Welcome to.....Hanwell Town

A look at the new clubs in the Pitching In Southern Football League in 2022/23.

Hanwell Town was founded in 1920 by a group of workers from Newcastle working in the area to help build the London Underground.

This explains their nickname `The Geordies` and their use of black and white striped jerseys which are still used today.

In 1924 to 1927 Hanwell played in the London League and manged to win their first major honour in the Middlesex FA Junior Charity Cup in 1926, sharing with Roxeth and Harrow Old Boys.

Very little is known about the club before their disbandment due the outset of the Second World War.

The club eventually re-formed in 1947/48 joining the Dauntless League where they successfully earned promotion in four successive seasons.

The Geordies remained in the Dauntless League with a third XI, the club moved to the Harrow Wembley and District League until 1969/70. However, they did not manage to gain any silverware as they failed to win a numerous of cup finals in many league and county competitions.

Promotion was eventually claimed to the Middlesex County League.

Hanwell`s current chairman, Bob Fisher, manged to captain his side to winning the League Cup in their first season.

The club carried on playing their football in the Middlesex County League during the 1970s which happened to be their last season’s playing at Ealing Central Sports Ground.

In June 1981 they reached their ultimate ambition of having their own ground by moving to their current home, Reynolds Field (now known as The Powerday Stadium).

The ground was first used for the 1981/82 season then were given senior status for the start of the 1983/84 season.

This allowed The Geordies to join the London Spartan League where they won the Senior Division in their first season.

This enabled promotion to the Premier Division where they remained until the Spartan League and South Midlands League combined in 1997/98.

Throughout the 1990s, Hanwell enjoyed cup success, winning the London Senior Cup in 1991/92 and 1992/93 and also losing in the final in 1993/94.

A re-occurrence started to form as they reached another final in the Spartan League Cup but lost out to Willesden Hawkeye at The Valley.

In 1992/93 and 2000/01 they were finalists in the Middlesex Senior Charity Cup but lost out both times to Harrow Borough and Ashford Town.

Due to finishing 12th in the Spartan South Midlands League in 1997/98, they had to compete in the Senior Division in the following season.

At the end of the 1997/98 more change awaited as their manager Roy Nairn stood down after eleven years in charge.

He was replaced by former player Ray Duffy as Nairn remained at the club coaching.

The Geordies claimed promotion to the Premier Division straight away as they finished runners up, losing out on goal difference to Holmer Green.

Hanwell kept consistent in the upcoming seasons by mostly finishing in the top half and also claimed their first cup success in ten years by beating Harefield United in the Premier Division Cup final in the 2002/03 season.

Throughout the next ten years, Hanwell found themselves up and down as they found themselves in the Southern League and Spartan South Midlands League.

With the adjustment to continuous promotions and relegations, managers started to change a lot.

After Ray Duffy resigned in 2006, former assistant manager Danny Vincent and former player Pat Gavin took charge.

During their time in in the Southern League, Vincent and Gavin stood down as managers.

Former player Chris Boothe became manager but shortly left at the end of the 2007/08 season.

In the 2010/11 season, leading goalscorer Keith Rowland took charge with Jason Tucker becoming assistant manager.

Their first season did not end well as they finished 15th.

Another season of bad form and disappointment the club agreed to let Rowlands and Tucker go just before the end of the season in hope of avoiding relegation.

After Tommy Williams and Luke Evans were brought in for managerial replacements, they did not manage to climb to safety. However, due to the demise of clubs at Step 4, Hanwell were able to avoid being dropped a division.

The following season, Williams and Evans resigned, so the club brought back Ray Duffy to help maintain safety and improve for the future.

His first season back in charge was a success as they finished sixth, but the 2013/14 season turned out even better as they won the Spartan South Midlands League by the huge margin of 14 points.

After promotion to the Southern League Central Division, they claimed another very successful season as they looked comfortable finishing seventh in the highest division they have ever played in.

A final defeat in the Middlesex Senior Cup was extremely disappointing as it was the first time in history they had reached this point.

Duffy made his resignation at the end of the season in hope of Hanwell generating a fresh start for the upcoming season.

Phil Granville took over but could not make to impact everyone hoped and was quickly sacked.

Duffy was brought in again to drive the club in to safety and after a tight end to the season, he successfully prevented the club from being relegated.

The following season looked like a huge improvement as they claimed a mid-table finish with hopes of even better to come. However, this was not the case as the club found themselves too close to the bottom of the table.

After being involved with 997 games for the club as a player and a manager Duffy was ready to say his final goodbyes.

Chris Moore and Wayne Carter stepped up to the challenge and became joint managers for the 2019/20 season – their second in the Isthmian League South Central Division.

Their first two seasons in charge were abandoned due to the global pandemic but in 2021/22, Hanwell finished fourth and qualified for the play-offs.

And in front of a crowd of 1,763, the Geordies edged out hosts Chertsey Town by the odd goal in five after extra-time, thanks to goals from Dwayne Duncan, Tom Collins and Ogo Obi.

The summer to date has been a quiet one, with only defender James Mansfield making the shot journey from new league rivals Harrow Borough.

However, although a number of Hanwell’s promotion-winning squad have been re-signed, there are several others currently looking to earn a deal.

And, after the Geordies hammered former league rivals Ashford Town (Middx) 9-1 in their opening pre-season friendly, new faces such as former Trinidad & Tobago under-23 international goalkeeper Montel Joseph, defender Isaac Olorunfemi, who was on Marlow’s books last term, former Tooting & Mitcham United and Chertsey midfielder Mark Waters, defender Connagh Wilks, who was at Bedfont Sports last term, right back Kai Davis from Westfield and one-time Crystal Palace youngster Kain Adom all featured as Hanwell gave Vanarama National League newcomers Dorking Wanderers a good work out before the National League South champions ran out 4-2 winners.

Hanwell Town Web Site