RAKESMOOR LANE 24TH OCTOBER 2026
Principal Partner
Official Partner
Official Print Partner
Principal Partner
Official Playing Kit Partner
Official Digital Media Partner
Official Partner
Official Partner
HONOURS • West Lancashire League Champions: 1986/87 • Lancashire FA Amateur Shield Winners: 1988/89, 1990/91
THE CLUB Chairman Maurice Watkin Vice-Chairman David Smith Treasurer Paul Muspratt Club Secretary John Squire Matchday Secretary Gary Fawcett Manager Kevin Watkin Manager Dave Round Safeguarding Officer Steve Thomas Head of Digital Glen Ritchie Groundskeepers Alan Wilson & Ian Littlehales Bar Manager Sam Trewin
THE DUGOUT
P4
THE OPPONENT P8
4
The Dugout
20
8
The Opponent
30 Squads
Holker History
MATCHDAY SPONSORS
MAIN MATCH
MATCH BALL
Holker Old Boys AFC Unincorporated (Community Amateur Sports Club) is an equal-opportunities club committed to upholding the principles of equality, diversity and human rights. Supporters are urged to report any incident immediately to the nearest member of staff. Doing so allows the club to immediately deal with the situation. Any incident dealt with by a member of staff will be logged and passed on to the league and/or authorities where required. Holker Old Boys AFC takes very seriously its responsibility to protect children in its care. If you have any questions regarding child safeguarding at Holker please contact us at info@hobafc.co.uk. The views in this programme are not necessarily the views of Holker Old Boys AFC. Material in this programme is copyrighted and may only be reproduced with the written permission of Holker Old Boys AFC. Holker Old Boys AFC has made every effort to trace the copyright holders of all photographs used. HOBAFC.CO.UK / 3
A WORD FROM THE DUGOUT KEV & DAVE
THE MESSAGE IS STRAIGHTFORWARD Good afternoon and welcome Rakesmoor Lane for today’s Macron Cup fixture against Nelson. We know we’re facing a tough challenge against a side from the division above, but it’s one we’re looking forward to. Our recent history against Nelson gives us plenty of confidence, having shown over the last few seasons that we’re capable of competing with them. That said, previous results won’t count for anything today and we know we’ll have to earn the right to progress. The message to the lads is straightforward. We need to start quickly, focus on our own game and make sure we’re comfortable in possession. Against opposition of this quality, we can’t afford to give the ball away cheaply or allow them to dictate how the game is played. We have to be brave enough to get on the ball and show the quality we know we have in the squad. Nelson will be physical, well organised and difficult to break down, so matching their work rate is absolutely essential. We need to compete for everything, stay disciplined and make sure our standards don’t drop throughout the game. Cup football gives us an opportunity to test ourselves against strong opposition, and that’s exactly what we want today. We’ve shown we can compete at this level, now we need to prove it again. Hopefully we can put in a performance that sees us through to the next round.
KEVIN WATKIN 4 / HOBAFC.CO.UK
WE NEED A RESPONSE Today will be our toughest test yet. Nelson are flying at the top of the Premier Division and deserve credit for their progress. But we beat league winners Wythenshawe twice in the Vase last season, so we know what we’re capable of. Saturday was disappointing. We created little and conceded sloppy goals, although Mitch battled for everything and Luke Davey looked dangerous. Our away form and player availability must improve. Travelling with 12 or 13 lads isn’t good enough. Training has been better this week and we need to maintain those standards. We’ve got a good squad and more players returning soon, but today we need a massive response. Against quality opposition, anything less than our best will get punished.
DAVE ROUND HOBAFC.CO.UK / 5
THE OPPONENT NELSON
Nelson, known as the Admirals, play at The Daisy Arena Little Wembley. With origins reputedly traced to 1882, the club spent ten seasons in the Football League, winning the Third Division North title in 1922/23. Their later history includes Lancashire Combination honours and spells in the North West Counties League.
TOP TEN FACTS •
Lancashire champions – Nelson won the Lancashire League in 1895/96, recording 22 victories and 105 goals in 30 games.
•
Madrid milestone – Nelson became the first English side to beat Real Madrid away, winning 4–2 in May 1923.
•
Old Trafford – Nelson’s first away victory during their only Division Two season came against Manchester United.
•
Record crowd – Seedhill’s record attendance of 14,143 watched Nelson recover from two goals behind to draw with Bradford Park Avenue.
•
Club disbanded – Nelson disbanded on 7 August 1936 after incurring a substantial loss that season.
•
Combination double – Nelson secured the Lancashire Combination league and cup double in the 1949/50 season.
•
Fagan’s title – Player-manager Joe Fagan won the Lancashire Combination title in his first season, 1951/52.
•
Ground move – Nelson left Seedhill at the end of 1970/71 and relocated to Victoria Park.
•
Replay reversal – Nelson lost third place in 2000/01 after Atherton LR won a replay granted for their opponents’ ineligible player.
•
Goals galore – Mark Fell’s first full season brought 157 goals in 45 games and the NWCFL Division One title.
8 / HOBAFC.CO.UK
HOBAFC.CO.UK / 9
THE OPPONENT
THEIR STORY UNFILTERED Think of a club that was the first English side to beat Real Madrid away from home. A side that also won away at Old Trafford in the same season. A side that has obtained positive results against six current Barclays Premiership clubs in league games (Manchester United, Crystal Palace, Hull City, Fulham, Southampton and Stoke City). A side that played in the Football League for ten seasons and has played competitive games against 34 current sides in the top four divisions. A side that has played many FA Cup ties in the competition proper with a record home attendance of over 14,000. All this, and more, has been achieved by ‘The History Boys’ of Nelson On the back of their title triumph, and in preparation for FC, also known as ‘The Admirals’. life in Division Two, Nelson took the remarkable step of an overseas tour to Spain, in May 1923. They performed The origins of Nelson FC can be reputedly traced to a with some success, winning two of their four games - a group of townspeople who in 1882, on witnessing a local 2-1 success against Real Oviedo and a 4-2 victory at Real football match between Burnley and Blackburn, were Madrid. inspired to form their own team. However, it wasn’t until 1889-90 that they competed in a senior competition, Unfortunately Nelson`s time in Division Two was to be joining the Lancashire League upon its formation. The short-lived, lasting just the one season in which they Blues started well, with a series of top six finishes, and finished second-bottom of the table. It was clear early on claimed the title in great style in 1895/96, winning 22 of that they were struggling both on and off the pitch, but their 30 games and scoring 105 goals. However in 1898- they achieved some remarkable feats on the way. They 99 the original club was disbanded. had a home victory over champions-elect Leeds United, one of only nine league defeats for the Yorkshire side. Just a few months after their demise, Nelson were And their first away victory came at Manchester United. reformed and accepted into the North East Lancashire Few non-league clubs can claim to have won away at League, later joining the Central League. When football both Real Madrid and Manchester United! resumed after the First World War, Nelson embarked upon the most remarkable adventure of their history. A return to Division Three North brought a drop in In 1921 the thirteen non-reserve teams of the Central attendances, though big games saw new records League were voted into the Football League`s newly established, such as 13,500 for the visit of table-topping formed Third Division North. The first league match, Darlington. That first season back in the third tier of the on August 27th 1921, brought a record attendance at Football League saw a second-place finish to the NorthSeedhill of 9,000. Eastern side, hence no promotion, and was to be the last time the Blues seriously threatened a return to the The next season, 1922-23, saw the Blues lead a close national stage. race for much of the season, and five wins in a row during April saw them romp away to the title. One team The next season brought a new and never beaten record was promoted from each of the Third Division North and attendance at Seedhill of 14,143 for the visit of leaders South of the Football League at that time, and it meant Bradford Park Avenue. The home team went two goals Nelson were entering a nationwide league for the very down but came back to draw 2-2. first time.
10 / HOBAFC.CO.UK
Two seasons later Nelson became serious strugglers, finding themselves £6,500 in debt. A rock-bottom finish meant a re-election application. They had conceded 136 goals during the season, and all the problems seemed to be down to insufficient gate receipts during difficult times for the area. Re-election was granted in 1928, but three seasons later Nelson were back in the same situation, and 1930-31 was to be their final season as a League club. Nelson struggled on in the Lancashire Combination without winning any honours, and things became much bleaker in 1936. A big loss was incurred that season and the club disbanded on 7th August.
The team built by ‘Uncle Joe’ romped to the title in his first season in 1951/52. Joe left to join Liverpool`s boot room team in 1958 and 25 years later he was the manager who took the Reds to a European Cup, League Championship and League Cup treble.
Following the war, Nelson returned to action and to the Lancashire Combination. They were involved in some terrific tussles for the title with Wigan Athletic over the next few seasons, winning it twice in 1949/50 and 1951/52. In those three seasons of 42 league games apiece, Nelson scored 125, 120 and 139 goals respectively. The first title season also saw Nelson clinch the Lancashire Combination Cup to seal an historic Double in what was at the time one of the premier leagues in the country outside of the Football League.
At the end of the 1970/71 season Nelson left their Seedhill ground and relocated to their current ground at Victoria Park. Seedhill was by now primarily a speedway and stock car stadium and in a dilapidated condition. It continued to host stock car racing until 1979 and it was finally demolished a year later to make way for the M65 motorway. The route of the motorway was subsequently altered leaving most of the site intact which was then used for the annual travelling fun fair. A new police station is currently under construction on the site of the old ground and is due to open in 2026.
The men at the forefront of this period of success were two young player-managers. Centre-half Bob Johnson moved from Burnley for the start of the 1949/50 season and, when his contract expired, the Blues landed a young man from Manchester City, 30-year-old Joe Fagan.
As Fagan was beginning his long association with the Merseysiders, Nelson’s fortunes were to move, quite markedly, in the opposite direction. A third Combination Cup arrived in 1959/60, but a second place finish in 1960/61 was to be the nearest they came to winning the Combination title again.
A third place was collected in the final season of the Lancashire Combination in 1981/82 - which by this time had lost much of its former quality and status - before the restructuring of the non-league pyramid.
HOBAFC.CO.UK / 11
Nelson joined the Third Division of the newly created North West Counties League - an amalgamation of the Lancashire Combination and Cheshire County League - in 1982. The club were transferred into the Second Division of the North West Counties League when the Third Division was dropped six seasons later.
Former Blackburn Rovers coach David Hall took over the manager`s role at the start of the 2004/05 season, and set about rebuilding a fresh young team. Hall was to leave after a poor start to the following season, but his assistant Graham Howarth took over and oversaw an incredible late run which propelled the Blues to a third place finish, bringing with it a first promotion for the club However, after one more season, the club’s ground was in 83 years. deemed not to be up to league standard, and the team were forced to play in the Second Division of the West The club fought off relegation threats and maintained Lancashire League for four seasons. It was a tough period a place in the Premier Division for four seasons before for the Blues, and they finished no higher than 15th in administrative troubles forced the club to resign from that time. After much hard work, the ground at Victoria the NWCFL in the summer of 2010. After a year out to Park - known by the locals as ‘Little Wembley’Â regroup, Nelson rejoined the First Division under new - was brought up to scratch, and the club were re- ownership. With a mixed board containing English and admitted to the North West Counties League. In the Asian board members that reflect the diversity within years that followed, Nelson usually finished in the top the town in the modern era, the club now aims to build half of the lower Division. a strong multi-cultural community club that acts as a bridge between diverse sections of the community A cruel end to the 2000/2001 season saw Nelson finish uniting everyone under the common banner of football above Atherton LR in the third and final promotion place and providing a pathway into senior non-league football on the final day of the season, only to see the latter for any local players good enough, regardless of their granted a replay of their final game as their opponents race or religion or background. Longer term the club had fielded an ineligible player. Atherton won the want to re-establish themselves as the leading nonreplayed game to snatch away third spot from the Blues. league club in the region and eventually regain the Football League place they lost in 1931.
12 / HOBAFC.CO.UK
The first season back was a transitional one as the new owners learnt about life running a senior football team and a 15th place finish was achieved. The 2012/13 season started with a new young management team of Robert Grimes and Michael Morrison and things started well with The Admirals racing to the top of the table. However cracks soon started to appear and a couple of months in the management team departed along with most of the squad. Nelson limped along for a few weeks taking some heavy defeats due to fielding what was effectively the clubs reserve team before manager Mark Fell arrived. He immediately brought stability to the club and an upturn in fortunes along with a host of new signings. Through his contacts he also established a permanent training ground and base for the club at Accrington & Rossendale College meaning the club now boasts exactly the same training facilities as League Two neighbours Accrington Stanley. On the pitch the side recovered to a mid table 10th position.
2014/15 saw the Admirals return to the NWCFL Premier Division with The Blues managing to finish a respectable 11th place, the club’s highest position in over 30 years. Last season ,despite a bright start, a run of 7 defeats in 9 games saw Mark Fell decide to step down as Manager and replaced by ex Nelson Striker Paul Fildes who guided Nelson to 16th by the end of the season. Just before preseason Fildes was offered the Manager position at Ramsbottom Utd and left Nelson looking for a new manager. Ahead of the 2016/17 season ex Burnley player Phil Eastwood was appointed Manager however after only 1 win in the first 10 league games Eastwood stood down in October. The Admirals decided to promote Youth Team manager Alex Norwood to First Team Manager as the club look to avoid relegation from the Premier Division. Unfortunately relegation was confirmed and now the club are looking to bounce back and fight at the top end of Division One.
Fell’s first full season brought long awaited success back to the town, a first league title in 62 years. Fell’s Nelson were outstanding, scoring a remarkable 157 goals in 45 games and winning the NWCFL division 1 by 5 clear points. Nelson’s Peter Wright became the league’s top scorer with 38 goals.
HOBAFC.CO.UK / 13
WANT TO ADVERTISE HERE? EMAIL: COMMERCIAL@HOBAFC.CO.UK
HOLKER HISTORY
FOUNDING & EARLY YEARS Founded in 1936, Holker Old Boys AFC began as an under-16 side, formed by the former pupils of Holker Central Secondary School, originally located on Holker Street in Barrow-in-Furness. While the school has long been replaced by a bingo hall, the club’s legacy continues to thrive. Founded in 1936, Holker Old Boys AFC began
The formation of the Furness Premier
as an under-16 side, formed by the former
League in 1980 saw them enter two teams,
pupils of Holker Central Secondary School,
with the Reserves progressing into the
originally located on Holker Street in Barrow-
West Lancashire League Division 2. Success
in-Furness. While the school has long been
followed in the mid-80s, with a runner-up
replaced by a bingo hall, the club’s legacy
finish in 1985/86, before claiming the
continues to thrive.
West Lancs League Division 1 title in their Golden Jubilee season (1986/87). The late
By 1939-40, Holker joined the North Western
80s brought further glory, as Holker lifted
Open Age League, playing on local fields. Their
the Adidas Lancashire Junior Shield twice,
commitment to youth football remained strong,
triumphing over Walkden Town (1988/89)
with junior teams keeping their roots alive.
and Park United (1990/91).
The club expanded into the West Lancashire League in 1967, running teams in both leagues and later securing a permanent home at Rakesmoor Lane in 1971 - a site with a history as an isolation hospital and allotments.
Holker Street School (n.d.)
18 / HOBAFC.CO.UK
HOBAFC.CO.UK / 19
20 / HOBAFC.CO.UK
HOLKER HISTORY
LEAGUE CLIMB & STRUGGLES
By 2002/03, Holker had regained stability, finishing fifth in Division Two. Off the pitch, significant investments followed, with £80,000 secured for stadium improvements, pitch drainage, and parking. Though the mid-2000s saw inconsistent league performances, there were standout moments: reaching the FA
With ambitions to compete at a higher level,
Cup’s Second Qualifying Round (2004/05)
Holker faced the challenge of upgrading their
and hosting FC United of Manchester in
Rakesmoor Lane ground. Through sheer
2005/06 before a record crowd of 2,303. These
determination and community effort, they
achievements provided vital funds for further
expanded facilities, built new changing rooms,
ground improvements, including floodlight
and enclosed the pitch. Their hard work paid
upgrades in 2006/07.
off in 1991 when they secured a place in the North West Counties Football League (NWCFL)
The club’s commitment to youth development
Division Two.
was also recognised with the FA Charter Standard Development Club Award. This
Holker adapted well to the higher level,
dedication bore fruit in 2006/07 when the
finishing third in 1993/94 and earning
U18s, featuring many future first-team players,
promotion to Division One. Their time in the
won the LFA Furness Building Society Youth
top flight was mixed, peaking at 11th place
Cup. By 2008/09, the senior team had climbed
in 1995/96 before a difficult spell led to
to ninth in the renamed Vodkat League First
relegation in 1998/99. This prompted a period
Division.
of rebuilding, both financially and structurally. The club expanded its setup to include three open-age sides and a thriving junior section, covering ages six to sixteen, plus a girls’ team.
Holker Club House (2023)
HOBAFC.CO.UK / 21
HOLKER HISTORY
RECENT SUCCESS
& THE FUTURE
Under Dave Smith and Maurice Watkin, Holker enjoyed a resurgence, finishing third in Division One in 2010/11. A managerial change in 2011/12 brought challenges, but Smith’s return helped steady the ship. The 2012/13 season was tough, with the club narrowly avoiding last place, though an FA Cup run provided a financial boost. The 2013/14 season marked a turning point, with Gary Fawcett and Stuart Roberts leading the team to a respectable sixth-place finish and a semi-final appearance in the NWCFL Challenge Cup. Further improvements followed between 2017 and 2019, including pitch enhancements, bar refurbishments, and an extended kitchen. Chairman Maurice Watkin ensured a warm, modern club atmosphere. Holker reached a milestone in 2018/19, playing their 1,000th NWCFL league game and receiving a commemorative trophy. Despite a challenging season, the team avoided relegation, with Kevin Watkin, Paul Southward, and Glyn Dixon taking the reins to guide the club to safety. Through decades of highs and lows, Holker Old Boys AFC remains a club built on passion, resilience, and a deep-rooted community spirit - one that continues to shape its future with ambition and pride.
22 / HOBAFC.CO.UK
HOBAFC.CO.UK / 23
HOLKER OLD BOYS
JUNIOR STAGS
HOLKER OLD BOYS JUNIOR SPONSORS
Holker Old Boys AFC
Manager Kevin Watkin & Dave Round Patrick ALLINGTON Callum BAYNES Tyler CHESTER Brandon COLLINS Reece CRESSWELL Luke DAVEY Tom DAWSON Max DIXON Frankie ELLIS Ryan FAGAN Farryl FOSTER Jamie HODGSON Bradley HUBBOLD Finley MARTIN Jamie MELLEN Jordan MCGARRY Joe MCGLADDERY Charlie MCGLOWN Luke MITCHELL Nathan REID David ROUND Harrison ROUND Gareth SMITH Tyler SPENCE Sol STANWAY Kevin WATKIN Noah WILLIAMS Tyler WOOD Josh WOODEND
MATCH OFFICIALS Referee Joseph Collier Assistants Alan Holmes & Evan Dary
Nelson
Manager Arron Ripley Richard BAKER Lewis BROWN Max CANE William DENT Jack DOHERTY Jamie EDWARDS Jared GILBEY Sefton GONZALES Corey GOODYEAR Alex GREEN Lewis HANLEY Luke HEPPLE Andrew HILL Darren HOLDEN George HUTCHINSON Sean INCE James KEMP Cameron LANCASTER William LUDLOW FOSTER Billy PRIESTLEY Connor SMITH Oliver STEPHENSON Andrew TEAGUE Christopher THOMPSON Jack WYERS-ROEBUCK Harry ALLEN Harley ILLINGWORTH
Next at Rakesmoor Lane
Winsford United
Saturday 31st October | Kick-Off 3:00pm | FA Vase