09 Jul 2026
Saints fans will get a chance to see their new-look City team, featuring a number of new signings, at the club’s first pre-season friendly this Saturday, writes Jess Unwin.
City travel away to take on Hanworth Villa in Hounslow, west London and the squad is likely to include the very latest new face, midfielder Ollie Knight.
The 29-year-old has joined St Albans after spending the past few seasons with Enfield Town, where he played an instrumental role in the Towners’ 2023 promotion-winning campaign, registering 14 assists along the way.
His switch to Clarence Park comes after Town were relegated from the National League South, finishing second from bottom. The Towners will play against St Albans in the Isthmian League Premier Division this season.
Knight began his career at Forest Green Rovers and then had spells with Cirencester Town and Frome Town. He moved to Metropolitan Police in 2018, where he remained for five seasons before moving on to Horsham FC and then Enfield.
He plays wide on the left of midfield and told the club’s podcast, Saints and the City: “I’m very committed, work hard, I like to deliver early. I think set pieces is probably my biggest attribute.”
City manager Gary McCann told the podcast that the St Albans players were already back in training and that fitness for the coming season was key: “Teams might outplay us or tactically outdo us every now and then but they’re definitely not going to outwork us.”
Confirmed squad additions so far add up to eight. They are strikers Mikey Faulkner and Kai Brown, aged 20 and 25 respectively; defenders Darion Furlong, Frankie Musonda and Remi Sutton, aged 26, 28 and 34 respectively; plus midfielders Ollie Knight, Charlie Edwards, 34, and Jake Gray, 30. Of course, further signings are still possible.
St Albans have also persuaded eight players who featured during the disappointing 2025-26 campaign to re-sign for the new season.
They are captain Zane Banton, Alex Dyer, Kieran Petrie, Jack James, Lewis Page, Sam Donkin (goalkeeper), Haziz Kone and Adrian Mariappa.
Saturday’s kick-off at Rectory Meadow is 3pm. League fixtures for the upcoming new season, which should start on Saturday August 8, are expected from mid-July.
