Clapton Community FC is getting a new look and will start the new season in style at the Old Spotted Dog ground in Upton Lane having settled an intellectual property dispute with Clapton Football Club.
CCFC, which is fully owned by its members, has been working hard to establish itself and to upgrade facilities at the Old Spotted Dog ground.
This settlement brings a degree of closure to long-running disputes with Clapton Football Club, a completely separate operation, which currently is based at Terence Mcmillan Stadium in Prince Regent Lane, Plaistow.
Clapton have a stunning history, but that has not been matched by controversy and splits in the fan base over recent years. The chairman Chris Ottaway resigned in April after only a year in post.
As part of the intellectual property settlement CCFC have agreed to some changes which will make it even more explicitly clear that they have never been connected to Clapton Football Club – they will update their club badge and home kit, so it doesn’t incorporate red and white vertical stripes and they will also no longer be using ‘the Tons’ as a nickname.
Members will get the chance to choose a new logo and design for home kit.
Back on the pitch, a group of Clapton Community FC fans spent the weekend of the June bank holiday in Hanmburg where they took part in the 11th Annual Anti-racist Football Tournament hosted by the Fanladen at FC St. Pauli.
St Pauli, like CCFC, is a community-based team with a progressive reputation and they also have local rivals, the once-mighty Hamburg team HSV. Both play in the second tier of German football, Bundesliga 2.
In tune with their focus on community, diversity and local support, the 2022/23 pre-season kicks off at the end of June two friendlies at the Old Spotted Dog Ground in Forset Gate as part of the Forest Gayte Pride Festival, in celebration of LGBTQIA+ Culture to Newham.
Clapton CFC men’s first team pre-season friendly schedule is available on their website.
No news is bad news
Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.
The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.
If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.
Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.
Monthly direct debit
Annual direct debit
£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.
Enjoying Newham Voices? You can help support our not-for-profit newspaper and website from £5 per month.