Non League Today I Hughes Steps Down at Hayes & Yeading

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Hughes Steps Down at Hayes & Yeading

Pitching In Southern League Premier Division South club Hayes & Yeading United have announced that manager Paul Hughes has decided to retire from his role with immediate effect.

Wednesday 03 May 23 I 09:11:23	I	Photo by

Hayes & Yeading, play-off finalists in 2021/22, eventually finished in seventh place this season following a strong end to the campaign, including winning the Middlesex Senior Cup for the first time in the club’s post-merger history. Having previously overseen the Hayes & Yeading’s reserve side before going off to enjoy managerial success at Kings Langley, Hughes took over the first team at the SKYex Community Stadium in November 2016 initially as joint-manager with Ritchie Hanlon. Since that time the club has enjoyed promotion, play-off appearances, a League Cup, a County Cup and three Emirates FA Cup First Round appearances. Hughes told his club’s website: "After 13 years of joy, pain, ups, downs and an irreplaceable sense of camaraderie with those I work with, I’m retiring from football management. “I’ve had a fantastic time in non-League football as a manager and it’s now time for me to focus my attention on my family and my new ventures. “Life has changed considerably for me over the last two years and I have an adorable two-year-old boy and another boy on the way in mid-July. I can no longer commit the time, energy and emotion to football. “Over the last six years, the club has been a great place to work and it’s important it maintains its momentum. Nothing needs to change. With that in mind, my current management team are staying in place to provide that consistency and stability that the club needs. I’ll do my best to help in the background but my time is now heavily invested with family and other work commitments. “The club is in a fantastic place and has great momentum going into next season with an excellent group of players and a committed management team that will do a brilliant job and I wish them every success. I would also like to thank all the players that have played for me over the last thirteen years. It’s with their support and commitment that we have achieved the successes that we have. I’ve always set high standards in the dressing room which can be challenging but those standards are there because we care. I really appreciate the sacrifices you all make to play. We simply want you to be the best you can be.” Chairman Tony O’Driscoll told his club’s website: “On behalf of the club and personally, I would like to thank Paul for all of his efforts in the past six and a half years that has helped make Hayes & Yeading United a club known to people up and down the country and beyond. During that time we have had many highs, a few lows and made some fantastic memories that Paul and all involved with the club can forever be proud of. I wish him well in the next chapter of his life and he will always be welcome at the club and I hope we will still see him often at matches.” Although Hughes will be leaving, the rest of the existing management team will be staying on. Ritchie Hanlon has agreed to take on the managerial role with Peter Holmes as assistant manager, Clark Jenner as first team coach and Delroy Preddie as goalkeeping coach. Hanlon was a highly rated midfielder in his playing days with the likes of Southend United, Rushden & Diamonds, Peterborough United, Stevenage Borough, Lincoln City and Cambridge United. His first managerial role lasted only ten games at St Albans City before joining Paul Hughes as joint boss at Kings Langley in July 2012. Hanlon said: “Whilst it is sad to know that my best mate will no longer be part of this great club, I fully understand his reasons for stepping down and thank him for the great memories created together. I also thank the club for giving me and the rest of the management team the opportunity to continue overseeing the playing side for the next chapter of the club’s history. We finished very strongly last season and we are already working hard to plan for next, keeping the majority of that squad together to ensure we start the fast approaching new season as strongly as possible”.

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