Our fixtures for the upcoming season have now been announced and we kick off our campaign with a challenging visit to Carshalton Athletic on Aug 14. Our first home game follows a week later on Aug 21 against Brightlingsea Regent before a long trip to the Kent coast to take on Folkestone Invicta at the start of the August Bank Holiday weekend. Two days later, on Monday Aug 30, local rivals Cheshunt come to QE11.

Our Christmas programme sees the reverse fixture against Cheshunt on Dec 27 with another tasty derby, home to Potters Bar, on New Year’s Day.

Another key date is the first qualifying round of the FA Cup, when we enter the competition, on Sept 4.

It’s always interesting to see who we take on towards the end of the season, especially if we are handily placed in the table. Our final game, on April 23, will see us visit Bognor Regis Town, preceded by fixtures against Potters Bar and Cray Wanderers

Ticket sales are going well with over 200 sold to date. A reminder that 2020/21 season ticket holders can attend home pre-season friendlies, including this game , for free as a thank you for not seeking a refund on last season’s ticket.

 If you still have your ticket simply produce it at the turnstiles. If not please email chairman@etfc.london to request your ticket. 

Please note the Spurs game is a 7PM kick off , and as a good crowd is expected you may want to arrive a little earlier before kick off than normal. 

Here is the ticket link: https://shop.etfc.london/event/enfield-town-enfield-town-fc-vs-tottenham-hotspurs-fc-u23

It has been confirmed that our first pre-season friendly of the season, away to Step 5 near-neighbours Cockfosters on Saturday, will NOT be behind closed doors.

Entry will be free or pay as much or little as you like. Kick-off at 3pm and Covid restrictions apply.

Over the last month, supporter representatives from the Football Suppiorters Association’s networks, trusts and other supporter groups have been submitting evidence to a governmental fan-led review panel in special evidence-gathering sessions.

Football industry bodies and authorities – such as the FA, Premier League, EFL, LMA and PFA – have also had the opportunity to present to the panel.

The fan-led review was commissioned by the government in the wake of the European Super League proposal. As the first fan-owned club we have already contributed to the review with Vice Chair Paul Millington addressing the Panel that is chaired by Tracey Crouch MP

This is what Paul said:

“Telling the story of Enfield Town to the panel was a very fitting way to mark the day of our formation 20 years ago as the first fan-owned club. It was important to highlight how we have grown the club in a sustainable way to show how the model of a community owned club can be successful.

“I was pleased to be able to stress the community work that we undertake and how the flow of funds from the top to bottom should be improved.”

The review is now seeking views from fans and members are encouraged to participate by going to the following link:

·  https://thefsa.org.uk/news/fan-led-review-have-your-say/

The review is open until 22 July.

The wait is almost over. The first north London derby is just around the corner!

Tickets are now available (1,000 online to start with) for our eagerly anticipated pre-season friendly against a Tottenham Hotspur under-23 Development team on July 20 – our first home fixture since Covid hit us and everyone else hard.

It promises to be a fantastic occasion, doubling up as part of our 20^th anniversary celebrations when a signed ball and shirt donated to us by Spurs to auction will be presented on the night to the lucky winners by none other than Tottenham legend Gary Mabbutt who has been a loyal supporter of our club’s charitable activities.

Needless to say, the game will be a stern test for Andy Leese’s team and will give our fans the first opportunity at home to watch those players who have been signed to complement the existing squad.

Don’t miss out.

You can purchase tickets on the link below.

https://shop.etfc.london/events

Notes from ETFC Supporters Society Members Meeting, Thursday July 8

60 plus members present

Chairman Paul Reed began the meeting by outlining the agenda and then introducing Billy Highton, who runs our academy and is also the Enfield Town Ladies’ manager.

Billy updated the membership as follows:

Academy:

We have re-entered the conference under-19 alliance after being top of the league at Christmas, with 3 games in hand, before lockdown forced the season to end.

Our goal is to support the local community and get as many academy students as possible to level where they could be considered for the first team. Seven of the current 25 have undergone trials for the new ETFC season. Three of those seven are now training with first team squad.

All academy students undergo Monday, Tuesday and Friday general education, 4 hours a day.

Ladies:

Completely restructured the ladies’ section and goal is promotion having been in top 3 in the league in last 4 seasons.

Going forward, growing need to build a bridge between the men’s and women’s section

Billy was personally thanked by Director Les Gold who described his work and the finance he has generated as a “lifesaver” for the club. The chairman also expressed his gratitude to BH for growing talent.

Chairman’s comments:

Mark Thompson has stepped down as a board member but is still very much involved and supportive working primarily on our website.

ETFC’s first two full-time local employees have been hired initially for 6 months via the government’s Kick Start scheme, they work 30 hours a week. They will carry out various tasks around the club including stadium maintenance and community work .

Improvements to the ground over the close season include painting of terracing, a new walk-in club shop, and marquee to sit in front of main stand to be used as outdoor bar. PR thanked our volunteers who had undertaken this work.

PR thanked supporters for generously waiving their refunds on last season’s season tickets which has helped the club to stay on a firm footing and budget accordingly for next season. He admitted there had been “dicey” times financially during Covid but we are now on solid financial footing.

We would have liked to celebrate our 20^th birthday in June at the time but restrictions rendered that impossible. But the Spurs game on July 20 will reflect our anniversary and a stand-alone one-off party will be held later, possibly on Aug 7 following our final pre-season fixture against Grays for the FSA Shield. At least one coach will also be provided, with Covid safety measures, for the prestige trip to FCUM on July 24.

On funding, PR explained how we’ve been able to balance the books by putting last season’s 2 contracted players on furlough, obtaining significant rate relief and acquiring a number of crucial grants – essential funding with £1,500 needed to run the club per week even without playing football. PR also thanked supporters for contributing to the current whip-round. As a thank you last season’s Season Ticket holders and GoToTown members will get free admission to friendlies, League Cup and Middlesex Senior cup games.

PR also gave encouraging news about sponsors, with Powerday continuing and potentially an important new big sponsor to be named imminently — another factor in being able to provide a competitive playing staff budget. A new sponsor is also coming on board for the youth section.

Season tickets are being offered to local NHS staff and care workers as a thank you for their work during the pandemic.

On the playing side, all first-team players have committed to take at least one youth training session to build relationships. PR confirmed Scott Thomas as the new club captain.

Q and A:

Paul was asked who is running the bar now and he confirmed Director Ciaran Glennon has taken over.

On tickets, PR said those for the Spurs game will go online shortly with a provisional capacity of 1,000 . Only if there is still capacity will tickets be sold on the night. Contactless payment will be encouraged.

Season ticket holders will no longer have to register for games and just show their cards.

Season scheduled to start Aug 14 and conclude at the end of April followed by Play offs. The Isthmian league planning to put in place contingency plans for ending the season with promotion and relegation if there is another lockdown.

Andy Leese:

The squad will be slightly smaller but we expect to retain the nucleus of last season’s squad including Nathan McDonald, Jeremiah Gyebi, Josh Urquhart, Lee Chappell, Percy Kiangebeni, Junior Mubiayi, Lewis Taffe, Sam Youngs, Billy Bricknell, Adam Cunnington, Neville Nzembela and captain Scott Thomas.

Andy said Scott Thomas was the obvious choice as club captain . We are hoping to add several other players to the squad including three with National League experience.

Those not returning include Adam Pepera, Lyle Della-Verde, Jared Small and Ryan Blackman. We would have liked to retain some of those players but once our league was curtailed last season we could do nothing to prevent those seeking to play National League football. James Potton is still some way off playing after reconstructive knee surgery. Other key signings will be announced once they are confirmed. The aim is to play a possession-based game but fresh energy and pace is needed in wide areas which is a position being focussed on. Game management will also need to improve and the coaching staff are working on this.

AL paid tribute to the fans and cited the FA cup game at Hitchin a few years ago where our supporters generated so much noise it sounded like several hundred. On those occasions our support still gives him goosebumps.

On coaching side, Ian Hart (previously with Southend) has been brought in as first-team coach which AL regards as a crucial appointment, not least because of his experience but also level of contacts. He is also involved in our Academy set up so provides a key link between the first team and our youth set up. Excellent feedback from the players already. Mario Noto, Graham Dodd and John Abbott all remain as part of the management team.

Q and A:

Teams to contend with will include Worthing, Hornchurch, Bishop Stortford, Horsham and Lewes but ETFC’s minimum goal will be to make playoffs. ETFC’s formation will vary depending on the opposition.

Vice-captain has not been decided yet. Probably three candidates.

Scott Thomas:

Wants to have an impact on and off the pitch in terms of the culture of the club and its values. More connection between players, staff and fans . He particularly wants more inter-action between players and fans such as transferring the away game experience into home games.

We need to make an assessment of the demand for a supporters coach to Manchester on Saturday 24 July for the Supporters Direct Trophy game with FC United of Manchester. Travel on the coach is likely to cost around £35 per person, departing QEII Stadium at 8:30 AM returning after the game. Those travelling on coaches will need to provide evidence of a negative lateral flow Covid test or evidence of two vaccinations. Any other guidance from Government on coach travel will be applied. Please can you confirm by 5 PM on Monday 12 July if you intend to travel by coach to this fixture by contacting Lesgold@enfieldtownfootballclub.co.uk or call Les on 07979727563 Once we have an indication of numbers we will confirm arrangements.

As part of our celebrations to mark the club’s 20th Anniversary, a special edition shirt has been produced to commemorate the occasion. The shirt has a number of special features incorporated into the design to make it even more special than usual and the club hope this will make it a firm favourite with fans old and new.

Featuring “Our Club” and “20” on the back, with the Kick It Out logo at the bottom, the bespoke shirt celebrates our values of inclusion and equality

You can secure your shirt by placing your order through the club shop at the following link. Be sure to order early to have it in time for the coming season.

https://shop.etfc.london/product/special-edition-20th-anniversary-commemorative-shirt-adults

As part of our 20th Anniversary at Enfield Town FC we are auctioning one Tottenham Hotspur FC Signed Team Shirt accompanied with a certificate of Authentication.

https://shop.etfc.london/product-category/auctions

Official Signature Tottenham Hotspur Football Signed by members of the 2020/21 first-team squad. This amazing piece of memorabilia comes with a Certificate Of Authenticity issued by Spurs and a signature info sheet. Includes Harry Kane, Heung Min Son, Hugo Lloris, Toby Alderweireld, Gareth Bale, Steven Bergwijn, Joe Hart, Joe Rodon plus many others

This auction closes midday 17th July 2021 and the winner will be contacted prior to the Enfield Town v Tottenham U23 friendly on the 20th July.

The Signed Shirt  Tottenham FC will be presented at the game on the 20th July 2021.

It was 20 years ago today may be a phrase made famous by Sgt Pepper but today, June 23, is a milestone in the history of our club – 20 years since we were formed as Enfield Town FC, writes Andrew Warshaw.

It’s been an interesting journey to say the least, with several  bumps and bruises along the way.

Some of you will remember us being allowed entry into Essex Senior League all those years ago (see attached programme cover of our first ever league game). Others among you were not even born.

There were times when many wondered how long it would take to create our own identity. But now not only do we have a stadium to be proud of in the heart of Enfield but, as the country’s first supporter-owned club, we have carved out a template that has not only been copied by a string of other clubs but has brought us plaudits from across non-league football – and not just in the UK.

It isn’t every day that a grass-roots non-league football club discovers a whole new fan base – especially one hundreds of miles away overseas.

We are now, would you believe, being avidly supported by a Spanish website whose readers have taken The Towners to their collective hearts as a result of our fan ownership ethos.

Every month, Aficion Deportiva, founded two years by a group of student journalists and read by over 40,000 fans across Spain, features articles on our progress.

Pablo Triguero, who co-ordinates the website’s amateur football coverage, explained: “When I was a child, I was a big fan of the Premier League and its star players.”

“But in recent years a lot of things have changed, not least clubs’ relationship with the fans. That’s when I started to look into the whole concept of fan ownership and discovered Enfield Town. “I love the way the club is focussed on the community.”

He’s not the only one. Many fans have become disillusioned with the money-driven world of the professional game, fuelled by the widely condemned concept of the European Super League.

It’s another reason why our 20^th birthday is such a special occasion and we will be celebrating it in fitting style just as soon as the government’s Covid guidelines become clearer, not least as a thank you to all those who have contributed so generously to the ongoing crowd-funding appeal. Watch this space on that!

Our chairman Paul Reed, who has worked tirelessly to get us to where we are now, summed up what the anniversary means.

“The last 20 years have been an amazing journey for us all at Enfield Town FC – from starting off very much as a protest of Enfield FC supporters determined to have a team to support back in our borough through to the ever-growing club we see today,” said Paul.

“The fact that we are here today as a strong and progressive club is tribute to the many hundreds of people who have volunteered their time, resources and money to support us through our growth both on and off the pitch. There are far too many to thank but they all know who they are and I hope they all feel that have a club that they can call their own and be very proud of.”

“Personally I feel very privileged to have been part of this journey but know that myself and my fellow board members are only temporary custodians and that we need to continue to build the club on firm foundations so that it can keep growing and thriving for many decades to come.”

“Being the first fan-owned club in the UK is something we are all immensely proud off and are thrilled to have led the way for many fantastic clubs who have followed in our footsteps. It’s great that fan ownership is still firmly on the football agenda in 2021 and hopefully we’ll see a big increase in supporter-led clubs in the years to come.”

No-one goes back further when it comes to remembering the trials and tribulations of the local football scene back in the day than fellow board director Les Gold, one of the most familiar faces in and around QE11 who has done as much as anyone to put us on the map.

Les, now 80, has all kinds of memorabilia from on and around the  time the club was formed in 2001 which, he says, he cherishes as much today as ever.

“Getting our own home after playing at Brimsdown  and everything else that happened was wonderful,” Les recalls. “The Council were very good to us. A lot of people still associate us with the old Enfield FC but the way I see it, Enfield FC represent memories whereas Enfield Town is our history.”

“Even in the lower leagues, we always had a strong following. If visiting teams won at our place, they reacted as if they’d won the World Cup.”

“Has it been a struggle at times financially? Of course but I’m so proud of the professional way the club is run. They are a huge part of me in my 80s. I find it very therapeutic.”

As part of our anniversary celebrations, Tottenham Hotspur have kindly agreed to donate a signed shirt and ball for us to auction on the evening of the eagerly awaited pre-season fixture against their under-23 team on July 20. The plan is for a prominent Spurs figure to be  present to award the auctioned items to the successful bidder on the night.

There will, of course, be other activities  to mark our 20^th birthday of which more later. In the meantime, we eagerly look forward to our members’ meeting on July 8.

Happy Birthday and COYT!