We can now confirm our programme of pre-season friendlies for the 2026-27 season. We will update accordingly if/when more games are arranged:
Saturday 4th July [15:00] – Haringey Borough Away
Friday 10th July [19:00] – Leyton Orient Home
Tuesday 21st July [19:45] – Stotfold Away
Friday 24th July [19:45] – Worthing Home
Tuesday 28th July [19:45] – Hornchurch Home
Friday 31st July [19:45] – Bishop’s Stortford Away
Tuesday 4th August [19:30] – Spurs U21 Home
Don’t miss our special 25th year anniversary celebration event later this month. All manner of entertainment, including live music, with details to follow. Make sure you put it in your diary and spread the word.
All welcome
COYT!
Les Gold’s family have asked us to announce the following regarding next week’s funeral service.
Streaming details for the service of Les Gold at 10:30 (BST) on Wednesday 10th June, at Woollensbrook Crem-Chapel, run by Austins Family Funeral Directors – Buntingford are as below.
Watching Live & On Demand
Website
Username:
vuno8394
Password:
440008
Entertainment is the name of the game. That was one of the key messages delivered by Billy Holland and his first-team coach Charlie Gregory at last Thursday’s Meet The Manager forum at Butler’s Bar.
In a highly refreshing Q and A discussion, Billy not only told the fans what he intended to bring to the club but also asked the audience what they were expecting too.
Asked jokingly whether his surname meant Town could see Total Football being played, he responded: “That’s what me and Charlie try to do. That’s our style. We will see in pre-season how these young men take on the information we provide. That’s what pre-season is for.”
Billy revealed he will likely be bringing in four or five players from former club Waltham Abbey and that he was ideally looking at a first-team squad of 18 players, supplemented by under-23s and academy boys, some of some of whom will train with the seniors. Pre-season will effectively see two different teams of 22-24 players in total.
Billy promised to leave no stone unturned in developing a winning mentality. “No-one works harder than me and Charlie and I’ll expect the same from the players,” he said. “Charlie is very big when it comes to on the ball, I’m very big with off the ball. My assistant manager Spencer is the straight talker. If we get it right we can all look forward to a great season. I’m very confident I can deliver. Every game we walk into there will be slight tweaks. It will depend who we’re up against, what kind of pitch etc.”
Asked what he saw as his main three challenges, Billy responded: “The expectations, the ambitions of the club and to see if I can adapt quick enough to the style I want to play because the end goal is to win football matches.”
He also pledged not to ignore the cup competitions which traditionally bring in extra revenue. “We want to go as far as we can in both the FA Cup and the Trophy,” he said. “We will prioritise them as much as prioritise the league.”
In terms of recruitment, Charlie said he was excited to have the possibility to bring in names he wasn’t able to at Waltham Abbey. “A lot of players who we know and have connections with didn’t want to play at Step 4 regardless of the relationship they have with us,” he said. “We’re pretty excited about who we can get in. Everyone I’ve spoken to knows the standing of this club.”
Billy, who took Waltham Abbey into three straight playoffs but has never managed at Step 3, knows he will be up against better coaches than he has been used to but is unfazed.
“No-one really bothers us to be honest. I know a lot of the coaches and me and Charlie are better than them. I’ve got a bigger budget than I had at Step 4 and therefore can attract better players. There’s nothing wrong with our confidence. Yes it might be a challenge believing we can do things straight away but the doors Enfield Town have opened to us gives us a fighting chance to replicate what we’ve done on a bigger scale.”
AW
We can now confirm details of the service and have received the following message from Les’s son, Tony.
“For those at Enfield Town FC who knew my dad, Les Gold, we have arranged a service to celebrate his life on Wednesday 10 June, at 10:30am at Woollensbrook Crematorium, Hoddesdon.
“Following the service, everyone is warmly invited to join us at The Galley Hall, Hailey Lane, Hailey, Hoddesdon, Hertford, SG13 7NY, where we will gather to share memories and celebrate Dad’s life.”
“If you are planning to attend, I would be grateful if you could indicate this by clicking the Facebook link below and selecting “Going” or by letting me know directly, as it will help us with catering and arrangements for the day.
Family flowers only, please. For those who wish to do so, we have created a JustGiving page in support of Isabel Hospice, whose care and support during Dad’s illness meant a great deal to all of us. Donations can be made here:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/les-gold
On behalf of Teresa and all of our family, thank you for your kindness, support and the many memories you shared with us. For those wishing to contact me directly, please use: 07508 648940.
Tony (Les’ son)
We are delighted to confirm that Mickey Parcell, Billy Leonard, and Sam Youngs have all agreed to return ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Club captain Mickey has been a stalwart of the club over the previous few seasons and will look to add to his 312 appearances next term. Now one of the more senior players in the Town dressing room, he’s excited to see what this season brings under new boss Billy Holland and his team:
“I’m excited for this new chapter – working with Billy, his staff & whoever he decides to bring in from a player standpoint… [I’m] becoming part of the furniture now, but wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Voted Manager’s Player of the Year during our 24/25 National League South campaign, versatile midfielder Billy has also signed up for the upcoming season. Adept in attacking midfield, though more often deployed as a winger or wing-back, Billy has become a key member of the team, having clocked up his 100th appearance in Town colours during our final game of last season at Hampton & Richmond.
Our record-breaking appearance maker, on 381 and counting, Sam has been a virtual ever-present since first joining us from Chesham United almost a decade ago and we are thrilled that he has committed to the club for another season. His next target will surely be Liam Hope’s all-time scoring record of 118 Enfield Town goals, with Youngs currently on 104.
On rejoining, Sam commented: “Glad to have agreed terms, and I am excited to work with Billy and his team to ensure we bounce straight back up.”
We are very pleased to confirm two of our home pre-season fixtures, with Leyton Orient and Worthing set to visit the Dave Bryant Stadium in preparation for the 2026/27 campaign...
Leyton Orient (H) | Friday 10th July 2026
Our first home game of our pre-season calendar sees us welcome Richie Wellens’ Leyton Orient to North London on the evening of Friday 10th July. The former Enfield FC famously overcame the O’s after a replay when the sides met in the FA Cup First Round back in 1988, though we have not hosted Leyton Orient since our formation, and are grateful to them for sending a side.
Worthing (H) | Friday 24th July 2026
More familiar opponents are Worthing, who we faced during our previous two seasons at step 2, and with whom we competed during our time together in the Isthmian Premier. The newly-crowned National League South champions will visit the Dave Bryant Stadium on the evening of Friday 24th July.
We can confirm the departure of defender Henry Hawkins to Dagenham & Redbridge.
Henry joined the club in December 2024 and quickly established himself at left centre-back, going on to make 69 appearances for the club, keeping 10 clean sheets and scoring 8 times in that time. He also received our Players’ Player of the Year award for 2025/26.
We wish him the very best for the future.
Everyone was greatly saddened to hear the news of Les’s passing today.
Les played a hugely significant role in the development of our club and was a larger-than-life character who was popular not only with everyone at ETFC but also the opponents we have visited up and down the country.
As a director of the club for many years, Les’s commercial acumen meant he thrived in his role as sales director and was responsible for bringing numerous sponsors to the club as well as fulfilling the role of kit manager in our time at Goldsdown Road where he was a favourite with both players and management with whom he shared the dressing room.
Les was also always willing to step in to other roles and would regularly arrange coach travel or act as a boardroom host looking after our guests at home games, always creating a great first impression with his charming, friendly demeanour and array of bad jokes. Throughout his recent ill health, Les stayed connected to the club through his many friends and was always full of support and encouragement.
A true Town legend, all of us will miss him enormously and send our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.
Paul Reed, chairman
Funeral arrangements will be communicated in due course.
Our pre-season schedule is coming together, and we can confirm our away trips ahead of 26/27 – with more matches yet to be announced…
Haringey Borough (A) | Saturday 4th July 2026
We will, after almost three years, return to neighbours Haringey for the first of this season’s pre-season fixtures at Coles Park. Boro ended last season with a host of ex-Towners among their ranks, including Sami Bessadi, Herson Alves, and Jonathan Hippolyte.
Stotfold (A) | Saturday 21st July 2026
A new ground for us, we will travel north to face Stotfold in mid-July. Members of the Southern League Division One Central for the last three seasons, they saw off Northwood and Enfield 1893 to maintain their step 4 status last season.
Bishop’s Stortford (A) | Friday 31st July 2026
At the end of July, we will meet another familiar side in Bishop’s Stortford. Formerly regular opponents in the Isthmian Premier over the past decade, the Blues have installed a new 4G surface at their Woodside Park home – with Town among the first sides to grace their new pitch.
