19 Nov 2025
Report by Times sports correspondent Jess Unwin, photos by Jim Standen
St Albans City’s new manager Gary McCann has suggested he’ll begin by working to get the best out of the existing playing squad rather than straightway moving to bring in a host of new faces.
Of the players he’s inherited at Clarence Park, McCann said: “I’m not the type of manager who’s going to rip up the recruitment script – I think the recruitment has been good and it’s my job, with my management team, to maximise the players’ full potential.”
Looking at the club’s two upcoming home games, he commented: “We’re up against two good sides but if we can get maximum points it’s going to set us up well and put us in a much healthier position.
“I want to get the first few games under our belt and then we’ll start looking at the table and what’s required going forward but I’m confident that this changing room is going to start climbing the table.”
Talking to the club’s social media, he gave Saints fans more clues about what to expect in the future as he explained his football philosophy: “I like a selfless nature to my teams – the individuals within it need to know that the team comes first.
“We want a dynamic style of play, we want to play vertical football, we want to make sure we’re getting the ball into the areas of danger, but we also want to make sure we’re good when we’re out of possession.”
With St Albans City currently sitting in the bottom half of the Isthmian League Premier Division, some supporters have begun to wonder if a hoped-for immediate return to the National League South is still achievable.
McCann admitted the club is “playing a bit of catch-up” but he also stressed: “The position is not irretrievable, and we can get ourselves where we need to be.”
The new boss added: “Clubs are nothing without their fans so our engagement with them will be at the forefront of our thinking. You’ve got to get them onside, and I think the majority already are, but you get them all onside when you’re winning games so that’s something we’ve got to do as quickly as possible.”
The 3-1 league win on Saturday away at Canvey Island, with Alex Wall contributing a brace of goals, was certainly a good start. McCann was “disappointed” with the Tuesday night’s Velocity League Cup defeat to Cheshunt, but the Saints team was largely made up of players from the club’s under-23 team.
McCann’s last job as a manager was at Billericay Town, where his two-year tenure ended in September just seven games into this season. That was something of a surprise as the Essex side came agonisingly close to clinching the Isthmian Premier Division title in the 2024-25 campaign, only losing out to Horsham on goal difference by a single goal.
The 53-year-old points to a “hangover” from that promotion disappointment as the cause of Billericay’s poor early-season team performances and many would argue the decision to relieve him of his duties was premature. Only time will tell if Billericay’s loss is City’s gain.
McCann’s managerial journey began in 2005 at Hendon FC, where he was already a stalwart of the team having made nearly 200 appearances as a goalkeeper.
Qfter the club’s ground was sold, he continued at the helm during a difficult nomadic period before Hendon settled at their present home at Silver Jubilee Park. In recognition of his efforts, one of the stands there was named after him.
In 2018, after Hendon’s play-off final defeat on penalties to Dulwich Hamlet, McCann took the reins at Hampton and Richmond in the National League South. After four years, following a change of ownership at the Beavers, he moved on to Billericay.
The response to McCann’s apaointment has been generally optimistic on social media.
One supporter posted on Facebook: “At last a positive move from the club. Looking forward to seeing how we get on now.”
Another wrote: “The players and fans needed our spirits lifted after difficult 18 months or so. Good luck Gary.”
St Albans City chairman and co-owner Lawrence Levy said: “I’ve been aware of Gary since his days at Hampton and Richmond and his track record speaks for itself. I’m really thrilled that he and his team have agreed to join us and I look forward to working with him over the coming seasons.”
The new assistant manager will be Danny Green, who worked with McCann at Billericay. He played as a right winger at League 1, League 2 and Championship level with clubs including Dagenham and Redbridge, Charlton athletic, Milton Keynes Dons and Luton Town. Green finished his playing career at Concord Rangers, where he also took on his first coaching role.
Fabio Valenti has also joined the management team as a coach.
- Saints have two home league matches coming up in quick succession. The first, on Saturday, is against mid-table Carshalton Athletic, who are unbeaten so far in November. Kick-off at Clarence Park is 3pm. The second, on Tuesday next week, is against another mid-table side, Burgess Hill. Kick-off is 7.45pm.
- The Gary McCann interview is available in full at https://www.youtube.com/@StAlbansCity/videos
