Wembley FC
We played out a 1-1 draw with today’s opposition at Vale Farm back in very early August. Conceding a late goal allowing the home side to break out from their own defensive corner and equalise late on. We were not to know then that habit of winning games that we could, would elude us so often during the season. We now have eight draws, but eleven losses. Almost all losses in games where we created enough chances to win, and/or were winning, at one stage. But no heavy defeats, as in seasons gone by.
Having an impressive goal difference for a mid-table team, does not get you near enough to the play-off places. Wembley has a similar goal difference, and goals for and against record to ourselves.
After moving up to tenth after last Tuesday’s win, we then slipped back one place the following evening. When adjacent to the A3, Colliers Wood raced into a five-goal lead to overtake us. Only to endure a comeback from the struggling Spelthorne Sports, conceding four goals! That narrow loss saw Spelthorne slip into the three supposed relegation places, with FCD Galicia and Spartans Youth benefitting. Our postponement on Saturday meant another place dropped. Our own aim must be to get as near to last season’s seventh place and points total as a possible. The points target may not be achievable because of our draws and narrow losses mentioned above, but seventh place surely is with 13 games left?
No game this Saturday, but a Monday midweek game next week at Northwood against RB Kensington. Don’t forget Thursday’s game here too. The Allied U-18 XI have done brilliantly to reach the Semis of their League Cup? They face Hartley Wintney from Hampshire. No as far away than it sounds for them to travel. It’s not far south of Reading?
As ever, please enjoy the game today…………John Anderson
Club Information
Holmer Green Football Club
Founded 1908
Affiliated to the Berks & Bucks Football Association
Members of the:
• Combined Counties Football League
• Spartan South Midlands Football League
• Allied Counties Youth Football League
• High Wycombe Sunday Football Combination
• Wycombe & South Bucks Minor Football League
• South Bucks Mini Soccer Conference
President
John Anderson
Life Members
John Anderson Mick Bowler Dave Brockwell Colin Buckle Roly Clarke Cliff Foster Frank Francies Nigel Mayor Rupe Perry Bill Scholes Paul Wareham Mark Williams Rob Shed
Rob Shed (Chairman) (M) 07539 267948 Email: shedcan@me.com
Rob Fitch (Treasurer) Email: info@holmergreenfc.co.uk
Samantha Lewin (Vice Chair & Welfare Officer) Email welfare@holmergreenfc.co.uk
Matt Brades (Club Secretary & Junior Section Representative) Email: bradesm@badgerway.plus.com
John Anderson (Programme Editor) (H) 01494 446128 Email: john.a.cressex@hotmail.co.uk
Club website www.holmergreenfc.co.uk
Ground Address
Watchet Lane, Holmer Green, High Wycombe, Bucks HP15 6UF
Cherry Red Records Combined Counties Football League
Division One
Tuesday 3rd March 2026, Kick Off 7.45pm
Holmer Green Wembley
Green & White All Red & S Blue
Sam Bell (GK)
Theo Ransby
Oskar Esplund-Evans
Neilon Pascall
Michael Power-Simpson
Calvin Osborne
Benjamin Lawson-Hatch
Henry Osei
Anthony Tyson Gabriel Tshibangu
Harrison Holbrook Benedict Statham
Liam Butters Alfie Bates ©
Ollie Saunders
James Mangan
Jack Baker
Richard Acheampong
Max Fanstone Frederick Stoner-Redfern
Alex Colverd Sam Langan
Josh Peck
Jermaine Heron
Zac Webster Thady Sheehan
Mason Green Lucas Georgiou
Elias Lubbat Venance Lupumba
Ollie White
Ned Jones
Ben Booker Lewis Morgan
Lloyd Majaya
Aaron Bryan
Tom Whitburn
Daisuke Mitani
Sadibo Camara
Ewan Philpot
George Morley (GK)
Manager: Keith Scott
Coach: Jez Hodges
Physio: Jack Woodbridge
Kit: Ben Heathers
Manager: Ian Bates
Assistants: Nick McMullen,
Turub Naqvi & Ronnie Swash
Referee: Dylan Ing
Assistant Referees: David Cox & Ray Solomon
A SHORT HISTORY OF WEMBLEY FOOTBALL CLUB
Formed in 1946 following an amalgamation of various junior clubs, predominantly Sudbury Ratepayers Association and Sudbury Rangers. Nicknamed the 'Lions', (the symbol of the British Empire Exhibition held at Wembley in 1924/25, the emblem was also used by the local speedway and ice-hockey teams), they found a home at Vale Farm and have remained there ever since, developing a roped-off pitch into a respectable non-League football ground.
Entry was immediately made into the Middlesex League. After finishing a creditable fourth in their first season they went on to win the championship in 1947/48. A further season was spent in this league before the Club progressed into the Spartan League in 1949/50. Here they stayed for two years, clinching the Western Division title in 1950/51 as a result of which they became founder members of the Delphian League.
In season 1955/56 they reached the finals of both the London Senior Cup and Middlesex Senior Cup and also finished runners-up in the Delphian League. In recognition of these achievements, they were invited to join the Corinthian League and subsequently vastly improved the facilities at Vale Farm.
Following a quiet period, the Club moved into the Athenian League (1963/64) which had absorbed both the Corinthian and Delphian Leagues to create three divisions. Wembley were placed in the middle section. Malcolm Allison (1962-1963) and Allen Batsford (19641965) were both employed as coaches by the Lions during this period, although their respective spells were brief. Both gentlemen went on to have distinguished careers elsewhere and who knows where the Club might be today had either one of them remained at Vale Farm
Wembley did manage to gain promotion to the Premier Division in 1967/68. To anticipate further progress floodlights were installed, a new clubhouse and dressing-room complex were built and eventually admission to the expanding Isthmian League was granted in 1975. Finishing runners-up in their final season justified Wembley's elevation
Wembley began their first season in the Isthmian League (1975/76) in the second division (now the first division). The closest they came to promotion to the Premier Division was in 1985/86. After completing their fixtures, Wembley headed the table, but missed out on going up by two points when both St. Alban's City and Bromley won their respective games in hand. Only two teams went up in those days.
Despite failing to achieve promotion, Wembley obtained some minor compensation by recording various cup successes during this period. In 1980/81 they reached the First Round Proper of the F.A. Cup for the one and only time, losing 0-3 to Enfield at Southbury Road. The Middlesex Charity Cup was won outright for the first time in 1982/83, while the Middlesex Senior Cup was also clinched for the first time a season later with a dramatic 5-1 success over Hendon. In 1986/87 Wembley won the coveted Middlesex Cup double with final wins over Hayes in the Senior Cup and Feltham in the Charity Cup, a feat nearly repeated during the following season.
Both finals were lost although the disappointment was tempered by beating Brentford at Griffin Park in the semi-final of the Middlesex Charity Cup, and having the final played at Wembley Stadium. Several unprofitable years have followed and a fire at Vale Farm during the summer of 1992 almost ended Wembley's existence. Fortunately, thanks to some splendid off-the-field work, new facilities were quickly erected, and the Club survived.
Wembley last won some silverware in 1994/95 with a 2-0 victory over Hampton in the final of the Middlesex Charity Cup. The Lions also went on to reach the second-round proper of the F.A. Trophy in 1995/96 (their best run in the old F.A. Amateur Cup was also ended at the second-round proper stage 1966/67 and 1968/69). However, their lengthy first division status was ended at the finish of that season when they suffered relegation into Division Two (now in Step Five).
By claiming third place, a quick return to the first division was achieved a season later, but their division one tenure lasted just two seasons and they relegated again at the end of 1998/99. As a result of the restructuring of the Isthmian League's constitution, Wembley regained a berth in the first division (north) for the 2002/03 season. But they were unable to maintain their place and were demoted into the second division at the end of that campaign. Wembley were forced to leave the Isthmian League set-up at the end of the 2005/06 season following the disbanding of the second division. They joined the Combined Counties League. A sterling effort was made to win promotion during their first season (2006/07)), but they ran out of steam to end the term in third place.
Apart from that, they failed to make a real impact, although they did reach the final of the Combined Counties League Cup in 2010/11, but lost to Sandhurst Town, 0-1, at Farnborough. However, after their participation in the following season's F.A. Cup, (their Extra-Preliminary Round tie with Ascot United was covered live on Facebook) the competition sponsors, Budweiser, offered the Lions a much-publicised deal which they could not refuse. This included the signing of several retired professionals to help the Lions progress as far as possible in the 2012/13 F.A. Cup under the guidance of Terry Venables. Unfortunately, Wembley only played three games in the competition before bowing out.
After eight years, Wembley's membership of the Combined Counties League was ended by a lateral move across Step Five of the non-League pyramid into the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division, joining in 2014/15. Here they stayed for seven seasons. Their highest placing was fourth in 2016/17, and the closest they came to winning a trophy was also in the same season, when they were runners-up in the Premier Division Cup, beaten nil-one by Hoddesdon Town in the final at Oxhey Jets. Following two curtailed seasons in the S.S.M.L due to Covid 19, and further alterations to the non-League structure, Wembley were moved back into the Combined Counties League (2021/22). However, last season they finished bottom of the newly formed Premier Division North and were relegated to begin the 2025/26 campaign in Division One.
PLEASE NOTE
Spectators are reminded that
It is an offence under the Football (Offences and Disorder) Act 1999 to OR
Throw any object within the Ground OR Enter the playing area OR
Attempt to get into the ground or be inside the ground when drunk
The Don Want Stand, and the covered area behind the clubhouse end goal, are both No-Smoking Areas
Coming up at Watchet Lane
Thursday 5th March 7.45pm
Holmer Green Allied XI v Hartley Wintney
ACYFL League Cup SF
Saturday 7th March 3pm
Holmer Green Dev XI v New Bradwell St Peter
SSMFL Reserve Division
Saturday 14th March 3pm
Holmer Green v Colliers Wood United CCL Division One
Admission Charges Apply on Main Grass Pitch