Penn vs Holmer Green

Originally founded in 1908, Holmer initially played in the Chesham and District League. Matches were played at Campbell’s Meadow (now the Rosetti Estate), close to a tennis racket factory. Sometime before 1934, the club moved to Holmer Green Common and set up headquarters in The Bat and Ball. In 1934, the club switched to the Wycombe Combination League. The first trophy won by Holmer Green was the Chesham Charity Cup in 1939, the first of 28 cups and championships won thus far by the first XI.

The early 70s saw the start of a very successful 30 years in the club’s history. Holmer Green moved to their present ground, Watchet Lane in 1975 when the new Holmer Green Sports Association pavilion was fully ready. Holmer won the Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup in 1976/77. Senior status was thus achieved and since then the club has striven to play at the highest level possible for a strictly amateur club.

The club was heavily involved in the moves that set up the Chiltonian League in 1984. That league embraced clubs from no less than six different counties. Holmer had been very successful in the Chiltonian, and believed that a move to a better run league, where the clubs were encouraged to improve facilities, should be the next step. The Chiltonian were reluctant to lose their ‘flagship’ club and tried to stop the move to the the South Midlands League. Not until August 1995 did Holmer Green, through the FA’s appeal system, successfully switch leagues.

This move gave Holmer Green the impetus to finally erect a stand, now called The Don Want Stand in honour of the late former long-serving groundsman, president, and chairman. In 2014, Don was presented with some mementos to mark his 50 years with the football club. He passed away in 2022.

Premier Division status was achieved in 1999 after winning the Senior Division twice in four seasons, being second and fourth in between. Floodlights were erected. Centenary events started with a visit from a full Wycombe Wanderers team in July 2007 when the ground record of over 800 was recorded.

In 2008 the senior club formally merged with Holmer Green Minors FC to become one club and this occasion coincided with the new club as a whole being named ‘Club of the Year 2008’ by Bucks & Milton Keynes Sports Partnership.

Season 2008/09 was Holmer’s 10th successive one in the Premier Division. After an unexpectedly long stay in the Premier Division, Holmer Green were demoted to Division One for season 2009/10, despite avoiding the two relegation positions.

Work immediately began to regain the F Grading required for Step 5 football to return to Watchet Lane. The first XI won the First Division by three points in 2009/10, losing only three of 40 games. The coveted F Grading was achieved again in 2011.

Ex-boss Chris Allen, who was appointed in 2009, kept the regained Step 5 status for another incredible nine seasons before stepping down in May 2019, with Holmer having gained enough points by early March. By this time the club had been moved, most unwillingly, into the Hellenic League. Chris’ successor, Dave Lynch, resigned after a poor start in August and September 2019. Matt Stowell succeeded Lynch, and results turned before the season was ended due to Covid-19. Matt continued to rebuild for 2020/21 with a seventh-place finish when the season was again terminated early. The club were very happily returned to the Spartan South Midlands League in summer 2021, with Matt continuing in charge. But a series of poor results including some heavy defeats lead to Matt’s resignation in early December 2021. Assistant manager, and then-physio, Tom Bryant took over in the meantime, with assistance from experienced former player and manager Jez Hodges.

This return ‘home’ meant local games with Aylesbury Vale Dynamos, Tring Athletic, Risborough Rangers, Harefield United, Leighton Town, Leverstock Green, Oxhey Jets and Dunstable Town. And more importantly, no away trips over an hour long! Unfortunately, Holmer slipped into the relegation position on the last day of the season and another long stint at Step 5 came to an end.

Tom Bryant was appointed manager on a permanent basis in the summer of 2022, but left Holmer Green in the August after a series of poor results.

Jez Hodges again took up the reins on an interim basis, before ex-player Paul Batchelor was appointed manager in late November 2022. His remit was to avoid a second successive relegation, this was achieved with a game to spare. The first XI also reached the final of the SSMFL Division One Cup.

In another reshuffle of the non-league pyramid by The FA, in 2023 the Greens were transferred to the Combined Counties League where they reunited with many former SSMFL opponents.

Paul Batchelor left the club to operate at a higher level of football, and Tranell Richardson was appointed in his place. But his tenure was brief, as nine of the first 10 league games ended in defeat. Keith Scott took over at the end of September 2023. The squad gradually improved and eventually finished 20th of 22 teams to preserve their Step 6 status. 

The new season 2024/25 saw Division One of the CCL with 23 teams, including four newly-promoted sides from Step 7. The season as a whole was far better than the previous one. Scott, assisted by Jez Hodges, kept the side well clear of the relegation places – finishing on 73 points in seventh place.

The club have junior teams and squads all the way from under-6s to under-16s. A new 3G facility next to the main grass pitch was up and running early in 2025 and immediately benefitted all the local community – as well as providing a new income stream to drive the club further forward.

The first XI capped their season with an appearance in the CCL Division One Cup final. Unfortunately, they lost by the narrowest of margins on penalties after drawing the match.