Farnham Town are delighted to announce that Men’s First Team Manager, Paul Johnson, has signed a club-first two-year contract, running until June 2027.
Having masterminded the Club’s most successful spell in its 119-year history, we’re thrilled to tie down Paul’s long-term future at Farnham Town as we look to make the huge move up to Step 3 next season.
After taking the reins at The Memorial Ground in November 2022, Paul steadied the ship quickly and helped the side move up the table and finishing the 22/23 campaign in 6th position in the Combined Counties Premier Division South – the Club’s highest finish in the English Football Pyramid to that date, with the season culminating in a 10-game unbeaten run in the league and a dramatic extra-time triumph over Balham to claim the Southern Combination Cup.
The following campaign, with promotion firmly in the Club’s sights, Johnson’s side delivered emphatically on that target, completing an invincible league campaign of 35 wins, three draws and no defeats, winning promotion to the Isthmian South Central with nine games still to play. The Town also reached the final of the Surrey Senior Cup for the first time in their history, narrowly edged out by higher-level opposition, South Park, 1-0.
This past season, the Club’s maiden campaign at Step 4 level, they kicked on again under Paul’s stewardship, extending their remarkable unbeaten run in league football to 58 games en route to clinching back-to-back promotions in March as the Town were crowned Isthmian South Central champions on March 25th – six games before the end of the season.
Over the last two-and-a-half seasons, Johno has guided Farnham Town into Step 3 for the very first time, boasting an all-competitions win rate of 77%, with 370 goals scored and only 113 conceded in his 126 games in charge.
Chairman Harry Hugo said: “I’m delighted to be able to lock down Johno for the foreseeable future – he’s the biggest asset the Club has right now. He’s been the mastermind behind our recent success, guiding us towards British footballing records and back-to-back promotions, it was imperative for us that we rewarded him for what he’s done for the Club and the Town.
“As we now look to make an unprecedented leap up unto Step 3, it’s essential that Farnham Town establish a footing at the level and build the foundations for the next part of the project, and there’s no better person to lead that from a footballing side than Paul.”
Speaking on his new contract, Paul Johnson said: “Every manager wants to be at a Club where they feel supported and backed, and over the last couple of years at Farnham Town it’s been perfect for me.
“We’ve been given all the tools necessary to deliver the success we’ve had on the field, enjoying back-to-back promotions and making the move up to Step 3 football for the first time in our history. It’s been refreshing to work alongside the directors at the Club – Harry, Paul, Dean and Ed – where we all want the same things and are working together to deliver success to the Club and the fans who have been tremendous in supporting the team, home and away.
“The crowds, the gates, the noise – it makes The Memorial Ground a very special place to come and watch football. I look forward to what lies ahead at Farnham Town, and everyone’s pushing to continue to make big strides both on and off the field – and I’m excited about continuing to be involved on that journey.”