The Crowing Cockerel

The trouble it that any new manager has to hit the ground running. We'd be better off appointing someone new as soon as the goal of the play-offs has evaporated.

So just the 3 right backs in the squad then? (1 left back and 2 centre halfs?)

I had assumed that Josh was a central defender. Presumably it was a signing which presented itself to AL as an opportunity to improve in that position? But we are in desperate need of a centre half. Watching the Cheshunt goals back, the defending was awful - non-existent!

I almost fell off my chair!

Only conceded 2 in the first half - things are looking up!

New defender straight into the side. Let's see whether he can shore things up...

Listening to the Chairman on the non-league show he was certainly touting the club's ambition to be a strong Conference South side. I was pleased to hear that given concerns that the hierarchy were content with Isthmian Premier football. I'm hopeful that the next manager can match the Club's stated ambition.

Assuming you're a member, Theo, you'll have received an AGM email notification today. Perhaps email your observation in response to that email and then we'll see what AL says?

Barney, its 2020. Fans Forums are far from a recent invention. I would hope - in fact expect - that the Board would keep their ear to the ground. Other than the terraces and the bar, THIS is where fans discuss the club. It may not be an official avenue of communication, but in this day and age the Board need to keep abreast of the mood. Sure, there's the odd the trouble-maker from Cheshunt loitering around, but most of the other opinions are entirely valid and worth consideration. If the Board are reliant upon people standing up at the AGM and asking questions in order to understand the mood of the fanbase then they are about 20 years behind the times. Ignore social media at your peril. Lets not forget that we have a President of the US who communicates policy (and his every thought!) via Twitter!

So assuming playing staff expenses are incurred for 10mths of the year(?) that works out at about £12,500/mth(?).

If/when we finish the season in mid-table, presumably Andy Leese will fall on his sword? I would much rather the board acted as soon as it became clear that the play-offs were unachievable - sacked the manager and allowed some time to make the right appointment/assemble a squad over the entire summer. No pressure, but we need a Brad Quinton/Danny Cowley-type manager who has what it takes to deliver success on this budget.

Apparently he was spotted at Bolton's ground today.

I've now seen the footage from the game: (1) Mubaiyi was offside for the disallowed goal; (2) Billy was clearly fouled and whilst he went down easily it was not simulation. Just remember, 'you can't win anything with kids!'

In a crisis don't we normally dust-off Paul Turner and Martin St Hillaire?

Didn't make the game today. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: we are a lower-mid-table side. We have been over-achieving this season thanks to Mo's goals. Now he's riding off into the sunset, I fully expect normal service to be resumed. I've seen alot of the Carshalton games thanks to their YouTube channel. They are a decent side - particularly at home. They have leap-frogged us now into the play-offs and I expect them to be thereabouts come the end of the season. At the moment we are just not as consistent as Hornchurch, Folkestone, Horsham, Carshalton etc.

Guess that frees up some budget for another striker - any thoughts as to who we should get in?

Sounds like we need a decent striker - ASAP! Good luck to Mo. Too good for the Isthmian league, but I suspect he'll find League 2 alot more physical. Let's hope he can bulk up quickly otherwise he might spend a fair amount of time on the sidelines injured.

Someone seems to have decided that Weatherstone and Bricknell were worth contracts! Presumably it was thought that there might be attempts by other clubs to sign them. With the benefit of hindsight, perhaps the club should've added Mo to that list in the summer - he must be the first name on the teamsheet at the moment!

Not sure how you're going to persuade the 2nd reserve keeper to stay!

I'd expect Mo to play tomorrow - the interest has been there for some time now and he's still pulled on the shirt when able. I'd like to think that players would seriously consider signing a contract. Its a way of giving something back to the club. In this case ETFC have given Mo a platform on which to perform and gain attention. Surely a modest buy-out clause isn't going to put off any of the interested clubs? What's £10k or £20k to the likes of Watford etc?

MUHAMMADU FAAL (22, striker, Enfield Town) Linked with: Norwich, Watford, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Sheffield United The new Jamie Vardy? Here's one from non-league... Striker Faal has struck 24 times for seventh-tier Enfield Town, attracting the attention of Premier League clubs. If he does get a move, Faal might find himself playing against Liverpool defender Joe Gomez - his second cousin. It has been an absolute pleasure watching Mo this season. He looks likely to score every time he gets the ball - and works tirelessly in defence. If only he'd been available against Chichester in the FA Cup...

Confirms just how little strength in depth there is at the club. I disagree with the Chairman's suggestion in the programme that the on-field side of the club has improved over the last year.

It was certainly entertaining - but only because both sides decided to dispense with defences as a seasonal gesture of goodwill. I'd suggest that Haringey actually had more chances, but came up against a Town side which made the most of their opportunities. Of the 6 Town shots on target, 5 went in. It made for an entertaining afternoon, but it wasn't until the 90th minute that I felt Town might actually bag the points. Just imagine if the defence wasn't so porous and the midfield actually provided some protection...!

Another game, another slow start and another defeat. Whether its the defence or keeper, we are completely porous at the back. You can almost guarantee that we will concede at least 2 every game. How on earth are we supposed to win from that position. The manager is completely wasting the wonderful attacking options at his disposal. I said over the summer that AL should be gone by Christmas. I stand by that.

It kind of feels as if we've plateaued. Barring a significant influx of cash (from reaching R3 of the FA Cup, some wealthy members of the fanbase dying off and leaving us everything) or the acquisition of a talented new manager who can work miracles (in the style of Brad Quinton), we seem destined to loiter around mid-table in the Isthmian Premier League for the foreseeable future. There is, of course, no shame in this given the fact that we came into existence just over 18 years ago. But I would like to think that as a club we should aim high. Afterall, many of us came to associate Enfield with being at the very pinnacle of the non-league game. I would like to see ETFC locking horns with the likes of Barnet on a regular basis, and reaching FA Trophy finals. I want an ambitious club with an ambitious board, and an ambitious manager. Have we reached as far as a fans-owned club of our size can go?