Met a man today in the Bannatyne's Gym and observing social distancing, we chatted about his gym shirt, which stood out in the crowd. It is the away shirt for his local club, Clapton Community FC...their home shirt is more like the badge below.
If you want to read about the club, use the link.
https://story.claptoncfc.co.uk/
Above is Clapton Community FC crest and photo.
I played at the Old Spotted Dog when the club was just good old Clapton FC, founded orignally in 1877 as Downs FC, playing at Hackney Downs in Lower Clapton and re-named in 1878.
The Old Spotted Dog (OSDog) is the oldest ground in London and gets its name from a pub on the site of the ground. There once was a hunting lodge for Henry VIII on the site. On September 29th 1888 the club played the Old Carthusians here to celebrate its first game at its new ground.
The club has, over the years, had good runs in the FA Cup and in 1890 travelled to Antwerp to play a Belgium XI, winning 7-0, becoming the first British club to play abroad. In 1894 the club joined the Southern League, were finalists in the FA Amateur Cup in 1905, losing to West Hartlepool 2-3 but in 1907 they won the trophy beating Stockton from the North-east 2-1 at Stamford Bridge. They won the cup again in 1909 beating Eston Utd from Darlington 6-0 and in 1915 won it once more beating Bishop Auckland 1-0 at New Cross. Playing in the Isthmian League the club continued to do well in the FA Amateur Cup, in 1923-4 won it over Erith and Belverdere 3-0), in 1924-5 beat Southall FC 2-1 and then had good runs in the FA Cup from 1925-6, 1926-7, 1927-8 and in 1957-8.
Much has changed. Clapton FC no longer play at the OSDog, evicted over financial issues and in July 2020 ground share at the Terence MacMillan Stadium in Plaistow, playing in the Essex Senior League. Nothing is simple as you will read that in 2012, an "Ultras" style band of supporters was formed raising the support for the club but also causing issues that made some opposition clubs ban them!
A break away club called Clapton Community FC was founded in 2018 and now plays in the Middlesex County League Tier 12, recently winning the First Division title. They won the lease bid and will play at the Spotted Dog Ground, which explains some of the references to "Spotted Dogs" in the website, but home at the moment is the Wadham Lodge Ground at Walthamstow, shared with Walthamstow FC. Their Ladies play in the Greater London Women's Football League Div 1.
In 2019 the CCFC was given rites to the Spotted Dog ground after the old Clapton FC's "eviction". The people took over and announce their interests in "fair play" by supporting the various charities and politics, with their supporters known to favour anti-fascist and left wing principles. The away kit is eccentric and produced by Rage Sport an Italian non-profit making firm. CCFC is fan owned, based on a cooperative costing members £10 a go.
11,500 of their away shirts were sold in their founding season and 5,500 shirts were sold to Spain, where CCFC is well supported through its support of international politics of the Spanish Republic.
The club has recently raised £7000 towards this fund.
and then there's Clapton Orient FC! Another storey!
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