With the news Enfield FC have signed Jamie Cureton for the forthcoming Essex Senior League season I thought it would be good to re-publish the interview with their Manager Matty Hanning from April 2020. The club's management team for 2020/21 will be Matt as manager alongside Terry Foggarty and Jim Duggan as assistants. Tony Stavri and Cureton complete the coaching team. Duggan has joined the club recently - He was first-team coach as Isthmian Premier side Bishops Stortford up until October last season.
WHAT'S YOUR FOOTBALLING HISTORY AND HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH ENFIELD FC?
I Played for Walthamstow Pennant for two years before moving to play for Collier Row. Then, after a bad knee injury, I played for Ryan FC just as the club were starting. We had a really good team and climbed up the leagues every year winning many titles and cups. After that I played with mates on Saturdays and Sundays.
I’ve always been around non league football as my Dad was a director firstly at Walthamstow Avenue and then then after the merger at Redbridge Forest and Dagenham & Redbridge. He did that for over thirty years and I have great memories of him being part of the rise of the Daggers into the football league.
Once I couldn’t play anymore I always wanted to get into management and was delighted when Terry Fogerty got the Waltham Forest job and he asked me to be part of his coaching staff. We did that for about 7 months, then when that all ended, I got asked to help Neil Blackburn who was then manager at Enfield FC. After a year or so Neil decided to step down and concentrate on other things. I was then fortunate enough to be asked by the Enfield Chairman Steve to become full time manager. I am now in my fourth season and I have to say I just love absolutely everything about the club.
HOW WAS THE 19/20 SEASON FOR THE CLUB?
The season was so frustrating because, even though I always believed in the players, we just could not buy a win and just kept losing games that, in truth, we deserved to win. I managed to bring some experience into the squad after Christmas and I felt before the season finished we were just turning things around. I truly believe we would have finished mid table, but the pressure now is for me and my management team to make sure we start the new season how we finished the last.
WHAT'S THE BEST RESULT YOU'VE HAD WHILST BEING MANAGER?
Three years ago we beat Coggeshall Town in the FA Vase. I remember the game so well as we really were not expected to win that one. We had beaten Stowmarket Town away in the previous round as well. We eventually got knocked out by Hullbridge Sports that season.
WHO WAS THE BEST OPPOSING SIDE AND THE BEST OPPOSING PLAYER YOU SAW LAST SEASON?
The best team were easily Walthamstow. They battered us at our ground early last season. Best opposing player was The Stow's Dwade James. He must play a higher division next season. Such a Talent!
WHICH CLUB WOULD YOU SAY ARE CURRENTLY ENFIELD'S BIGGEST RIVALS?
I don’t know about rivals but for some reason we always have good games against Takeley and Stansted.
HOW DID YOU GET RAZOR INVOLVED IN COACHING AT THE CLUB?
(FORMER LIVERPOOL & TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR PLAYER AND NOW TV PERSONALITY IS A COACH AT THE CLUB)
Razor was playing for Crystal Palace when my brother Lee was in charge of their training ground and they both became very good friends. Razor has since become a real part of my family so I asked him and my brother Lee to come and be part of the club. He doesn’t attend every game but when he does he is great to have around the changing room and in the bar after.
WHAT ARE YOUR AIMS FOR NEXT SEASON AND THE FUTURE OF THE CLUB?
To start well for a change and actually win an FA cup game. It's something I've never done in my time as a manager at the club
IF YOU WERE RUNNING THE ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE TO MAKE IT BETTER?
I think there is a big difference in the way certain clubs are run and the way they treat the opposition players and directors. I think I am very lucky to be manager of one of the most hospitable clubs in the league. All clubs should provide hospitality and not make opposing directors buy a cups of tea before the game and at half time. I think standards should be set and adhered to by all clubs, not just a handful of them. Also playing surfaces need to be better. The standard of some of the pitches in the league is shocking!
ENFIELD FC'S RECENT RECORD
ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE
| SEASON | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | POS |
| 16/17 | 42 | 12 | 6 | 24 | 69 | 114 | -45 | 42 | 18/22 |
| 17/18 | 40 | 15 | 6 | 19 | 64 | 75 | -11 | 51 | 9/21 |
| 18/19 | 38 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 56 | 79 | -23 | 46 | 14/20 |
| 19/20 | 26 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 36 | 66 | -30 | 24 | 16/19* |
FA VASE
2016-17
1Q
FC CLACTON A W 1-0
2Q
WADHAM LODGE A L 1-3
2017-18
1Q
HAVERHILL BOROUGH H W 1-0
2Q
STOWMARKET TOWN A W 5-4
1
COGGESHALL TOWN H W 1-0
2
TOWER HAMLETS A W 2-1
3
HULLBRIDGE SPORTS A L 2-3
2018-19
2Q
HADLEY A W 1-0
1
LITTLE OAKLEY A D 2-2
1r
LITTLE OAKLEY H W 2-0 (Match highlights and report here)
2
LEVERSTOCK GREEN H 1-4
2019-20
1Q
ILFORD A W 2-1
2Q
ENFIELD BOROUGH H W 2-1
1
HARBOROUGH TOWN A L 1-4
FA CUP
The club's last FA Cup victory came in the Extra Preliminary Round of 2011/12 in a 3-1 home win over London Colney.
2016-17
EP
TOWER HAMLETS H 2-4
2017-18
EP
HAVERHILL BOROUGH H 1-2
2018-19
EP
ST MARGARETSBURY A 0-2
2019-20
EP
FAIRFORD TOWN A 2-3
RELATED LINKS & MATCH HIGHLIGHTS OF RECENT ENFIELD GAMES
ENFIELD 1 SAFFRON WALDEN TOWN 3 - 5/3/19
ENFIELD 1 CLAPTON 2 - 3/2/18
ENFIELD 0 WEST ESSEX 2 - 18/12/17
ENFIELD 2 SPORTING BENGAL UNITED 2 - 27/11/17
ENFIELD 1 TOWER HAMLETS 3 - 13/11/17
FC ROMANIA 3 ENFIELD 0 - 2/8/17
ENFIELD 1 WADHAM LODGE 3 - 6/3/17
ENFIELD 1 WEST ESSEX 1 (3-1 on PENALTY KICKS) - 5/12/16
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