Weston-Super-Mare tomorrow without the suspended Henry Hawkins, potentially a massive miss but mitigated somewhat by the potential return from injury of Adam Thompson. Jake Cass’ all-too-brief comeback is over, however, through a mixture of injury and business reasons.
“We were always very much eyes wide open when Jake came back and tried to give us some resilience in the forward positions,” explained Gavin. “Obviously now with relegation confirmed it’s right and proper that he does what he has to do. We understand where’s he’s at.”
While our last three games may be redundant and our last two dead rubbers in terms of influencing either end of the table, Town are going all out to upset the apple cart — starting at the home of the Seagulls in Somerset.
“We’ve done exactly what we normally do in terms of preparation and I’ve set the players a task of doing something we haven’t done all season which is to win three games in a row,” said Gavin.
“Looking back we’ve probably drawn too many games but there’s no point in suddenly doing something different. I’m certainly not sending a team out that is going to be happy coming off the pitch with nothing. Maybe the shackles will come off naturally but we will go about our business in the most professional way we can. There’s no last day at school syndrome.”
Gavin revealed he’s had loads of goodwill messages since that fateful day on Easter Monday.
“A lot of people within the game have acknowledged that in their view my job has been very difficult. I’m obviously hugely appreciative of people seeing the efforts we’ve put in but at the end of the day it doesn’t mean that much in the scheme of things.”
AW
Enfield Town 0 Hemel Hempstead Town 0
Report by Andrew Warshaw
There may have been a sense of inevitability but the hurt was no less deeply felt.
After two seasons in National League South, Town were relegated on Easter Monday with three games to spare and now have to prepare for a return to Step 3 next season, rejoining a league which, ominously, is far more competitive than when we left it.
The goalless draw against Hemel Hempstead, coupled with Farnborough’s win, sealed our fate and while there is bound to be an inquest among players, management, fans and board alike, the fact is we were punching above our weight for the best part of two years.
Not surprisingly there were tears, mixed with anger and gut-wrenching disappointment, in the dressing room as the pain and repercussions of going down began to sink in.
Ultimately, it was a step too far and clearly there are bound to be changes but it’s too early to speculate what these might be. The fact is we have an opportunity to end the campaign on a positive note and avoid finishing bottom of the table. As Gavin Macpherson , who has never been relegated, said afterwards, the fans deserve no less.
As far as the Hemel game itself is concerned, it was arguably one of our least eventful games of the season and with Jake Cass suffering from an abductor strain and Eli Ackeson on trial at Wycombe, we had scant few attacking options on the bench to turn the game in our favour when we needed a breakthrough.
After Paul Appiah was awarded with the player of the month award for March, play-off chasing but injury-hit Hemel largely had the better of the exchanges but found Joe Wright in excellent form, helped by some solid defending (pictured).
Yet it was Sam Youngs, more used to popping up at the other end, who first rescued Town with an acrobatic clearance off the line with his back to goal.
It took almost half an hour for Town to register their first worthwhile effort on target as Lemar Reynolds brought a smart save out of Michael Johnson. But Joe Wright was by far the busier of the two keepers, pulling off a superb stop from a Hemel corner, then watching Mauro Vilhete’s long-range drive flash wide.
H-T 0-0
Straight form the restart, Hayden Bullas went down in the box and when nothing was given, Hemel raced up the other end and Joe produced a magnificent double save. Moments later only his outstretched leg again prevented goal-shy Hemel going in front when they beat the offside trap.
Whether or not news filtered through to the players that Farnborough had taken the lead against Horsham, Town suddenly picked up the pace.
Youngs showed great technique as he forced Johnson into a smart stop after fine work by Bullas. Then a neat interchange between Billy Leonard and Nino Adom-Malaki threatened to cut Hemel open, only for the move to fizzle out at the vital moment – a hallmark of our season.
Former Towner Olly Davies thankfully didn’t hurt us off the bench but when seven minutes were added on, Joe was called into action again to keep out Darion Dorwich’s effort as Hemel came again.
“Emotions are running high in the dressing room,” said a crestfallen Gavin. “It’s the first one I’ve been in that’s been relegated. In truth, it wasn’t today that relegated us but a series of games.”
The adventure may be over but while Gavin was understandably bitterly disappointed, he has given this club some of the most euphoric and exciting moments in its recent history. Apart from the occasional embarrassing heavy defeat, we haven’t disgraced ourselves and it was no surprise when the players, who cannot be faulted for desire or effort for most of the season, were given a warm and sympathetic reception afterwards.
“Obviously it’s hard at this level but that doesn’t mean you accept being an also-ran,” said Gavin. “We worked a miracle before and we felt we could do it again. It’s my responsibility but we have an obligation to the supporters to get as many points as we can from the last three games, however difficult that might be in the circumstances.”
Town
Wright; Benjamin, Appiah, Hawkins, Adom-Malaki; Bullas (Traore 77), Donaldson, Youngs, Knight (Brown 77); Reynolds, Andrews (Leonard 60)
While some Town fans may be resigned to the prospect of relegation, Gavin Macpherson has no intention of sending out his troops with that mentality when we face playoff-chasing Hemel Hempstead Town on Easter Monday (k-o 3pm).
Town’s fate effectively relies on other teams slipping up even if we win our last four games, rendering tomorrow a potential last throw of the dice.
Whatever the result, Gavin plans to sit down thereafter with the powers that be to have a chat about the situation going forward. But for the moment he is fully concentrated on trying to beat Hemel and throwing everything into the final group of fixtures.
Town seem likely to still be without Mickey Parcell and another couple of injuries, including possibly Billy Leonard. Both Mickey and Billy limped off at Chelmsford but Paul Appiah will be back in a Town shirt and Bailey Brown, a Good Friday substitute, is fit again.
Gavin admits that conceding decisive late goals, combined with lack of quality at the other end, have been the bane of our season.
“I’ve had teams in the past that have been freescoring but conceded a fair amount of goals. I’ve also had teams that have been mean defensively but not as potent at the other end. This season we haven’t been good enough in either box and that is a recipe for where we are.”
In truth, that is partially down to the difficulty of recruitment at Step 2 where money talks far louder than lower down the pyramid, especially when it comes to proven goalscorers.
Gavin has never been relegated in his managerial career and admits it will be hard to stomach if we return to step 3 after two seasons in National League South.
“It’s something I’ve never experienced before and won’t be a good feeling,” he conceded. “The dugout is a lonely place sometime, especially when you get decisions wrong.”
“We need to try and win all four games and see what happens. If we go down, my first thought will be for the supporters because managers and players come and go but the fans are a constant.
“What I will feel is a huge sense of regret but that’s not where my head is at the moment. My head is trying to play the best we can against Hemel.”
AW
Chelmsford City 3 Enfield Town 0
Report by Andrew Warshaw
Mathematically it’s still possible but there was no doubting the air of gut-wrenching disappointment and dejection after the Good Friday defeat at Chelmsford which all but condemned Enfield Town to a return to Step 3 football next season.
With Bath City beating Chippenham, Town fell into the bottom two and now have to win their next three games — and hope Farnborough lose theirs and others slip up too — to stand any chance of taking it to the final day and a possible second successive survival act.
A more likely scenario is the depressing reality of being relegated on Easter Monday though three points would certainly sweeten the pill going into the final group of fixtures.
Despite plenty of endeavour and desire, it was all too familiar a pattern as we were beaten by the more skillful, inventive team. Having said that, Lady Luck could have smiled on us on more compassionately, only for us to leave Essex empty-handed.
Even before kickoff there were grumbles of resentment as Chelmsford rigorously employed their segregation policy, on occasion in far too heavy handed a manner.
Once the action got under way, Town – who made three changes due to injuries and unavailability including Jake Cass making his first start since coming out of retirement — began steadily and were relatively comfortable against full-time opponents who had changed manager 48 hours earlier in an attempt to squeeze into the playoffs.
Lyle Taylor, one of the highest paid players in the division, chipped narrowly over while at the other end Cassy shrugged off his defender to find Lamar Reynolds who was dispossessed far too easily.
With the strong wind at their backs, another Town half-chance came and went when Hayden Bullas won a freekick and the ball was eventually cleared.
Taylor, not surprisingly, was always a threat but it took until the 39th minute for him to score his 27th goal of the season, aided by two Town errors. Henry Hawkins miscued an attempted clearance back into the danger zone and Billy Leonard – playing in an unfamiliar rightback role – slipped at the back post to allow Taylor to poke the ball home.
Town so nearly levelled just before the interval when Ruaridh Donaldson’s thumping header was narrowly ruled offside.
H-T 0-1
Who knows what might have transpired had the equaliser stood, given that we had largely contained Chelmsford in the blustery conditions.
Having said that, Taylor almost doubled his and his team’s lead just after the break, only for Joe Wright to stick out a leg to keep it to a single goal.
On 54 minutes, we came close again to levelling as Noah Phillips saved superbly from Sam Youngs and follow-up efforts from Cass and Hayden Bullas were somehow hoicked to safety.
It just wasn’t our day and Chelmsford, who didn’t play in midweek, now made their superior fitness count, took control and dug the knife in.
With 20 minutes left and second balls increasingly picked up by to the Clarets , Town failed to clear a right-wing cross and Archie Tamplin, on the edge of the area, unleashed an unstoppable volley into the far corner.
Play was temporarily halted shortly afterwards following an incident involving a Chelmsford supporter behind the goal and Joe Wright. It wasn’t spotted by the referee or linesman but resulted in seven minutes of stoppage time.
By this time, our support play in midfield had all but dried up – at both ends. When Bailey Brown failed to clear a quick throw-in, substitute Antony Papadopoulos took advantage by rolling the ball into the net with the last action of the game.
Now we go again on Monday against Hemel Hempstead hoping for a health Easter crowd despite the situation we find ourselves in.
“We’re chalk and cheese compared with Chelmsford and thin on the ground,” said Gavin Macpherson. “We effectively had three academy players on the bench but we weren’t out of it until late on even though we lacked a bit of running power having played on Tuesday.”
“It’s been the story of our season not quite having the quality in the final third, then switching off at the other end. But the dressing room is focussed on going at Hemel on Monday. We’re running on empty but we are sticking together and have a duty to the club to try our very best in the final four games.”
Town: Wright; Adom-Malaki, Benjamin, Hawkins, Leonard (Traore 51); Knight (Brown 90), Bullas, Donaldson, Youngs; Reynolds, Cass (Andrews 65)
Will Enfield Town have to deal with the additional burden of new manager bounce when they take on Chelmsford City tomorrow in the first of back-of-back Easter fixtures which could seal our fate?
With one of the biggest budgets in the division, the Clarets summarily sacked manager Angelo Harrop today and replaced him on an interim basis with Ricky Holmes.
Mid-table Chelmsford theoretically remain within reach of a playoff finish but two wins out of the last seven games did for the manager less than one season into the job.
While the Clarets are looking to get back to winning ways, Town’s task is far more precarious and challenging, having been left adrift in the bottom four with a mountain to climb.
We effectively probably need to win four of our remaining five games and even then hope that others – notably Farnborough eight points ahead but also the other teams in the relegation zone – suffer a barren run-in.
The fact that we have won just two of 20 away league games so far this season and only recorded eight league victories in the whole campaign doesn’t augur well. But Gavin Macpherson certainly isn’t throwing in the towel despite last Saturday’s catastophe against Chesham.
With Xavier Benjamin 50-50 and already without long-term victim Adam Thomspon and the ineligible Paul Appiah, Town face something of a defensive crisis with Mickey Parcell even more doubtful than Xav.
“We’ll run both up to the wire and see where we are,” said Gavin. “Who knows whether Chelmsford will have a new manager bounce. Obviously we did our homework based on someone else in charge. They’ve certainly put a very good guy in temporary charge who knows what he’s doing.”
“I honestly believe Chelmsford have a squad of players unrivalled at this level. I don’t know the ins and outs of what’s gone on there. What I do know is that we somehow have to win the game.”
“Has it crossed my mind we could be relegated on Monday? Yes because it’s not in our hands. We’ve not got the points we hoped to get and have had to play catch-up. But there are a number of reasons why you have to stay utterly committed. The main reason is this football club and the supporters. But you also have an obligation to other teams in our league.”
AW
Enfield Town 3 Chesham United 4
Report by Andrew Warshaw
Was this the evening that sealed Enfield Town’s fate after throwing away a two-goal lead?
Certainly, there was an air of despondency verging on resignation after we inexplicably capitulated and are now clinging on for dear life with only five games left and still eight points from Farnborough and safety – a not impossible but highly improbable task.
If results go against us, we could even be relegated on Easter Monday but it would grossly unfair to throw the book at either players or management
The fact is we are competing with clubs who have huge private investment and multiple revenue streams. We all love the fan-owned model. Indeed, that is the charm of our club. But it comes with inevitable caveats. Gavin Macpherson said from the start that because National League South is so much stronger this season, it would be a far tougher challenge than last year when we survived on the final day. And so it has proved.
There are other mitigating circumstances. The fact that fellow relegation candidates Bath City have been in National League South since 2012 – and full-time Eastbourne Borough for 14 years – demonstrates there are no guarantees at this level. Eastbourne, remember, have actually announced they are preparing to go part-time because of the financial blow relegation might entail.
You cut your cloth accordingly and it’s no coincidence that it’s the part-time clubs in the main who are in danger of the drop. The fact is Town have been punching above their weight for two seasons.
And just to quash an untimely rumour doing the rounds, suggestions that Gavin has already decided to leave are both misleading and unsubstantiated. He is firmly focussed on the remaining five games.
That’s not to say he wasn’t furious at how events unfolded on Tuesday. To score three times and not get anything out a game is highly frustrating to say the least especially as it’s traditionally been in the final third where we’ve been lacking.
Town made one change for the must-win of all must-win games, with Hayden Bullas – recalled by Orient to play for their under-21s — replaced by Billy Leonard.
In a nervy, scrappy start, the visitors arguably looked the more composed side, Jayden Bennetts – Chesham’s most dangerous player – seeing his goalbound sidefoot diverted over by Nino Adom-Malaki.
The Generals were using overlaps to good effect but on 17 minutes Town went in front in a move started and finished by the evergreen Sam Young, stabbing home after fine work by Leonard and Ollie Knight.
Seven minutes later and Town doubled their lead. Henry Hawkins went on a thrilling Frank Beckenbauer-style charge through the middle of the pitch and Knight was on hand to provide the support play and slot the ball home.
A suspicion of handball by Adom-Malaki was waved away but 2-0, as they say, is a dangerous scoreline. Five minutes before the break and Chesham were back in it, albeit courtesy of slack defending when Bennetts was allowed to pick his spot.
H-T
The next goal was always going to prove crucial and it went to Chesham moments after the break when Sam Youngs inadvertently headed into his own net whilst trying to clear.
What could go wrong thereafter did go wrong.
Mickey Parcell had already gone off injured towards the end of the first half with what looked like a recurrence of his old problem and by the hour mark Chesham had turned the game on its head, former Towner Samson Esen doing the damage on both occasions.
First, a Chesham corner wasn’t dealt with properly and Esen prodded home. Then, with Bennetts again involved, Esen was given far too much time to turn the ball home for 4-2 amid stunned incredulity.
A Lamar Reynolds belter reduced the arrears but Xav Benjamin became the second injury victim and in the dying moments of normal time, Hawkins – just after having headed against the woodwork for what would have been 4-4 — received a second yellow for the softest of fouls. Consistently one of Town’s best performers, he will be sorely missed for the journey to Weston-super-Mare.
With Adam Thompson still out and Paul Appiah ineligible against his parent club Chelmsford on Good Friday, Town’s defensive options are getting slimmer by the game.
Perhaps the biggest positive to take home was a 30-minute cameo display by Jake Cass whose strength and power won a late freekick (pictured) and augurs well for the final few outings – however significant they may or may not prove to be.
“To let a 2-0 lead slip in the manner we did is criminal,” said Gavin. “Our basic desire to defend our box in the second half just wasn’t there.”
“I’m not going to dress this up as something it’s not. I understand people thinking it’s over. But I will not let the team capitulate in the final few games because there is accountability to our supporters who watch us week-in, week-out. Giving up is not in my make-up.”
Town
Wright; Benjamin (Donaldson 71), Hawkins, Appiah; Leonard, Parcell (Traore 43), Youngs, Knight (Ackeson 83), Adom-Malaki; Reynolds, Andrews (Cass 60)
