Clapton Community F.C.

Clapton Community Football Club is a football club based in Forest Gate, London, England. Their men's team are currently members of the Middlesex County League Premier Division and play at Wadham Lodge in Walthamstow, groundsharing with Walthamstow F.C.. Their women's team compete in the Greater London Women's Football League Premier.

Clapton Community
Full nameClapton Community Football Club
Nickname(s)The Tons
FoundedFebruary 2018 (February 2018)
GroundWadham Lodge, Walthamstow
Capacity3,500
ManagerGeoff Ocran
LeagueMiddlesex County League Premier Division
2019–20Middlesex County League Premier Division (season abandoned)
WebsiteClub website

History

Clapton Community FC was formed in February 2018 by disillusioned supporters of Clapton FC after what they deemed as mismanagement of the club by chairman Vince McBean.[1] During the club's debut season, Clapton Community FC sold 11,500 away shirts, with 5,500 to Spain, after the kit was based on the International Brigades and the Flag of the Second Spanish Republic.[2][3] On 11 May 2019, Clapton Community FC won the Middlesex County League Division One (Central and East), gaining promotion to the Premier Division, after a 3–0 win against FC Roast.[4] Clapton Community FC entered the FA Vase for the first time in 2019–20.[5]

In June 2019, the club announced the formation of a women's team with the former AFC Stoke Newington first team coming under the Clapton Community FC banner.[6] The women's team will compete in Division One of the Greater London Women's Football League in the 2019–20 season.

While the October 2020 Polish protests were taking place, the women's team expressed solidarity with the protesters by posing next to a banner dedicated to the womens' rights protest, which has been noticed by Polish media.[7][8]

Ground
The sign on front of the Old Spotted Dog Ground

The men's team currently groundshare with Walthamstow at Wadham Lodge, after spending their first season at an adjacent ground, nicknamed by fans as the 'Stray Dog' after Clapton FC's home ground The Old Spotted Dog.[9] The women's team now play at the Stray Dog.

On 17 September 2019, it was confirmed that Clapton Community FC had been awarded the lease at The Old Spotted Dog, following Clapton FC's eviction.[10] On 24 July 2020, Clapton Community FC announced that they had purchased the freehold for the Old Spotted Dog and become the new owners.[11]

Supporters

Supporters of the club are known to be left-wing and are self-proclaimed anti-fascist.[12] The club have a number of ultras groups such as the Clapton Punks[13] and the Gravy Ultras.[14]

Honours
  • Middlesex County League
    • Division One (Central and East) champions 2018–19
  • Jim Rogers President's Cup
    • Winners 2018–19
  • Anagram Records Trophy
    • Runners-up 2018–19
  • Super 5 League (Women's 5s Team)
    • Winners 2020-21

Records
  • Best FA Vase performance: First qualifying round, 2019–20
  • Record attendance: 1,266 vs FC Roast, 11 May 2019

References
  1. "Clapton Community FC reach 1,000 members". The Non-League Paper. 29 November 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  2. Martin Belam (31 August 2018). "'No pasarán': Spain laps up Clapton CFC's anti-fascist football kit". Guardian.
  3. "Clapton CFC online shirt sales have now CLOSED after a crazy few months". Clapton Community F.C. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  4. "FC Roast 0 Clapton CFC 3: Adejokun fires Tons to title glory". Clapton Community F.C. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  5. "The Buildbase FA Vase First Round Qualifying" (.ashx). The Football Association. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  6. "Introducing the Clapton CFC women's first team". Clapton Community F.C. 24 June 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  7. Krzysztof Kaczmarczyk (3 November 2020). "Wulgarny transparent strajku kobiet dotals do Anglii". Sportowe Fakty (in Polish).
  8. DS. "Angielski klub piłkarski wspiera Strajk Kobiet. "Solidarność z Polkami!"". Sport.pl (in Polish).
  9. "Pre-season grounds clear-up sessions are back – get involved". Clapton Community F.C. 13 July 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  10. "'It's coming home': Clapton CFC wins lease bid for Forest Gate's Old Spotted Dog ground". Newham Recorder. 17 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  11. "A truly historic day: Clapton Community FC are now the proud owners of the Old Spotted Dog!". Twitter. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  12. "On the sidelines with football's favourite anti-fascists". Huck Mag. 12 September 2018.
  13. "Clapton Punks is on Instagram • 258 posts on their profile". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2020-11-02.
  14. "Gravy Ultras". Twitter. Retrieved 2020-11-02.

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