Hanworth Villa

Hanworth Villa FC, who were formed in 1976 following a managerial disagreement at another long-established Hanworth club, is a non-league football club from an area of Middlesex close to Heathrow Airport.

Villa started life in playing the Hounslow & District League and then the West Middlesex League prior to becoming members of the Middlesex County League in 1984. The side were relegated to Division One when the competition was extended in advance of the 1991-92 season. 

However, Hanworth restored their previous status twelve months later before dropping back down in 1993-94. Again, it took the team just one season to win relegation to the Premier Division, which they went on to win in 2002-03.

The club had led a nomadic existence until moving into Rectory Meadow in 1997, converting the former pavilion into a clubhouse, with the ground being known locally as 'The Ranch'. A second Middlesex County league title followed in 2004-05, leading to a place in Division One of the Combined Counties League. 

By 2008 Villa had lifted two Challenge Cups and were only denied promotion as their facilities were deemed to be insufficient in 2007-08. Funds were raised so that a stand was erected, and floodlights installed. The players needed no greater incentive, going on to win promotion to the Premier Division in 2008-09.

During the 2011-12 season Hanworth reached the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round before going down 3-2 away to AFC Totton with Leo Stevenson in charge of the side who also finished third in the league, before he was replaced by Gary Jenkins in June 2014. His spell lasted just a few months before the arrival of John Hamsher. 

Wayne Noad became manager in February 2015, prior to a spell under joint bosses Matt Grave and Adam Willis. Former Premier League star Rufus Brevett arrived in the summer of 2016, taking his side to another third placed finish in his first season in charge.

The two abandoned Covid-19 seasons saw the appointment of Simon Haughney into the managerial hot seat in November 2019 as continual upgrades were added to Rectory Meadow. The competition was restructured for the 2021-22 campaign, with Villa placed in Premier Division North. 

The goals of Sam Merson were among the reasons that the team won the league title earning promotion to Division One South Central of the Isthmian League. Hanworth reached the playoffs in 2022-23 where they defeated Marlow before losing to Walton & Hersham in the final, finishing in seventh place twelve months later.

Hanworth Villa FC will play in the Isthmian League Division One South Central in the 2024-25 season.

My visit

Hanworth Villa 5 Sandhurst Town 0 (Monday 7th May 2012) Southern Combination Cup Final (att: approx 250)

I was not in best form as I was put on my annual learning and development course with London Underground on this Bank Holiday Monday. I had forgotten all about it having just returned from a lovely week off in Scarborough until I did my twelve hour shift the previous day. 

My intention was to attend other games as I was due to finish at 1.15pm. As it turned out our course was to finish early for the day as we forwent a meal break. One of the very few sensible things our trainer, who was simply shocking, got right.

We were dispersed from South Kensington station and as I had my trusty Non League Paper in hand I had to decide between the promotion play off between AFC Hornchurch and Lowestoft Town or a visit to Hanworth, which was a tough place to get to midweek on public transport and it had the additional attraction of being a new ground.

My mind was made up as I took the Piccadilly line to East Hounslow before boarding the 111 bus, which thankfully arrived within minutes. The beauty of my iPhone was once again evident as I could follow the bus's route on the map app and get off at the appropriate place. 

This was assisted by the new fangled and much appreciated display on the bus telling customers the name of the next stop. I alighted at the Bear Road Flyover stop on Hounslow Road and then walked up Park Road alongside the A3 to the car park and then the ground entrance.

I paid £6 admission plus an extra £1.50 for a decent programme and went inside 'The Ranch' to take my place in a good crowd for the final. The ground was slowly being developed from just a basic main pitch with railings around it in the past. The clubhouse and changing rooms stood back from the pitch. 

A temporary marquee had been erected in front of the club. At the other side of the players entrance to the pitch was a modern seated stand and further along a small standing cover, which was of the same sort of structure. The rest of the ground was hemmed in with a perimeter fence dividing the main ground from other pitches. 

The A3 end of the ground had trees near to the pitch and what looked like a public footpath running through it. What with the lack of a solid perimeter fence and this, Villa seemed to rely on supporters 'playing the game' and not watching for free. I could imagine one or two of the committee offering firm reminders about this.

I was a little confused as the sides walked out for the obligatory handshakes as one side were in all purple and the other in all yellow. I knew Villa's traditional kit was red and white stripes with black shorts. I then read that they wore the all purple kit in recognition of their sponsors, The Purple Lounge. The colours certainly stood out!

The game started with a bang when the home side were awarded a free kick around thirty yards from goal. Steve Loveridge's attempt squirmed under the body of 'The Fizzers' hapless keeper to give Villa the lead. Sandhurst fought back and created plenty of problems for Hanworth, but could not convert anything. 

Their defence on the other hand didn't deal too well with some good movement and intelligent interplay. Twice they were undone by goals from Lawrie Shennan, the first of which looking like it could well have been offside.

I wandered around the ground to take in different views. The marquee had an open front and made a good area for drinkers to view the game. The club's presentation evening was taking place after the game so presumably it had been erected for this? I had a burger and a coffee for £4 from inside the clubhouse, which hit the spot, especially the deeply fried onions!

Sandhurst, to their credit, kept going after the break. Apart from the goals they were the better side for long periods. They really did need to sort their defence out though. It creaked on regular occurrences, before Anthony Oaks added the fourth ten minutes after the interval.

Fifteen minutes from time James Woods wrapped up the scoring. It was a cruel outcome for the visitors from Berkshire, but it was easy to see how Hanworth had a good FA Cup run that season. They were steady at the back and clinical up front.

I left before the presentations and started out on what would be a marathon trip home via Hampton, Kingston, Richmond and Hammersmith before arriving home at gone 7pm. I was in no rush and I'd had a good unexpected afternoon out. I couldn't complain at that.