Holmesdale FC was originally formed in the 1920's and can be traced back to the Baptist Church in Holmesdale Road, South Norwood, where it was affiliated to the London FA and competed in the Excelsior Football League. In fact, it was based in Holmesdale Road long before that other football club...Crystal Palace!

After two years in the Excelsior Football league, the club moved to the Thorton Heath and District League where they finished second in the 3rd Division and won the Sportsmanship Cup.

To play for the team in those days you had to be involved in the church, attend Bible class and pay match fees of 6d (2.5p) with a signing on fee of six shillings (30p). The Holmesdale Baptist FC colours were green and gold shirts with blue knickers (as they were then known!). An original club shirt can be seen on the wall of the clubhouse.

Sadly, in 1923, the team folded for a period of 33 years, before being resurrected in 1956 by the 3rd East Surrey Boys Brigade Company. They were pleased to inherit the original Post Office savings account of the predecessors which had funds of £7.00, but with 33 years interest had risen to the princely sum of £12.00. During the first season Holmesdale Baptist reached the top of Division 6, having dropped only six points in 18 games, scoring 77 goals and conceding on 24. The first documented team was: J Standing, J Percival, D Lyle, D Swales, L Boxall, B Thomsitt, C Sayers, B Tibbert, D Dunford, D Charlton, P Dalley and reserve A Wooll. You will see on our Honours page how our current players content for trophies and awards was inspired by some of these players or their families. In the 1957-58 season the Holmesdale Baptists were promoted from Division 6 to Division 4 but due to National Service struggled for players. To strengthen the membership the Baptists raided the Holy Innocents Church Youth Club to make up the numbers (we're nothing if not resourceful!) but it meant removing the word Baptists from the name.

As the years progressed, the club went from strength to strength, running more teams and providing more opportunities for players to participate in "the beautiful game" and gaining many successes in the seventies and eighties. However, the club had to wait until the 1986/87 season before winning the Thornton Heath Premier Division. This opened the gateway to the then named Surrey Intermediate League where after six years the club won the First Division Championship which sealed promotion to the Surrey Premier League. The Club played in the Surrey Premier League for six seasons from Oaks Road in Shirley where the dedicated committee developed the basic facilities into a Senior status venue, but unfortunately as the ground was owned by the local council we could not install floodlights or have a social / licensed bar area.

In the year 2000 part of Holmesdale FC moved to Oakley Road in Bromley (our current home), moving into the British Energy Kent County League. Since moving to Oakley Road the club has developed the facilities to boast a floodlight training area, a fully enclosed senior pitch with dugouts and a licensed bar with function hall (available to hire!).

In 2005-06 the first team won the Kent County Division One West (gaining promotion to the Premier Division) and the Surrey Intermediate Cup, the following season 2006-07 the first team were crowned champions of the Kent County Premier Division and gained promotion to the Kent League.

During the summer of 2008 our floodlights and pathways have been installed establishing our position in the Kent League that will also enable us to enter the FA Cup and FA Trophy in the next couple of seasons, what an achievement for a club from a former Baptist Church.

We are all looking forward to our second season in the Kent League, our first season was a huge learning curve for us all, but we now believe this is the level of football Holmesdale FC should be playing at and who knows, in a few seasons time promotion could be a distinct possibility!!!