Holyport Football Club, nicknamed “The Port,” is a non-league football club based in Maidenhead, Berkshire.
Established in 1934, they currently compete in the Cherry Red Records Combined Counties Premier Division North, which is part of the ninth tier of English football. The team calls Summerleaze Park their home ground.
The club was originally established at The George Pub in Holyport Village with 20 members. Initially, they played in the Maidenhead and District League, using Windsor Road, Bray as their home ground, before moving to Braywick Park. By the 2002/2003 season, after three successful seasons, the club was promoted to the Hellenic League Division 1 East. In 2004, they moved to Summerleaze Park in North Maidenhead, marking a new era with significant improvements including fencing, floodlights, and grandstands. These upgrades, funded by the Football Foundation, enabled the club to meet FA and league requirements for step five football. The club continues to enhance its facilities, with recent planning permission for a new teabar and turnstile granted in 2022.
The club’s ambitions extended to national competitions, participating in the FA Vase and FA Cup from 2008 and 2010, respectively. They were awarded the Hungerford Cup in 2009/10 and 2010/11, recognizing their development on and off the field. The 2010/11 season was particularly historic as Holyport, under the new management team of Derek Sweetman, Kevin Carvell, and Calvin Maye, won the Uhlsport Hellenic 1 Division East title, AM Print and Copy Floodlit Cup, and The Bluefin Insurance Challenge Cup. Jamie Handscomb won the Division Player of the Year award in 2009/10, marking another highlight in the club’s achievements. In the following seasons, Holyport continued to perform well, achieving semi-final finishes in various cup competitions.
Holyport FC’s growth continued with the introduction of a youth side in 2012/13. Management changes saw Martin Kenealy step aside in 2015, leading to the appointment of Barry, Dan, Chris, and John. Despite some struggles, they achieved a 5th place finish in 2017/18. Derek Sweetman returned as manager for the 2018/19 season, leading to a successful FA Vase run. The club was promoted to Step 5 in 2020 on a points-per-game basis and managed to maintain its status despite challenges. Derek Sweetman was named club Ambassador in 2022, and Sam Lock was promoted to manager. The club celebrated its 125th anniversary with significant achievements, including a successful first team season, promotion for the reserves, and growth in junior teams.