Non-League and Academy football writer

One of the things that is so great about non-League football is how many different clubs that there are throughout the many levels/tiers of non-League. Some of these non-League clubs are diaspora clubs, that were set-up to represent a community, for example players from a particular country/ background. However, these clubs that were initially founded to represent a community, have often expanded to become even more diverse. In the following piece, I’ll look be looking at some of these clubs of the non-League football scene. One of the most successful non-League diaspora clubs is New Salamis, a club who were formed during the 1970’s by people from the Greek Cypriot community in north London, who supported Cypriot side Nea Salamis. New Salamis were very successful in the KOPA League for a number of years, before moving into non-League football in more recent years, where they also had a number of players from London’s Greek Cypriot community, who were playing for the club. In recent years they have been successful in non-League football, being promoted to the eighth tier of English football (The Isthmian League North Division), a league which they currently play in. They have also had some really good players play for them, such as former Ghana international Derek Asamoah. 

Hilltop FC, who now play in the Combined Counties League Premier Division North (the ninth tier of English football), were founded in 2005 as a football team/club for north west London’s Somali community. Hilltop, who still have a number of players playing for them who have Somali heritage, have done really well in recent years, enjoying promotions up the non-League system, and they are currently doing very well in the 2023/24 edition of the FA Vase. They are currently in the fifth round of the FA Vase, this season, their best ever run in the competition. There are quite a lot of non-League clubs who were formed as diaspora clubs. A club in the 12th tier of English football, who play their football under the Middlesex County League, was set-up by people from the London Irish community, and that club is FC Irish of London. Currently enjoying a successful season so far in the 12th tier, a lot of their players are of Irish descent. They are a quite a recently formed club, and one that I will try and watch a match at, before the end of the 2023/24 season. Another quite recently established club, who were formed in the last decade, is PFC Victoria London, a Polish community club from the Feltham area of London.

PFC Victoria London are an ambitious club who currently have a lot of Polish players playing for them, and some of those players have played at quite a good level of football in Poland. They play in the 11th tier of English football (the Middlesex County Premier Division), and I recently watched a league match that they played, against Indian Gymkhana. I was impressed with how they played the game, and they definitely had some very good players for step seven of the non-League system, as they look to get promoted to step six. I recently did an interview with their chairman (Tom Ruchniewicz) so keep an eye out for that interview on my blog, to find out some more about the club, it’s history and their ambitions for the future. Another club which was formed as a diaspora club, is FC Romania, who are a club that were founded by people from London’s Romanian community. From playing Sunday football during their early years during the 2000’s, FC Romania would later move into non-League football. They have been promoted as far up as the eighth tier of English football. However, they are currently playing their football in the ninth tier of English football, and they are doing well this season. They play good football (I watched one of their games earlier in the season), and although they don’t have many players of Romanian descent playing for them currently, their manager and owner Ionut Vintila is Romanian, and he is also the founder of the club. 

There are quite a lot of clubs in non-League who were set-up as diaspora clubs, and at some point I’ll write another piece on some of those clubs. However, below is some other clubs who were established as diaspora clubs.

Some further examples of non-League diaspora clubs/clubs that celebrate a community or country:

Indian Gymkhana: Playing their football in the Middlesex County Premier Division, the Indian Gymkhana Club were formed in 1916. They would later establish a football team, and the men’s senior side who currently play in the 11th tier of English football, have a number of players who are second generation Asian, in west London. The club who play in Osterley, have done some good things in football since moving into non-League, and they are a real community club.

FC Petrocub London: FC Petrocub London are a club whose first team play their football in the Essex Alliance League Senior Division (in the 11th tier). The London based club were formed by some of London’s Moldovan community, and they currently have a number of players playing for them who are Moldovan, or who are of Moldovan descent.

FC Deportivo Galicia: A football club that play in the tenth tier of English football, and who like to play a Spanish style of possession based football, FC Deportivo Galicia were founded by people from the Galician community of Spain, after moving to London in the 1960’s. They are currently in mid-table of the Combined Counties League Division One.

Highfield Rangers: Established in 1970 by young men from the Caribbean, who had came to England during the previous decade. Highfield Rangers were formed in Leicester, and would later move into non-League football. They have a proud history, and they are currently in the 11th tier of English football (The Leicestershire Senior League Premier Division).