Clapton

Clapton FC is a non-league football club in the East End of London . They were formed in 1878 and became founder members of the Southern league in 1893-94. They move leagues to become founder members of the Isthmian League in 1904-05.

'The Tons' embarked on an illustrious period in the FA Amateur Cup from the their base at The Old Spotted Dog Ground. In 1906-07 Stockton were defeated in the final at Chelsea. Two years later it was another north east club Eston United who were hammered 6-0 at Ilford to lift the trophy.

The Isthmian League title was secured in 1910-11. The third Amateur cup triumph arrived in 1914-15. This time Bishop Auckland were the runners up following the New Cross final. In 1922-23 a second Isthmian title was won, before a fourth Amateur Cup was won in the 1923-24 season against Erith & Belvedere at Millwall.

The stand at Terence McMillan Stadium

In 1925 the club provided three full England international players, William Bryant, Stan Earle and Vivian Gibbins. Clapton returned to The Den later that year to retain the cup and lift it for a fifth time, this time against Southall.

These were glorious times for Clapton. As well as their great domestic feats they also set the benchmark in playing in Europe. Between 1890 and 1924 the club visited Belgium, Germany and tour of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Another visit to Belgium saw The Tons play a double header against Ajax and a game versus SC Feyenoord. Ajax visited east London for a return game. 

Clapton continued to ply their trade in the Isthmian League without threatening for any honours. In 1962 the club embarked on a four match Dutch tour. Time was not kind to the club as gates dropped and the locale changed dramatically. In 1975-76 the side were relegated to Division Two and then later the third tier after the competition was enlarged.

Happier times when home was the Old Spotted Dog Ground

The 1982-83 campaign brought some cheer with a promotion, but relegation followed two seasons later. Clapton were placed in the newly formed Division Three for the 1991-92 campaign, which was later re-named Division Two after re-organisation.

In 1999 at a controversial AGM, the chairman of the time of Woodford Town FC, Vincent McBean put forward a resolution for Knights Securities plc, a company where he was a director, to pay off the debts in return for control of the club.

A management committee called Clapton Members Club 2000 was put in charge of the club with McBean as Chief Executive. Clapton had previously been a members club, and three life members claim that they were not involved in the process or agreement. The Members Club did not recognise the three.

After many seasons of struggle Clapton moved to the Essex Senior League for the 2006-07 season.

Terence McMillan Stadium

In 2012, with football trusts and supporters groups in the ascendency, supporters formed the Clapton Ultras. The group supported the team fanatically as gates rose dramatically. The Ultras followed the European ultras tradition with flags, banners and pyrotechnics and stood against modern professional football and those with an opposition to discrimination and far-right politics within football, while supporting migrants to East London.

They also aligned themselves to a group calling themselves the real Clapton FC, who from 2013 started a campaign to try and restore Clapton FC to being a members club. It was led by the three life members with appeals to the footballing authorities.

Attendances continued to grow, as did the Ultras group and support for Clapton at away games. However, this alerted groups of youths in other towns who had alternative views, leading to crowd disturbances at the away game to Southend Manor. A pre-season friendly at Thamesmead Town was postponed because of pre match crowd trouble in August 2015. 

The Main Stand back at the Old Spotted Dog Ground

The second highest ever Essex Senior League attendance of 761 flocked to the Old Spotted Dog Ground for the local derby against Ilford in October 2015. The dispute between the Ultras and owner McBean continued, with some games being boycotted.

The team put in a fantastic showing in 2016-17 under manager Johnny Fowell to finish as Essex Senior League runners-up. McBean caused outrage when he tried to liquidate the charity administering the Old Spotted Dog Ground. Supporters won a high court injunction against the action.

The majority of supporters walked away and formed Clapton Community FC, initially playing at an outside pitch at Wadham Lodge, which they added to and called The Stray. They become members of the Middlesex Senior League.

The soulless wide open spaces of Terence McMillan Stadium

Meanwhile Clapton FC struggled on after Fowell departed at the end of the 2018-19 season. McBean was alleged to have taken money out of the club and was eventually banned from all football activity in October 2019. This was after Clapton were thrown out of their home ground for persistent non payment of rent.

Fortunately the venue was saved when Clapton Community FC were awarded the freehold for the site in July 2020 as they got to work on refurbishing it so that it met health and safety requirements as well as being up to ground grading standards.

Clapton were forced to find a new home. They moved into the multi-purpose Terence McMillan Stadium in Plaistow. Samuel Omueda, a former youth team player of the club returned as the new chairman. 

Mustafa Bashkal was appointed as manager in February 2021 replacing Mickey Wetherall who had taken over team affairs in October 2020. The team was relegated at the end of the 2022-23 campaign and moved to the Eastern Counties League Division One South. 

At the end of the 2023-24 season, in which the Tons finished in eighteenth position, they withdrew from the non-league pyramid.

My visits

Old Spotted Dog Ground

February 1983

I first visited The Old Spotted Dog Ground, named after the pub just outside the ground, while I was a student in Borehamwood. I was doing one of my first ever groundhops. The gates were open and a Sunday side were milling about. 

I took some photos, but in those days this was a bit of a lottery owing to the standard of my equipment. It was a dark day and the shots didn't come out very well. i didn't even keep them.

The ground had a low narrow stand at either side of the pitch in those days with the rest of the ground open with just a walkway round the pitch, surrounded by grass. The changing rooms and facilities were by the entrance.

Clapton 2 Chalfont St Peter 2 (Saturday 27 January 2001) Isthmian League Division Three (att: around 20)

Now living in North London, I played in a football match in South London with my old mates from Scarborough the day before my mate Dave Cammish's wedding against the veterans side he played for. They later talked me into signing! Dave lived in Bethnal Green in the East End and I travelled by tube to get a lift to games. 

On this day I arrived, only to find out our game had been frozen off. We adjourned to a local pub to watch Leeds v Liverpool in the FA Cup. Dave was not happy as the Scousers won through, but I had my mind on other things. 

I had obviously had a few to drink as I scoured my paper and saw a fixture stand out at Clapton. I could get there easy enough by train from where we were and I'd be there for 2.30 at the ground. That was it. I had to go. Unsurprisingly Dave decided to stay put as he questioned my sanity, once again!

I got to the ground as I predicted in time for a drink. I entered the extremely basic clubhouse  and ordered a lager top. I was the only customer at the time. The barman was missing for what seemed like ages. 

One or two other patrons asked what was going on? He eventually re-appeared short of breath. He had run out of lemonade and left the ground and run to the local shop to buy a bottle! You can't beat that for customer service. I felt guilty so I thought it was best I buy another.

The game was pretty unmemorable, played out in front of a very sparse crowd. Both of the stands that were present on my previous visit had gone to be replaced by much smaller ugly structures. The ground in general was in a bit of a mess, which I found quite sad for a club of such history.

At half time I needed to use the gents. The toilet challenged that in the film "Trainspotting" so I left the ground and headed to the pub next door. Instead of returning I walked to the Boleyn Tavern by Upton Park to watch Soccer Saturday 

October 2006 

I called by once again to take the photos used in this section. Nothing had changed apart from the pub being boarded up. The ground was securely locked to prevent it being vandalised, but I still managed to get some views.

Clapton 0 FC Romania 4 (Saturday 28^th November 2015) Essex Senior League (att: 374)

I’d read enough about the revolution and big crowds at Clapton. I was on night shift, so a Saturday afternoon home fixture offered me a perfect opportunity to pop along and see for myself.

I was determined to go along with an open mind after reading the squabble over the ownership of the club, as there are always two sides to every story. The same goes for why the Ultras had been apparently targeted on their travels. I was also aware from reading the excellent Non-League Matters forum of a ground hopper going along to The Old Spotted Dog Ground innocently to see a game, only to receive a volley of abuse for wearing a Rangers hat.

I was no stranger to the Ultras phenomenon. The previous few weeks had seen me attend games in Thailand, Denmark and Germany where it was most prevalent, as well as attending home games of Crystal Palace and Dulwich Hamlet; where the craze had caught on in England.

My journey involved taking the tube to Liverpool Street before taking the TFL Rail service to Forest Gate, where I grabbed a pasty at Gregg’s for half time and enjoyed an excellent pint of GB Growler in the Hudson Bay Wetherspoon pub where I spotted some likely Clapton fans inside.

The ‘Real’ Clapton FC website gave advice of off-licenses near to the ground, but I wanted to use the clubhouse. With this in mind I made my way down Upton Lane to the entrance by 2.40, where I paid £6 admission, along with £1.50 for a poor lightweight programme.

The clubhouse had improved from memory since my last visit. A TV was showing racing, while the bar only served cans and bottles. I purchased a tin of Guinness for £2.50 from a friendly guy behind the counter. I’d already bumped into three different people from the club, and all were very welcoming.

It was time to have a look around the ground. It hadn’t changed massively, but it was good to see new clean toilets in operation as well as the Main Stand in good order. There were signs of improvements in progress, but it still had plenty to work on. There was definitely scope for the future.

For all the complaints towards Mr McBean and the club ownership, nobody could deny that efforts were being made and that the increased gate receipts were being used to improve the experience for fans.

The cover over the far side was where the Clapton Ultras and Scaffold Brigada were beginning to congregate. Several banners were being unfurled, including one against fascism, and another with the message, ‘Solidaritate Cu Lucratorii Migranti’, which translated read ‘Solidarity with migrant workers'. It was a nice touch for the visitors of the day.

More and more were heading across to that side, with many taking their own beer. That didn’t impress me. How would that benefit the club that they pronounced their love for? I headed back round to stand near the clubhouse behind the goal. I felt completely left out with the hipsters, being clean shaven and speaking with a working class accent.

The teams entered the bobbly pitch, on which the grass was as long as I’d seen on a Step 5 pitch. No doubt the groundsman was very wary of the upcoming winter with London Bari also sharing the ground. Surely the ground would be a perfect venue for the introduction of a 4G pitch? Clapton were led out by a little lad, who’s Dad was the centre back.

The Tons started the game just above half way in the league, which continued the improvement from being perennial struggler's a few seasons earlier. The visitors could go top if they won all their games in hand.

FC Romania impressed me straight from the kick off, with their super fast linking play. It was as though Clapton only had nine or ten men. After strong pressure they deservedly went 1-0 up, when the diminutive number 7, Liviu Florin Pop cut inside and smashed the ball into the roof of the net on fifteen minutes to the joy of the ten or so visiting fans. The Ultras on the far side appeared oblivious and carried on their choreographed routine. 

The Romanians had the wind behind them on a chilly and dull afternoon, which was causing mayhem to the Clapton rear guard. Only slightly overplaying on the iffy surface prevented further goals, before the big strong centre forward, Sergui Pitaru lobbed keeper Alex Henderson from outside the box to make it 2-0 after around twenty minutes.

The third came when another brilliant run from Pop had the home team at sixes and sevens before he crossed the ball hard and low across the face of the goal for Bogdan Ungureanu to tap home. I went inside to grab a coffee and chocolate bar for £1.80 during a break in play just before the interval.

The visitor’s football had been a real pleasure to watch, and I was thoroughly enjoying it. I listened to the updates from other games on my radio, while the irrelevant singing continued from the scaffold cover.

Clapton came out after the break with some intent to get back into the game. They had more play around the FC Romania area without really looking like scoring. At least it was limiting their opponents attacking prowess to an extent.

However, it wasn’t enough to stop the fourth goal going in on fifty five minutes. Yet another attack over ran the home defenders. Ungureanu set up the overlapping Isif Vasile to smash home from just inside the box. I applauded loudly. It was brilliant football. The game ebbed and flowed thereafter, but it was always looking more likely that the boys in yellow would add to their tally.

At full time I headed back to Forest Gate as fast as I could to make the 5.04 service to Stratford to change for the Overground line home via West Hampstead. I listened to Jamie Vardy break the consecutive Premier League scoring record, while I reflected on my afternoon out.

I really don’t go for the Ultra movement at British grounds. It’s as though a group of young semi-educated persons have seen it on ‘Why don’t you?’ in the past and have fancied having a go. Some will have no doubt seen it on YouTube or visited a game overseas.”

While it definitely works abroad, it is their tradition. I enjoy it when I visit games overseas, but that is where it should stay in my opinion. Give me the more sporadic response and raw guttural chants and celebrations as emotions are pushed at grounds in the UK every match day. We don’t need a couple of blokes at the front organising us, even less music when a goal goes in at bigger games. 

At least abroad, the ‘cheerleaders’ have some credence. With respect to the couple leading the Clapton mob, they looked like warm up men for a Noel Edmonds show. It was as though the Ultras had turned up at the wrong venue and should have been in Ghent for the Davis Cup tennis Final. 

Fortunately, there was a lack of pyrotechnics and flares after appeals from the club, who had been warned by the authorities that sanctions may be introduced if it continues. What is the fascination in them? Have they any idea how silly they look in a crowd of 200 setting off coloured smoke, while loyal overstretched club servants and volunteers run around trying to avert injury and damage while being threatened by the health and safety regulators?

Whereas some of the new songs imported were interesting and different for a while, they are now becoming dull and boring. It’s background noise. Think the Barmy Army at England cricket games. The same goes for that Poznan nonsense as fans turn their back to celebrate. I’m wasn't sure whether Clapton went for that, as they didn’t have even a shot in anger.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the hatred towards modern football, when the whole choreographed support is exactly that, as are fans movements. It seems a tad hypocritical.”

Every Clapton FC official I encountered was friendly. If the ‘Real’ club had a serious beef, and the current owners were acting illegally, then it must be for the Essex and national FA’s to sort out. Where were all the Ultras before 2013, when one man and his dog attended home games and the current owners put in their money to keep their club going? It takes time, but the FA do eventually catch and weed out the bad guys. 

Just what did the Ultras do with their Saturday afternoon’s back then, before football was trendy? I don’t go for the “We've been priced out” line. I will put substantial money on the large percentage never going to bigger games regularly in the past, definitely not the several well dressed females in attendance.

There undoubtedly continues to be owners acting badly around the football world, but I have grown to see it from both sides after my involvement at Scarborough Athletic. Like it or not, a football club needs money to keep it going. It’s not as easy as I once thought. There are just too many experts living in utopia, who don’t have a better solution. Sometimes clubs just have to find a way and loosen their idyllic principles, ideally with fans representation and input into the running of the club.”

I could just about put up with the Ultra thing at a push. After all they increased gates at a formerly struggling club. What I can't be done with is that there is clear political agenda involved with their movement, and in particular at Clapton. I don’t necessarily disagree with many of the points that they make, but I don’t go to football to do politics. 

Football is all about 11 v 11 on the pitch and the excitement and tactical battles that come from it. Yes, it is ideal if the clubs are run by bastions of local society, but needs must. Since time began the game has been run and played by many with less than holistic backgrounds. It is primarily a working class game hence the flaws which can be made by hard working, hard playing, lesser educated lower paid individuals. Despite the games predominant working class roots, everyone must be made welcome.

When I say everyone, I mean everyone; regardless of political views, as long as they remain within the law, colour, nationality, religion or employment. I do not want to go to a political rally of any denomination at football.

It’s about going to a game and appreciating the entertainment on the pitch. It’s not meant to just be a cool place to hang out and to jump on the latest craze. My radar sensed plenty in attendance who hadn’t a clue what was happening on the pitch. Like off season T20 cricket fans if you like.

Over the years I had been football pals with supporters of the Labour, Conservative and BNP parties, and I’m glad I have. We go to watch the game. We’ve had a few wind ups along the way, but we are united by our love of football. There is far too much politics in the world, and definitely too much precious PC cobblers, especially at work. I go to the match to get away from all that to be entertained by the players, hopefully with a beer and laugh along the way with like minded fans. I don’t go to be lectured.

The stance to immigrant workers at Clapton was laudable, but how many of those standing behind it work for companies paying immigrants less money than themselves but still take their own salary?

If it is a problem and they feel that protest is required, then great; but not inside a football ground thank you. What about the fans with different views or political leanings? Surely they deserve equal respect as well?

In no way can I condone violence, especially at a match, but publicly backing political views as part of a football club will only ever cause problems to clubs and attract the occasional mob with polar opposite views who decide that they’ll offer their own kind of feedback. That is unfair on other fans and those running the game. It will bankrupt clubs if extra security is required for what should be, and always was a pleasant afternoon out.

I just found Clapton a little bit over the top and “look at us”. Dulwich have a smaller group of fans along the same lines, but they are not so nearly in your face. There are just as many old timers still frequenting games, so that there is a balance. I’ll scream if such experiences as Clapton crop up everywhere. 

I have a similar feeling to when your local pub is upgraded and poncified to suit those who’ve recently discovered real ale and then pontificate about it. I know how Ramones fans from the 70’s must feel when they see the band’s t-shirts being sold as a fashion brand. I recently purchased a t-shirt with the legend “Against Modern Football” on the front. I’m quickly coming to the conclusion that the word “Fans” is missing from the bottom? Maybe I was just getting old?”

For a later visit to the Old Spotted Dog Ground for a match of their tenants London Bari FC and a chat with Mr. McBean, click here.

Terence McMillan Stadium

London APSA 2 Southend Manor 4 (Thursday 20th January 2011) Essex Senior League Cup Group H (att: 32)

Click here to read about my visit to a game at Clapton's home from 2019 featuring the former occupants.