Hanworth Villa of the Combined Counties Premier Division made an interesting signing this week. Former Arsenal and England forward Paul Merson signed for the club.
It is unknown how many games Merse will play for Hanworth Villa, but it isn’t the first “Villa” Merson has played for, he played for the Birmingham based “Aston” Villa in the late 90s.
‘Merse’ made his debut for Hanworth on Tuesday night as the Villains lost to Combined Counties League Premier Division leaders Spelthorne Sports 3-0 on Tuesday night.
Merson is the latest in a line of relatively recent ex-pros to resume their playing careers with Robbie Savage signing for Stockport Town and Gareth Ainsworth playing for Berkshire side Woodley United – thought arguably ‘Wild Thing’ never actually retired following his exploits in the Bracknell Town & District Sunday League.
Berkshire Gunners hoping to catch a glimpse of Merson in action, may well get that chance when Hanworth visit Ascot United on 25th January.
Merson of course has history with Berkshire having been in charge of the Walsall side that lost in the 2004/05 FA Cup First Round to Slough Town.
KNOWLEDGE: How non league transfers work and dual registration explained. All the latest transfer news from the men’s and women’s leagues can be found here.
Premier Division
Abbey Rangers
In: Seanan McKillop
In: Sean White
Out: Harry Bishop
Badshot Lea
In: Durell Brown
In: Jonny Hathaway
In: Philip Veal
Camberley Town
In: Dean Rule
CB Hounslow United
In: Levi Smith
Colliers Wood United
In: Richard Pike
Frimley Green
Out: Sean Latimer
Guildford City
In: Marlon Pinder
In: Kieran Williams
Hanworth Villa
In: Paul Merson
In: Daytroy Thomas
In: Jamie Thoroughgood
Knaphill
In: Asher Goosen
In: Thomas Spencer
Molesey
In: Olalekan Osideko
Out: Elgi Fejzo
Raynes Park Vale
Out: Seanan McKillop
Redhill
In: Derick Hayford
In: Arlie Talboys
Southall
In: William Wambeek
Spelthorne Sports
In: Alfie Buckmaster
In: Kildane Tesfu
Out: Otis Taylor
Sutton Common Rovers
In: Marc Agou
In: George Baker
In: Charlie Gee
Division One
AFC Hayes
In: Harry Bishop
Ash United
Out: Kieran Williams
Bagshot
In: Josh Wood
Out: Joseph Moriarty
British Airways
In: Jack Curd
Out: Kildane Tesfu
Chessington and Hook
In: Ahmed Alsanawi
In: Matt Kerbey
In: Otis Taylor
In: Jamie Watts
Cove
In: Adam Nditi
Epsom and Ewell
Out: Marlon Pinder
Out: Luis Ricardo Abreu Teixeira (departed for Westside)
Out: Sean White
Eversley and California
In: Neil Lancaster
In: Joseph Moriarty
Out: Jonny Hathaway
Out: Adam Nditi
Out: Philip Veal
FC Deportivo Galicia
In: John Trabi
Fleet Spurs
In: Joe Norbury
Godalming Town
In: Finn Bickerdike
In: Oliver Ford
In: Jonathan Makonga
In: Callum Stewart
Kensington and Ealing Borough
In: Melchi Emanuel-Williamson
Sandhurst Town
In: Ben Clark
Walton and Hersham
In: Elgi Fejzo
In: Zyon Francis
Westside
In: Luis Ricardo Abreu Teixeira (signed from Epsom and Ewell)
