History of Holywell Town Football Club

Early Football in Holywell

The history of football in Holywell can be traced back to a club that was simply known as Holywell, and it is believed the team was founded by Colonel J. Llewellyn Williams. In those early days the side played its football on a ground known as Ffordd Fer, meaning “Short Way”, which was located on the site where the local high school now stands. The team wore red and white, the same colours that continue to be associated with the club today.

In March 1893, Holywell, then known as Holywell F.C., became one of the seven founder members of the North Wales Coast League. Within six months of the league beginning, the club had registered 58 players, showing the strong interest in football within the town at the time. Holywell finished fourth in the inaugural season and remained a regular competitor in the league over the following years, finishing fifth for three consecutive seasons before ending the 1897–98 campaign in sixth place, which proved to be their lowest finish during their time in the competition.

The club reached its first cup final in 1898 when they faced Bangor City in the North Wales Senior Cup, later known as the North Wales Amateur Cup, but were beaten 3–0 in the final. The following season Holywell achieved their highest league position during this period, finishing third, although this was followed by another fifth place finish the next year. After the events surrounding the Baron Corvo episode of 1899, the club left the North Wales Coast League at the end of the 1900–01 season, and by 1902 the team had become defunct.

Holywell United

Football returned to the town in 1905 with the formation of Holywell United, a new club created to fill the gap left by the original side. Holywell United later rejoined the North Wales Coast League for the 1912–13 season and quickly enjoyed success. In the 1913–14 campaign the club achieved a league and Amateur Cup double, winning 15 of their 17 league matches and defeating Colwyn Bay 1–0 in the cup final at Rhyl.

During this successful period Holywell United hosted one of the biggest matches in the town’s early football history when they faced an Everton XI at Ffordd Fer. The visitors included several players with English First Division experience and ran out 4–1 winners in front of a large crowd.

After the First World War, Holywell United continued their strong form. In the 1920–21 season the club finished runners up in the league to Holyhead Railway Institute, scoring 92 goals, far more than any other side that season. They also reached the final of the North Wales Coast Amateur Cup for the fifth time but were beaten 3–1 by Holyhead. The following year the same two teams met again in the final, and this time Holywell gained revenge, winning 1–0 at Llandudno with Hewitt scoring the only goal of the game.

From the 1921–22 season until the 1928–29 season the club competed in the newly formed Welsh National League (North), although they did not achieve the same level of success as in previous years.

Holywell Arcadians

In the 1929–30 season the club appeared under the new name Holywell Arcadians, competing in Division 2 (East) of the Welsh National League. Over the next few seasons the Arcadians played in the Welsh Football League, which ran alongside the North Wales Football Combination and later became the Welsh League (North). This proved to be one of the most successful periods in the club’s history, as Holywell Arcadians won the Welsh Football League title in 1930–31 and again in 1932–33, as well as finishing runners up in the season between those two championships.

Formation of Holywell Town

Modern Holywell Town was established in 1946, when former soldiers returning home after the Second World War formed a new club at Halkyn Road, where the team has played ever since. Around this time the nickname “The Wellmen” was adopted, a name that has remained with the club to the present day.

Success came quickly for the new club. In 1947 Holywell won both the Alves Cup and the Waterfall Cup, and further silverware followed in 1949 when the club won the North Wales Coast FA Amateur Cup, defeating Barmouth 2–0 in the final at Llandudno.

Post War Success

Holywell joined the Welsh League (North) in the 1949–50 season and finished in a creditable fifth place. The club went on to become champions of the league in the 1952–53 season, holding off a strong challenge from local rivals Flint Town United. Two years later the roles were reversed, although Holywell were awarded the Alves Cup by virtue of their final league position.

Further cup success came in the 1957–58 season when Holywell won the North Wales Amateur Cup with a 6–0 victory over Gwalchmai at Bangor City’s Farrar Road ground. The following year the club returned to the final but were beaten by Porthmadoc after a dramatic replay.

One of the most memorable occasions at Halkyn Road came in 1962, when a crowd of around 3,000 watched Holywell play Swansea Town in the sixth round of the Welsh Cup. Despite the large attendance, Swansea won the match 2–1. During this period the club also reached the Welsh Amateur Cup final in 1961–62 and the North Wales Coast Challenge Cup final two seasons later, but were unsuccessful on both occasions.

Holywell remained in the Welsh League (North) for seventeen seasons before leaving in 1965–66 after finishing bottom of the table. The club then played in local leagues, most notably within the Clwyd League system.

Clwyd League and Welsh Alliance Years

Progress returned during the 1970s and 1980s. In the 1975–76 season the club won Welsh League (North) Division 5, followed by the Clwyd League Division 3 title the following year. Holywell remained in the top division of the Clwyd League for several seasons and finished runners up in 1980–81.

In the 1986–87 season the club enjoyed one of its most successful campaigns, winning the Clwyd League Premier Division and also lifting the North Wales Coast Challenge Cup, defeating Mold Alexandra 1–0 in the final. The following season Holywell successfully defended the league title, continuing their strong run of form.

After this success the club returned to the Welsh Alliance League in 1988–89, finishing in the top five in their first season back. In 1990–91 Holywell became founder members of the Cymru Alliance and competed in the league for two seasons before again making history by becoming founder members of the new League of Wales in 1992–93.

League of Wales Era

The club enjoyed a strong first season in the League of Wales, finishing sixth, followed by a fifth place finish the next year under manager Glyn Griffiths, narrowly missing out on European qualification. However results declined in the following seasons, and after finishing bottom of the league in 1996–97 the club was relegated. Although they returned briefly the following season, they were relegated again in 1998–99 and have not played in the top flight since.

Recent Years

From 1999 onwards Holywell competed in the Cymru Alliance, experiencing mixed fortunes before eventually being relegated to the Welsh Alliance League. After several seasons rebuilding, success returned in the 2010–11 season when the club won the FAW Trophy for the first time, defeating Conwy United 3–2 in a dramatic final after coming back from two goals down late in the game. The reserve team also won the Clwyd Reserve Division title that season.

In 2012 the club appointed captain Johnny Haseldin as player manager, beginning a new chapter in the club’s history.

In the 2022–23 season, Holywell Town finished as runners-up in the Cymru North, their highest league finish in 24 years, during a campaign that included an impressive 25-game winning streak.

The following season proved even more successful as Holywell Town won the 2023–24 JD Cymru North title. However, the club did not obtain the required Tier 1 Licence and were therefore unable to gain promotion to the Cymru Premier, with promotion instead awarded to runners-up Flint Town United.

In the 2024–25 season, Holywell Town once again finished in the top positions of the Cymru North, ending the campaign in third place and continuing a strong period for the club at the top end of the division.

Halkyn Road

Holywell Town continue to play at Halkyn Road, a ground located close to the town centre which has a capacity of around 2,000 spectators, including covered and seated areas. The ground has hosted youth international fixtures and many memorable cup ties, with the record attendance of around 3,000 set in the Welsh Cup tie against Swansea Town in 1962.