Lee Holmes (footballer, born 1955)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Lee John Holmes[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 28 September 1955 | ||
| Place of birth | Aveley, England | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| West Ham United | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1978–1979 | Haringey Borough | ||
| 1979–1980 | Brentford | 28 | (6) |
| 1980–1984 | Enfield | ||
| 1984–1987 | Wealdstone | 87 | (16) |
| 1987–1988 | Dagenham | 41 | (6) |
| Dartford | |||
| Leyton-Wingate | |||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Lee Holmes is an English retired football forward who appeared in the Football League for Brentford.[1] He later played in the highest echelons of non-league football for Enfield, Wealdstone and Dagenham.
Career
Early years
A forward, Holmes began his career in the academy at Division One side West Ham United.[1] He was released without making a senior appearance and dropped into non-league football to sign for Athenian League side Haringey Borough, remaining with the club until August 1979.[1]
Brentford
Holmes got his chance in league football when he signed for Division Three side Brentford on a part-time contract in August 1979.[1] He scored on his debut for the club in a League Cup first round defeat to Southend United and went on to score seven goals in 30 appearances during the 1979-80 season.[1] His value to the team was such that manager Bill Dodgin offered Holmes a full-time contract, which he declined and departed Griffin Park.[1]
Enfield Town
Holmes dropped back into non-league football to sign for Isthmian League Premier Division side Enfield in 1980 for a £5000 fee.[1] He helped the Es to a second-place finish and promotion to the Alliance Premier League at the end of the 1980/81 season.[1] He had a successful time on the top rung of non-league football with Enfield, winning the 1981-82 FA Trophy and the 1982-83 Alliance Premier League championship.[1][2] He made 100 Alliance Premier League appearances and scored 19 goals for Enfield, before departing at the end of the 1983-84 season.
Wealdstone
Holmes signed for high-flying Alliance Premier League side Wealdstone in 1984 and had a dream start to his career with the club, winning the 1984-85 Alliance Premier League, the FA Trophy and the Middlesex Senior Cup, though the Stones would fail to win promotion to the Football League due their inadequate Lower Mead ground.[3] He remained with the club until 1987, making 87 league appearances and scoring six goals.
Later non-league career
Holmes signed for Football Conference club Dagenham in 1987, remaining for one season before seeing out his career with spells at Dartford and Leyton-Wingate.[1]
Personal life
During his career, Holmes worked as a civil engineer.[1] He married his wife on the same day as a Brentford match, dashing across London to Barking on a motorbike after the game finished.[1]
Honours
- Alliance Premier League (1): 1984/85
- FA Trophy (1): 1984/85
- Middlesex Senior Cup (1): 1984/85