Massive boost for future of Holyhead Hotspur Football Club

Great news for Holyhead Hotspur Football Club – its future looks assured after securing a long-term lease on its ground.

The tier 2 Cymru North club is set to agree a new 10-year lease deal with landowner Land and Lakes, which will allow Hotspur to make vital upgrades to its facilities.

The new arrangement is progressing with solicitors, after developers Land and Lakes agreed that the current lease with Anglesey Council for the six-acre Kingsland site can be relinquished.

Presently, the club’s facilities are only licensed to Holyhead Hotspur via a rolling annual agreement with Anglesey Council which, in turn, holds the primary lease agreement with landowner Land & Lakes.

However, without a lease of at least 10 years, Hotspur is unable to access funding from the Football Association of Wales, which would enable them to make essential improvements at the New Stadium.

A spokesperson for Land and Lakes said: “When we became aware of the opportunity to help Holyhead Hotspur improve their facilities there was no question that we wanted to make it happen. We are delighted to be in a position to help the club safeguard its future with a new long-term lease agreement.”

The new lease, set to be agreed at a nominal rent, will be transformative for the club. Refurbishment plans include a new 4G pitch, repairs and maintenance to the clubhouse, and a weatherproof standing area for spectators.

General manager of Holyhead Hotspur, Barry Roberts, said: “By unlocking access to new, previously unreachable funding streams, we will be able to improve our spectator and member experience, and cement our future.

“We are extremely grateful to Land and Lakes for supporting our ambitious plans to invest, improve, and maintain our club as a valuable and much-loved community asset.”

Established in 1990, Holyhead Hotspur FC has around 200 active players. Priding itself on its community-minded outlook, the club has a number of youth teams for players aged 6-16, including girls, boys, and mixed teams.

The first team currently competes in Wales’ second tier, the Cymru North league, and has done so for 21 of its 32 competitive seasons.

The club has won 19 trophies at senior level in its 33-year existence, including six league titles.

An Anglesey County Council spokesperson said: “Holyhead Hotspur is a thriving club which provides significant social, economic, and health benefits for the local community.

“At the football club’s request, we have decided to surrender our interest to allow Holyhead Hotspur to enter into a long-term lease agreement with Land and Lakes. This will enable development works and help to ensure a sustainable future for the club.”

HOLYHEAD HOTSPUR FACTFILE

Born

August 12, 1990

Honours

League titles

Welsh Alliance champions 1997/98, 2011/12, 2019/20
Anglesey League champions `1994/95, 1995/96
Gwynedd League champions 1996/97

Cup wins

Cookson Cup 1; Dargie Cup 2; Megan Cup 2 (1 first team, 1 reserves); Elias Cup 1; Alves Cup 1; Aluminium Môn Cup 2; Barritt Cup 1; Bob Owen Memorial Shield 1 (reserves); Gwynedd Cup 1 (reserves) Welsh Alliance Reserves Division Cup 1.

ALL-TIME LEAGUE RECORD
(Key: Season, League, Played, Won, Drawn, Lost, Goals For, Goals Against, Points, Position/No of clubs)

1990-91 ANG LGE 24 9 8 7 60 46 26 5/13
1991-92 ANG LGE 26 12 5 9 51 44 29 6/14
1992-93 ANG LGE 34 24 4 6 109 52 73 * 4/18
1993-94 ANG LGE 32 16 2 14 103 71 50 8/17
1994-95 ANG LGE 30 25 3 2 117 28 78 1/16
1995-96 ANG LGE 26 23 3 0 155 27 72 1/14
1996-97 GWY LGE 24 17 2 5 82 34 53 1/13
1997-98 WEL ALL 26 23 1 2 102 32 70 1/14
1998-99 CYM ALL 30 11 6 13 49 62 39 11/16
1999-00 CYM ALL 32 9 6 17 52 67 33 12/17
2000-01 CYM ALL 31 10 6 15 59 76 36 13/17
2001-02 CYM ALL 34 15 4 15 72 78 49 9/18
2002-03 CYM ALL 32 11 8 13 60 62 41 10/17
2003-04 CYM ALL 32 10 8 14 51 67 38 11/17
2004-05 CYM ALL 34 12 6 16 46 63 42 12/18
2005-06 CYM ALL 34 8 9 17 44 67 33 16/18
2006-07 CYM ALL 34 16 5 13 63 51 53 7/18
2007-08 CYM ALL 32 15 9 8 76 53 54 5/17
2008-09 CYM ALL 32 23 3 6 71 36 72 2/17
2009-10 CYM ALL 32 13 4 15 53 52 40 * 8/17
2010-11 WEL ALL-1 30 20 6 4 82 36 66 2/16
2011-12 WEL ALL-1 30 25 1 4 87 28 73 1/16
2012-13 CYM ALL 30 13 4 13 51 55 43 7/16
2013-14 CYM ALL 30 9 10 11 53 57 37 9/16
2014-15 CYM ALL 30 15 6 9 49 38 51 5/16
2015-16 CYM ALL 30 13 7 10 44 40 46 7/16
2016-17 CYM ALL 30 12 6 12 57 52 42 9/16
2017-18 CYM ALL 28 9 3 16 40 57 30 12/15
2018-19 CYM ALL 30 5 4 21 29 71 19 16/16
2019-20 W ALL-1 18 15 1 2 55 23 46 1/16 (season cut short due to coronavirus pandemic)
2020-21 Season cancelled due to Covid. Hotspur played one match, beating Llandudno 1-0 in the Nathaniel MG Cup before the campaign was scrapped.
2021-22 CYM ALL 28 11 8 9 41 34 41 7/16
2022-23 CYM ALL 17 1 6 10 13 34 9 15/16 (BEFORE HOME MATCH v LLANDUDNO – JANUARY 24, 2023)

SEASONS COMPETED

Cymru Alliance/North (tier 2): 21
Welsh Alliance (tier 3): 4
Anglesey League (tier 5/6): 6
Gwynedd League (tier 4/5): 1

TOTAL LEAGUE RECORD (BEFORE GAME v LLANDUDNO 24/1/2023)

Played 942
Won 450
Drawn 164
Lost 328
Goals For 2076
Goals Against 1593