Match Preview

This weekend FC play their last regular season game at Haywood Way when Hanwell Town are the visitors. The result of which and the results of the other games, especially Rugby vs Royston, will determine whether The Moles can possible finish second and therefore guarantee home advantage IF they manage to get to the Play Off Final on Bank Holiday Monday.

However, first things first and it's "The Geordies" that are the visitors to Haywood Way this weekend. Hanwell were in the promotion hunt all season but have fallen away at the last minute after defeats against Potters Bar and Barton Rovers and may come to Aylesbury playing without the pressure that the end of the season can bring.

The club was formed in 1920 by a group of natives of Newcastle-upon-Tyne working in the area, who adopted the black and white stripes of Newcastle United as their colours.They played in the London League during the 1920s but dropped down to more local leagues after World War II.

In 1970 the team stepped up to the Middlesex County League but by the early 80s were playing in the London Spartan League.In 1983–84 they were Senior Division champions and were promoted to the Premier Division. During their time in the London Spartan league premier Division the club reached the final of the London Senior Cup three times in a row from the 1991–92 season to the 1993–94 season winning it twice. It was also in this period that the club made their debut in the FA Cup in the 1988–89 season, making it to the Second Qualifying round, losing to Wembley 1–0 at home.

When the league amalgamated with the South Midlands League in 1998, Hanwell were placed in the Premier Division South but after the league's initial transitional season, a reorganisation saw them moved down into the Senior Division. They immediately won promotion back to the Premier Division where they remained until reorganisation of the non-league system in 2006 saw them placed in the new Southern League Division One South and West.In their first season in this division they finished second bottom and were relegated. The club were then jointly managed by former player Keith Rowlands (the club's leading scorer) and Boysie Wise who succeeded Chris Boothe in May 2008. Wise left at the end of the 2009–10 season. The team was then managed by club leading scorer Keith Rowlands but after sliding into the relegation places by December 2011 Rowlands resigned. He was replaced by Tommy Williams. However the club finished in 21st place but was saved from relegation because no club came down from Step 4 of the football pyramid to the Spartan South Midlands League. Williams left the club at the end of the season and was succeeded by former manager Ray Duffy returning for his second spell in charge. Duffy, with the assistance of his four sons and nephew playing in the team led the club to the Spartan League title in 2014.

On the Playing front Manager Steve Bateman will be without the suspended Davis Haule and has major injury doubts about Kyle Anthony and Ryan O'Toole but Ben Bateman should return after five weeks out with a foot injury.

Whatever happens this weekend and might follow next week this has been a FANTASTIC season for The Moles and the Management & Players have a lot to be proud of. Let's all get behind the team over the next week, as we have all season because dreams can come true.