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 West Essex F.C. and Walthamstow F.C. Their women's team compete in the London and South East Women's Regional Football League Division One North and play at the same ground.
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Full name | Clapton Community Football Club | ||
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Founded | 27 January 2018; 4 years ago (27 January 2018) | ||
Ground | Wadham Lodge, Walthamstow | ||
Capacity | 3,500 | ||
Manager | Women's Team: Claudio Gomes Men's Team: Geoff Ocran | ||
League | Middlesex County League Premier Division | ||
2021–22 | Middlesex County League Premier Division, 3rd of 14 | ||
Website | Club website | ||
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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.[1] 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.[2][3]
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.[4] Clapton Community 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 banner.[6] 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.
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.[7][8]
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 who's livelihood was affected by coronavirus.[9]
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 The Old Spotted Dog.[10] The women's team now play at the Stray Dog.
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.[11] On 24 July 2020, Clapton Community announced that they had purchased the freehold for the Old Spotted Dog and become the new owners.[12] The club is expected to return playing at The Old Spotted Dog in October 2022.[13]
Supporters of the club are known to be left-wing and are self-proclaimed anti-fascist.[14] The club have a number of ultras groups such as the Clapton Punks,[15] the Gravy Ultras,[16] and the UmarellOldtras.