21 January 2026
Simon Haughney and Paul Thomas celebrated their 250th match in charge of Hanworth Villa on Saturday 10th January, as Villa marked the occasion in style with a 3–1 victory away at Ascot United.
It has been a season of milestones for the club, and this is one that few in the game ever reach. It is a moment both men and everyone connected with Hanworth Villa can be immensely proud of.
Simon and Paul took charge back in 2019, at a time when the club faced very different challenges. Villa were battling the threat of relegation from the Combined Counties Premier Division. Their first match in charge was on Saturday 30th November 2019 with a trip to Egham, where Villa were on the wrong end of a 2-0 scoreline. The management duo made their first appearance at Rectory Meadow for the visit of neighbours Spelthorne Sports on 10th December 2019, ending in a 3–0 defeat.
Following those two defeats fortunes quickly began to change. Just four days after that loss Villa were back on the road to face Molesey, where goals from Duncan Culley and Mesach Williams secured a 2–0 victory, the first of many under the new management team. Simon and Paul went on to steer Villa safely clear of relegation, safety was assured by winning the last three league matches! This was truly laying the foundations for what was to come,
The following two seasons were marked by uncertainty due to COVID-19 lockdowns and league suspensions, but even during this period the club continued to break new ground. Villa reached the last 16 of the FA Vase for the first time, hosting Long Eaton United at Rectory Meadow. With supporters unable to attend, the match was live-streamed another first for Hanworth Villa. Although Villa exited the competition that day, it took a dramatic penalty shootout to decide the tie.
Then came a truly historic season. Villa were crowned Combined Counties Premier Division champions, and did so in remarkable fashion. The “Invincibles” completed the campaign undefeated, recording 30 wins and 4 draws under Simon and Paul's leadership.
Stepping up to Step 4, Simon and Paul took the challenge in their stride, guiding Villa to a play-off final in their first season, where only a strong Walton & Hersham side denied them victory at The Xcel. The 2023/24 season saw Villa finish 7th, just outside the play-offs, but it proved to be a year of building. That progress was rewarded in 2024/25, as Villa achieved their highest-ever league finish, ending the season 3rd in the South Central Division.
That position secured a home play-off semi-final against Ascot United, which Villa won, before suffering an agonising defeat to Uxbridge in the final.
Simon and Paul's overall record:
250 matches
136 wins | 54 draws | 60 defeats
492 goals scored | 321 conceded
54.4% win percentage
Simon and Paul have spearheaded a remarkable transformation at Hanworth Villa, taking the club to new heights both on and off the pitch. As for what the next few years may hold, that remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: this management duo will continue to push boundaries as they look to add yet more chapters to an already record-breaking journey.
For those that love the stats
203 League Matches
118 Wins, 42 Draws, 43 Defeats,
395 Goals For, 230 Goals Against,
58.1% Win, 1.95 PPG
58 Combined Counties
43 Wins, 9 Draws, 6 Defeats,
138 Goals For, 49 Goals Against,
74.1 Win%, 2.38 PPG
145 Isthmian League
75 Wins, 33 Draws, 37 Defeats,
257 Goals For, 181 Goals Against,
51.7 Win%, 1.78 PPG
47 Cup Matches
18 Wins, 12 Draws, 17 Defeats
Of the 12 draws - 5 Penalty Shoot Out Wins and 6 Penalty Shoot Out Defeats, only 1 match was forwarded to a replay.
There were also 2 Walkover match defeats (both at Home against Northwood in the Middlesex Senior Cup Second Round), which are not included in any statistics.
Thanks to Nick Talyor for collating the stats!
