Non-League and Academy football writer

Now in his early 30s, experienced Clapton Community FC midfielder James Briggs, is a player who has played an important part in the east London club’s impressive journey. Last year I wrote a piece on Jack Francis, Clapton Community’s very good and consistent goalkeeper and club captain, and recently I wrote this piece on James Briggs, a very consistent player for Geoff Ocran’s side. Experienced in non-League football, having played for clubs such as Barkingside FC and Clapton FC, in the past, the Londoner joined Clapton Community FC in the 2021/22 season. During that season, James was part of the Clapton Community side that won The Alec Smith Premier Division Cup, a step 7 cup.

Having joined Clapton Community FC when they were at step 7 of the non-League pyramid, James Briggs’ class really showed in the Middlesex County Football League Premier Division, a quality league, and also one of my favourite leagues in non-League football. In 2021/22, James Briggs made 20 league appearances for Clapton Community, scoring four goals. And then, in the following season (2022/23), the classy goalscoring midfielder played a big part in Clapton Community winning the Middlesex County Football League Premier Division title. And during that particular season Briggs made 23 league appearances, scoring 10 goals, as well as providing some important assists. 

Fast forward to the most recent 2023/24 season, and James Briggs would step up with ease to a higher level of non-League football (step 6). He finished the 2023/24 season with Clapton Community (this was their first season in the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties League Division One South), as supporters’ player of the season, as well as collecting the most player of the match awards at the club, for the men’s first team. James scored five goals and provided six assists for the club, as they finished in sixth place in the league, making the play-offs, and only just losing to eventual play-off winners Wormley Rovers, in the semi-finals of the play-offs, last season.

Clapton Community did really well last season, and the influential James Briggs more than played his part in their success on the pitch. A midfielder who likes to get on the ball, make impressive and creative pinged forward passes, James is also an expert set-piece taker, who is a really good striker of a football. James has really good technique to his game, and he also has good reading of the game and skill on the ball, but it’s his consistency on the pitch which is one of the best things about his game. At this moment in time Clapton Community FC will be playing in the Southern Counties East Football League Division One, for the 2024/25 season.