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 Eastern Counties League Division One South. Their women's team compete in the London and South East Women's Regional Football League Division One North. Both teams play at The Old Spotted Dog in Forest Gate.

History

Clapton Community was formed on 27 January 2018 by disillusioned supporters of Clapton F.C. after what they deemed as mismanagement of the club by chairman Vince McBean. During the club's debut season, Clapton Community 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.

On 11 May 2019, Clapton Community won the Middlesex County League Division One (Central and East), gaining promotion to the Premier Division, after a 3–0 win against FC Roast. Clapton Community entered the FA Vase for the first time in 2019–20.

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 banner. The women's team competed in Division One of the Greater London Women's Football League in the 2019–20 season but were promoted to the London and South East Women's Regional Football League Division One North in the 2021–22 season. In Women FA Cup, they realised the biggest achievement in the history of the club, by eliminating Hounslow WFC (3rd division).

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 women's rights protest, which has been noticed by Polish media.

On 12 March 2021, Clapton Community FC won the Football Supporter Association's 'Lockdown Heroes' award for their Community Fund initiative, 'Clapton against Corona', fundraising and providing financial assistance to local people whose livelihood was affected by coronavirus.

Ground

Both the women's and men's first teams play at The Old Spotted Dog in Forest Gate.

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

From 2022 the women's first team play at The Old Spotted Dog, using changing rooms at the nearby Stratford School. After completion of the purchase of adjacent warehouse and renovation of the old changing rooms, the men's first team were able to join the women's first team in using The Old Spotted Dog as their home ground. Clapton Community youth teams train at the ground.

The men's development team, the women's development team and the women's open access team all usually play at Hackney Marshes. Clapton five-a-side teams, Clapton CFC Belters and Clapton CFC Massive play at Mabley Green in Hackney.

Supporters

Supporters of the club are known to be left-wing and are self-proclaimed anti-fascist. The club have a number of ultras groups such as the Clapton Punks, the Gravy Ultras, Brigata Ultra Clapton, the SimpleTons and the UmarellOldtras.

Honours and awards

Middlesex County League
- Premier Division champions: 2022–23
- Division One (Central and East) champions: 2018–19
Hackney & Leyton Sunday Football League (Men's Development Team)
- Division 3 champions: 2021–22
- Division 2 promotion: 2022–23
Jim Rogers President's Cup
- Winners: 2018–19
Alec Smith Premier Division Cup
- Winners: 2021–22
John Greenacre Memorial Trophy
- Winners: 2021–22
The FSA Memorial Supporters' Shield
- Winners: 2023–24 (Women)
- Runners-up: 2023–24 (Men)
Anagram Records Trophy
- Runners-up: 2018–19
Brian Lomax SD Cup
- Runners-up: 2018–19
Capital Women's Cup
- Runners-up: 2021–22
London & South East Regional Women's League Trophy
- Runners-up: 2022–23
Super 5 League (Women's 5s Team)
- Winners: 2020–21
Super 5s Beginners League (Women's 5s Team)
- Winners: 2021
Super 5s Legacy Tournament (Women's 5s Team)
- Winners: 2022
Super 5s Beginners League (Women's 5s Team)
- Winners 2022
Amsterdam friendly tournament (Women's 5s Team)
- Winners: 2022
Super 5 League Intermediate B (Women's 5s Team)
- Runners-up: 2022
FSA Award Lockdown Heroes (Non-League)
- Winners: 2020–21
Non-League Paper Community Club of the Year Award
- Winners: 2022–23