Backroom staff give balance for boss Billy

Andrew Warshaw speaks to the trio of coaches who have helped spur Enfield Town’s push for promotion back to National League South

Coaches Charlie Gregory (left) and Spencer Harrison (right) either side of boss Billy Holland (credit Tom Scott)

More often than not, behind every successful manager lies a high-quality backroom team.

Enfield Town boss Billy Holland may have put smiles back on the faces of Towners fans with the club riding high in the Isthmian Premier Division, but without his assistant Spencer Harrison and first-team coach Charlie Gregory, Billy admits the job would be considerably harder.

All three worked together at Waltham Abbey before making the move to Town. Spencer and Charlie are two extra pairs of ears and eyes, and Billy can’t speak highly enough of them.

“I’ve worked with Spencer for seven years,” said Billy, who used to play in the same team as his number two. “He’s a very bubbly character and says things as he sees them.

“Charlie has been with me for three seasons, loves to put the work in on the training pitch, and wants the same back from the players. They’re both invaluable.”

While managers invariably get the credit when things are going right, Billy – whose football brain and style of play have been embraced by Town fans as the club chases promotion – is humble enough to give credit to his staff.

Spreading the load around may not work at some clubs, but it certainly does under Town’s current management setup.

Billy told the Dispatch: “Charlie is the more serious, technical one and sees every detail, whether in training or in matches, like the players’ positioning on the pitch and the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses.

“Spencer is more of an emotional type and helps, for instance, with who may or may not be a good fit in the changing room or which player isn’t doing the business for whatever reason.

“He likes to have a laugh and lightens the mood. I can’t work to my full capacity without the pair of them.”

Trust is all-important. “As people as much as football people,” Billy explained. “That’s so important. We speak every day so that I can take their insight on board. Do we occasionally disagree? Of course. Sometimes I have to go with my gut feeling but it’s all about the end goal. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”

The mutual respect works both ways. “I would trust Billy with my life,” Spencer told the Dispatch. “When we played together, we would call each other every name under the sun but purely from wanting to win. We became huge mates. He knows he gets a straight answer from me about anything, without any sugar coating. With some managers, stubbornness is their downfall but Billy is a great listener and – excuse the pun – is no Billy big boots.

“None of us are scared of saying something that might upset the other. Billy obviously makes the big decisions, but not a day goes by without us speaking. Every player we sign we have an in-depth conversation. I love being the go-between.”

If Spencer is the ‘ying’, Charlie – obsessed with the coaching side and improving players’ ability – in a way represents the ‘yang’ in the management team.

Explaining why the chemistry works so well, he told the Dispatch: “There are obvious similarities in how we want to play, but also diversity of ideas. It can help when not everyone is nodding their head in agreement.

“You get different perspectives and makes you question what you’re thinking.”

But all, it seems, in the spirit of teamwork and getting the best out of the players. “Everything at this level has pros and cons and it’s about finding the right balance,” Charlie continued.

“We’ve grown as a management team, learning about each other. It’s a collective. We’re just trying to improve every week and every season.

“Three heads doesn’t always work. You have to be open-minded and be able to communicate with each other and speak your mind.

“You have to be able to accept other peoples’ opinions, otherwise there’s no point in having three minds. It’s my fourth year working with Bill. At the end of the day, me and Spencer know he’s the gaffer. Maybe that’s another reason it works so well.”

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