Saturday’s game marks the 100th competitive game for the Clapton Community men’s first team.

After our opening win against Stonewall, we continue a run of home games mostly at Wadham Lodge 3G while we work on getting the Old Spotted Dog Ground fit for competitive football. It will be worth the wait and the graft.

With strikes on both rail and Tube, getting to Wadham Lodge is going to be tricky, so it’s worth plotting your route now.

Our opponents on Saturday are tipped by many MCFL watchers as serious title challengers this season.

Shepherd’s Bush was only founded in 2021 by prolific striker Aaron Morgan to be a centre of excellence for the best non-academy players. 

In their debut season last year, they won the Middlesex County Football League Division One South & West title.

While four teams were promoted from the various divisions, Shepherd’s Bush had the best record, winning 15 out of 20 games.

Their pre-season results this summer were impressive too. They beat our divisional rivals CB Hounslow United Reserves 10-2, drew with Step 5 side Edgware & Kingsbury Town 1-1 and lost only 5-1 to Step 3 Harrow Borough.

CCFC player-maanger Geoff Ocran said: “They are a bit of an unknown quantity so we will have to treat them with the utmost respect. 

“As we have previously demonstrated before, there isn’t a major difference between the steps at this level.”

Having been blitzed 4-2 by FC Soma last season on their first game at this level, we’ll need to be on top form to prevent the same again.

Match information

Clapton CFC vs Shepherd’s Bush FC takes place on Saturday 20th August 2022 at 3pm, on the 3G pitch at Wadham Lodge Sports Ground, Kitchener Road, Walthamstow.

Advanced tickets are not needed, you can just turn up. It is free to watch as usual but with donations welcome, with a suggested £3 for waged adults..

We will have a mini programme available pick one up for free, donations welcome.

Directions

There are strikes on both the Tube and railways so you might need to rely on buses if you’re travelling by public transport.

Wadham Lodge is about 20 minutes’ walk from Walthamstow Central station. Turn onto Hoe Street and follow the road all the way along (past the junction with The Bell pub) until Chingford Lane. Continue past Sir George Monoux 6th Form College and take the first right onto Brookscroft Road then left onto Kitchener Road.

You can catch a bus along that route too. The 357, 34, 97, 215 will all take you to the top of Brookscroft Road from Walthamstow Central. It will take about 12 minutes. You can also alight at Blackhorse Road Station. The 123 from the stop opposite the station on Forest Road will take you as far as the crossroads with Hoe Street/Chingford Road – alight at the stop for Bromley Road.

You can bring your bike and leave it around the pitch or the bike rack near the Wadham Lodge clubhouse.

There are some car parking spaces available at the ground but it may be better to park on a street nearby.