Holmesdale unveil John Wilfort as their new manager

Sunday 07th December 2014

FC ELMSTEAD have secured a three-year deal to become the new tenants at Holmesdale.

The club has its roots in Chislehurst but have hired Coney Hall’s ground at Tiepigs Lane for the past two seasons, but have signalled their intent to replace Glebe at Oakley Road in Bromley as from next season.

“FC Elmstead are pleased to announce that they will be groundshare at Holmesdale for the next three years,” said a club statement.

“Our thanks to Coney Hall FC, our present landlords. They have been fantastic to us over the past two seasons and it is with great regret that we will be leaving them.

“FC Elmstead have applied to join the Kent Invicta League for next season.”

The club currently play in the NRG Gym Kent County League and are sitting in eighth-place (bottom four) in Division Two West, with a playing record of three wins, two draws and two defeats.

They are nineteen points adrift of the league leaders, Stansfeld Oxford & Bermondsey Club reserves.

Holmesdale have previously hired their ground out to league rivals Greenwich Borough and Kent Invicta League side Glebe as well as Fisher’s youth team.

Glebe will end their two-year deal with the club at the end of this season having secured a new venue in Chislehurst, at Old Elthamians former ground at Foxbury Avenue, just off Perry Street.

Meanwhile, Holmesdale have today unveiled John Wilfort as the club’s new manager.

The club has had two other managers this season. John-Paul Collier opted to leave the club to join ex-Holmesdale boss Tony Beckingham at Ryman League Division One South club East Grinstead Town and Daniel Morris lost all of his four games in charge, before the club opted to appoint Wilfort.

Holmesdale suffered their largest defeat in the Southern Counties East Football League when they went down to an embarrassing 10-0 defeat away to Phoenix Sports last Tuesday.

Holmesdale sit in tenth-place in the division, having won seven, drawn two and lost ten league games this season.

A club statement, which was posted on their website, said: “John Wilfort has been appointed first team manager of Holmesdale FC.

“Following several recent changes of personnel a period of stability is needed and the club feel John will bring this.

“He has a wealth of experience in non-league football and we are delighted to welcome John on board.

“We would like to thank Dan Morris and his team for the work they put in during their short tenure and wish them well in their future.”

Wilfort, who started his playing career at Charlton Athletic, played for Bromley in the Ryman League and more recently in his player-coach role helped Erith & Belvedere win the Kent League double under then manager Micky Collins two seasons ago.

Recently, he has been on Holmesdale’s books as a player and coach.

Wilfort’s first game in charge will be at home to bottom-of-the-table Erith Town in the Macron Southern Counties East Football League Challenge Cup First Round on Tuesday night.

Visit Holmesdale’s website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/holmesdalefc