Club History
Football has deep roots in Honley, with Honley United AFC being founded in the late 19th century and going on to win the inaugural Division One championship in 1899 before winning it again the following year. That club is unfortunately no relation to Honley FC
though, who were originally founded as Old Holmevalians FC over 60 years ago when most of the players were ex-pupils of Holme Valley Grammar School. They had plenty of success under this name, winning the Division Two title in 1955, 1965 and 1973, the Barlow Cup in 1974 and the Huddersfield Invitation Cup in 1979 when they beat Emley Reserves.
In deciding to change their name to Honley FC, it was hoped that they would have more of an affinity to the whole of the village and not just the school. The change of name didn’t stop the trophies coming their way though. In 1991, the Second Division was secured and five years later they added another Barlow Cup. The reserve team also tasted success, winning the Reserve Division One title on three occasions in the 1990s as well as the Richardson Cup and the Huddersfield FA Trophy.
The late 2000s brought with it something of a lean period however, with the club finishing in the mid to lower end of Division Two frequently, and once escaping relegation because another side withdrew from the League. Nothing could save them
in the 2011-12 season however, when the club were relegated to the Third Division for the first time in their history.
The club enticed Richard Bray back to the club following relegation, after he had spent several years plying his trade in the West Riding County Amateur Premier League with Bay Athletic and Storthes Hall. Bray breathed new life into the club, implementing a new, exciting brand of football and bringing in some new faces as well as some familiar old ones. Honley immediately gained promotion back to Division Two, winning the league comfortably and adding the Groom Cup for good measure. The following two seasons saw admittance to the West Riding County Amateur League for the first time in the Club's history, followed by a trip to Woodlesford for the West Riding County FA Challenge Trophy final before lifting the Division Two title in 2014.
Now with four teams, over 100 registered players, strong links to the highly successful junior clubs and the first team pushing for promotion to the Premier League, Honley FC are going from strength to strength and aim to add many more trophies to the cabinet across all four teams in the coming years.