Andrew Warshaw speaks to Enfield Town manager Gavin Macpherson about the club’s battle to avoid the drop

Towners boos Gavin Macpherson has often cut a frustrated figure on the touchline this season

Everyone knew it wouldn’t be easy. But with the halfway point of the season fast approaching, the Towners find themselves in an unwanted relegation scrap.

While the celebrations that greeted the club’s euphoric promotion via the playoffs last April will never be forgotten, there’s now a very different mindset as manager Gavin Macpherson and his staff try to plot a course that will see Enfield end up outside the bottom four and stay in the National League South division.

Off the pitch, a crowdfunding scheme towards revamping part of The Dave Bryant Stadium to bring it into line with Vanarama National League requirements has raised in excess of £35,000 and it’s now hoped building work will start as early as possible in the new year.

On it, there has been something of a rotating door among the playing staff as the management team try to construct a side capable of fighting their way out of trouble, rebuilding a system of play in the process.

Some players have been brought in only to be quickly jettisoned, others have left of their own accord. Less than half of last season’s squad are still around but, at the time of writing, there were green shoots of improvement in terms of results with several notable additions to the squad, not least ex-Orient defender Adam Thompson who was later handed the captain’s armband.

Gavin is nothing if not totally committed to trying to find the right balance. “I have to hold my nerve and be true to myself,” he told the Dispatch. “Some of the conversations I had with players who helped us get promoted but are no longer with us are some of the hardest I’ve ever had.

“But we’re all human beings and I have to always do what I think is right. We’ve got a different group now but I’m beginning to see a new, if different type of togetherness.

“By my own standards I set my bar much higher than where we are. Of course as a manager you have doubts when things consistently don’t go right and you hear voices in your head. But the reality is we are a small fish in a very big pond.”

Warming to the theme, he continued: “We’re a fan-owned club that’s making its way without the same foundations as some of those who’ve had success at this level. But we’re all learning, including me, and I have to take some of the responsibility. Have I made miscalculations? Certainly, but the players on the pitch can’t afford to apply a step three [of non-league football] mentality to step two because you quickly get found out.”

Getting recruitment right has become arguably the toughest challenge, along with constantly dealing with agents. Seeing more affluent clubs sweep up the best talent means recommended loanees – even if they at some point have to leave – has sometimes proved the most productive method.

“Squad movement depends on player availability,” explained Gavin, who has a full-time job away from the club, like the rest of the staff. “That’s been the biggest issue for us. The Slough manager told me he had never seen this league so tough in over a decade. That gives you an idea of what we are up against.

“It’s been the hardest period of my career. You’re so much more in demand. The amount of work I’ve had to do since we went up has probably increased five fold. It’s been relentless but you can’t pick and choose when you get promoted.”

You certainly can’t, and the fans have come out in hordes both home and away to try and act as the proverbial ‘twelfth man’ for the team.

“They have been absolutely magnificent and I’m determined to repay them by working as hard as I can every hour of the day to keep us in this division,” added Gavin. “This club has made massive strides. Managers and players come and go but the supporters remain.”

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