Non-League and Academy football writer

In grassroots/non-League football, and within the FA pyramid, there has been a number of clubs who have played at, or who originated from the Islington area/had Islington in their name. The following short piece, goes through, and mentions some of those clubs. Some of the historical clubs from Islington, included the very well known Islington Corinthians (a very well known touring side), and also London Caledonians, who played at Tufnell Park Playing Fields, at one point. However, fast forward to the latter parts of the 20th century, and there was a team who played in the Premier Division of the Spartan South Midlands League, called Islington St Mary’s, who had links with Islington. That club played their home matches at Coles Park (Haringey Borough’s current home ground), and Adebayo Akinfenwa played for their first team during the very early stages of his journey/career in senior football. The club would however, fold in 1999.

In to the 20th century, and there was a team who played in Division One of the Middlesex County Football League, called Islington Shooting Stars. They had a good team, and they would play their home matches, during the mid 2000s, at Market Road, in Islington. Market Road has also hosted home games for Stonewall FC, which was the venue that the Middlesex League side used to train at, and it was also where another team from the Middlesex League, in Irish heritage side FC Roast, used to play their home matches at. Current Southern Amateur League side, Wilberforce Wanderers, also played their home matches in Islington (at Tufnell Park Playing Fields), when they were members of the Middlesex League, the north London club have since moved to the New River Stadium, in Tottenham.

Now to the present day, and although Camden United (of the Premier Division of the Middlesex League) occasionally play home matches at Market Road, the sole club that represents Islington, in the FA pyramid, is another Middlesex League Premier Division side, in Camden & Islington United. They run four different teams, including a reserve side, who play at step 8 of the Middlesex League. Camden & Islington United are having another fine season in their respective league, and don’t rule them out of winning the league title just yet! Managed by Nicholas Wigmore and Kat Craig, the men’s first team has so much quality, and although they have played a number of home matches at Market Road, in the past, they currently play their home matches at Hackney Marshes. However, hopefully at some point in the future, and with a good support base, they’ll be able to play all of their home matches in Islington.