New signings arrive at Enfield Town

Andrew Warshaw introduces some of the new faces at The Dave Bryant Stadium ahead of next season

New Enfield Town manager Billy Holland’s recruitment drive is in full flow ahead of a busy pre-season schedule that gets under way in the first week of July.

At the time of writing, some ten players had committed their immediate future to the club, including three of last season’s relegated squad – skipper Mickey Parcell, evergreen record appearance maker Sam Youngs and winger Billy Leonard – plus a number of players from Billy’s former club Waltham Abbey.

Arguably the most eye-catching acquisition among the new recruits is left-back Junior Moses, signed from Cockfosters down the road and one of the standout players in their recent FA Vase final at Wembley Stadium.

Aged only 19, Moses’ performance caught the eye of several clubs higher up the non-league pyramid, including Town, who managed to get a deal over the line.

A former trialist with AC Milan, Junior posted 19 goal involvements from left-back at Cockfosters last season and also impressed when they upset Town in the London Senior Cup.

“Junior is a real modern full-back,” said Billy. “High energy levels, and his attacking mindset really matches up with how we are trying to.

“I knew he was way better than step five but it was difficult because, after the Vase, a lot of clubs came in for him. He asked whether I could match this and match that and although the answer was no, I told him that what I could do is put him in the shop window, use his strengths and improve his weaknesses. Plus, the style of football we want to play.”

Among his former players, Billy has brought in attacking midfielder Amrit Bansal-McNulty, a product of Queens Park Rangers’ academy who gets fans off their seats and last season earned a spot in the Isthmian League North Division ‘team of the year’.

Amrit Bansal-McNulty (credit Ben Mammen/ETFC)

Such is the short space of time between the end of one season and the start of the next that a series of pre-season friendlies has already been arranged.

Town begin at nearby Haringey Borough on Saturday, 4th July, followed by games against Leyton Orient (home), Stotfold (away), new National League sides Worthing and Hornchurch – both at home – plus an away game at Bishop’s Stortford and the annual home fixture against the Spurs under-21s side.

While Billy has been unable to persuade more than three of last season’s National League South squad to remain, he is focusing on the positives.

“To be honest I’m happy with the three I’ve got. People need to realise that when a club goes down from a higher division, the budgets are not going to be the same. Players think they belong at a certain level so they are all going to be looking for similar money regardless of whether a club is relegated under their watch.”

The quest for a seasoned goalkeeper was still ongoing at the time the Dispatch went to press while, at the other end of the pitch, Billy has acquired former Republic of Ireland under-19 international George Nunn, who spent four years at Chelsea in his early development.

Gavin Macpherson’s successor at The Dave Bryant Stadium doesn’t seem at all fazed by the fact that several of the new recruits will have had limited success at step three of the non-league pyramid, or that clubs at the same level as Town have outbid him numerous times for prospective additions to the new-look squad.

“Enfield Town has got a big name with great fans, but I don’t mind players going elsewhere for more money. Some of these clubs will offer players the world in pre-season, then have to let them go.

“I’m not going to offer players something I can’t back up. That’s a waste of time. I know what we have and don’t have.”

In the meantime, training has already started ahead of the pre-season fixtures, which come thick and fast before the new Isthmian Premier League campaign gets under way in August.

“The home friendlies look like a tall order but they are deliberately designed to see how we do when we haven’t got the ball,” Billy explained. “When teams have more possession than us, how do we cope with it?”

It seems like a really early start but, again, that’s a deliberate strategy.

“We are embarking on a whole new system, a whole new way of playing. Even – or maybe especially – for the ones who we’ve kept from last season. I want all my players to understand quickly what I’m asking of them.”

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