By whatever standard you judge it, 2025 has been a hell of a year for all of us. However, I think I speak for most of us when I say that our little fan-owned football club has been a beacon throughout. And, what a year it’s been. Here are just a few of the highlights…

Billy Bragg joins CCFC to unveil the Newham International Brigades memorial

CCFC’s association with the International Brigades dates back to the club’s founding in 2018, when our members chose the colours of the Spanish Second Republic for our famous away kit. Around the same time, CCFC members and the International Brigades Memorial Trust began a long and difficult road to getting a memorial to the 16 Newham men who answered the call to fight fascism in Spain installed in our ground.

April 2025 finally saw that process come to fruition. Hundreds of people gathered at the Old Spotted Dog to watch speeches, performances, and music from Billy Bragg before the final unveiling of the memorial by Marlene Sidaway, whose partner David Marshall fought with the International Brigades in Spain.

It was a proud day for all associated with CCFC and a fitting permanent tribute to the ordinary heroes who fought and died in Spain. 

CCFC Men’s First Team win the cup

A near-perfect spring day in Barking saw Clapton CFC Men’s First Team cruise to a 3-1 victory against Forest Hill Park in the SCEFL League Cup Final. Over 1200 people squeezed through the turnstiles at Barking’s Mayesbrook Park to see the two best-supported teams in the league duke it out. 

Despite the sides being well-matched, goals from Fred Taylor (2) and Joel Akuwudike (1) proved too much for Forest Hill, leading CCFC fans to get the party started well before the final whistle. Once full-time came, there was little left to do but celebrate, as one of the first proper afternoons of summer descended into a very long, and well-deserved night for both fans and players. 

And, if you’re in need of some additional Hogmanay cheer, you can reminisce with the full match report and highlights here. 

Women’s Reserves/NB win promotion at the first attempt

Our Women’s Reserves/NB team was only formed at the beginning of the 2024/25 season, but that hasn’t stopped them from tearing up the league. May saw them lift the GLWFL Division Two North title at the first attempt and secure promotion into GLWFL Division One.

CCFC Women’s First Team reaches a cup final and stands in solidarity with Palestine

Another excellent season for Clapton CFC Women’s First Team looked like it was set for a stellar conclusion, with a cup final against old friends and rivals Dulwich Hamlet Reserves. However, May’s London & South East Regional Women’s Football League Trophy final was abandoned with CCFC leading 2-0.

32 women were denied the opportunity to play in a cup final they’d deservedly reached, due to an official demanding that both Dulwich and CCFC fans stop waving Palestinian flags and take down messages of solidarity with the Palestinian people. As both sets of fans refused, the match officials gave the players a simple but unfair choice: abandon the game or play without fans. In a show of solidarity no one there will ever forget, the CCFC players walked off.

The London FA would later conclude that the club had no case to answer as the flags present ‘did not constitute a risk to safety’ but were there to ‘show support and solidarity’ (something we all knew anyway). Although this in no way makes up for the fact that both sets of players and supporters had their big day ruined for the sake of bureaucratic nonsense, we remain incredibly proud of our Women’s First Team and fans for their stand.

CCFC stands in solidarity with trans athletes

Following the FA’s decision to ban trans women from women’s football in England and Wales from 1st June 2025, CCFC members voted overwhelmingly to add a seventh 11-a-side adult team to the club.

The aptly named CCFC FTFA comprises players from our existing First, Reserves and Development squads, including Trans women players who are no longer allowed to play FA-affiliated football. They play in the London Women’s Saturday Football League Division One South against teams such as Goal Diggers, Peckham Town, Wanderers AFC and FC Porto of London.

The team has had a rip-roaring start to their existence, currently sitting near top of the league at the halfway point of the season. However, the undoubted highlight of the first half of the season was their 5-3 win over Goal Diggers at the Old Spotted Dog.

In addition, the first batch of our beautiful trans solidarity goalkeeper shirt raised £8,000 for the  Trans Legal Clinic. Meanwhile, the second batch – still available on matchdays and through the store – saw all proceeds put towards funding FTFA.

Finally, our commitment to trans solidarity is set to be added to our constitution, having been voted on by members at our recent AGM.

The year of the toilet block

Anyone who’s attended a game at the Old Spotted Dog this season will have noticed that long queues for the toilets are a thing of the past. That’s down to our glorious new toilet block, opened in July.

As with most things at CCFC, this was a real labour of love from our members, so some thank yous are in order. A huge shout-out to architect and Clapton CFC member Max Worrell for the design. Thank you also to the Old Spotted Dog Trust for securing funding from the Premier League Stadium fund, as well as providing additional cash and organising the build. And, finally, to everyone who supports the Trust by buying from the bar, thank you for helping us improve the matchday experience at The Dog.

Clapton Cageys win the league

CCFC doesn’t just rule the roost at eleven-a-side. Our women’s and NB five-a-side team, ‘Clapton Cageys’, had a 2025 to remember. Our queens of the concrete/3G won the Super5 League Division 5 title.

Women’s/NB Devs and Open Access teams continue to go from strength to strength

Both Open Access and the Women/NB Development Team continued to grow and thrive this year. The award-winning project brings many players either back into the game or playing the game for the very first time, as well as into our club.

It’s been a successful year for both, with the Women/NB Development Team winning promotion last season. Meanwhile, our Open Access team continues to see hundreds of players come through its doors and discover or reignite their love for the beautiful game.

CCFC over 35s formed

Our ever-expanding roster of teams got a new addition in September 2025 – the Men’s Over-35s. Despite a chastening 5-0 defeat in their first competitive fixture, our veterans (does thirty-five really count as a veteran? Asking for a friend) have found form as the season has progressed. The team currently occupy second place in the Essex Veterans Football League Division Three (West) table at the midway point of the season.

Men’s Devs team win the summer league

After three straight promotions, our Men’s Development team can go no higher in Sunday league football after reaching the Hackney & Leyton League Premier Division.

However, they also entered the Inner London Football League’s Summer League for the first time – and won the division.

A conveyor belt of talent has stepped up into the First Team too, recently including Felix Murray, Korahn Gayle and Jake Wintour.

New attendance records set

2025 has been a year of big crowds at the OSD and elsewhere, with a number of record attendances set. In no particular order: 

• Biggest crowd for a Clapton CFC game ever – 3585 for the Women’s First Team away at Brentford

• Record home attendance for a Men’s First Team game – 1432 against Forest Hill Park
  
• Record home league attendance of 478 for the Women’s First Team – beaten only by friendlies and FA Cup
  
• Biggest number of CCFC fans at a game not at Old Spotted Dog, Wadham Lodge Stadium and the Stray Dog at the Men’s First Team cup final at Barking – 768 advance tickets sold

And, finally some more off-pitch highlights

• The Walter Tull Way was completed with new fencing and paving
• Our T-shirt collaboration with Hackney Bumps raised £3000 for Gaza Sunbirds 
• We collected hundreds of items for The Magpie Project, boots for New Horizon Youth Centre and coats for Wrap Up London
• We hosted our first official workers’ May Day event, an anti-racism tournament and Pitch Invaders tournament
• We raised a whopping £1684.46 for the Newham Christmas Toy Appeal
• We hit our £10,000 target for our Old Spotted Dog ground accessibility fundraiser, with work set to start in 2026 
• And don’t forget our youth set-up continues to grow from strength to strength

Last, but certainly not least, some thanks are in order. Thank you to every player who pulled on a CCFC shirt and represented the club this year. Thank you to all of our volunteers and members. Thank you to the Old Spotted Dog Trust for its continuing work in the community and to improve the ground. And finally, thank you to everyone who came to a game, donated money, bought drinks at the bar or merch at the table.

Our club’s greatest strength is its people, and we appreciate each and every one of you.

Rob Stafford