Non-League and Academy football writer

Although the London Borough of Camden is not particularly well known for having teams represent them in non-League/grassroots football, Camden has, in the 21st century, seen a decent number of teams play in non-League pyramid football. But, there has always been a good grassroots footballing community within the Borough, and in the following piece I will look at some of the more recent history of grassroots football in the Borough of Camden, in north London.

Camden in non-League football: 

Kentish Town FC were a club which was founded in 1994. The club started as a youth football club, with roots in the Borough of Camden. And around the mid 2000s Kentish Town would take the step into senior football. From 2003 until 2015, when the club folded, Kentish Town would play non-League football, playing at a number of grounds across London. And they competed in the early rounds of the FA Cup and the FA Vase.

Two more recent Camden clubs who currently compete in non-League football (the Premier Division of the Middlesex County Football League) at step 7 of the non-League pyramid, are Camden & Islington United, and Camden United. Camden & Islington United, like Camden United, are a real community based football club, who have a number of teams, including a women’s teams and a men’s development side (they play at Regents Park) which competes at step 8 of the Middlesex County League. Their men’s first team finished in second place in the Premier Division of the Middlesex County League last season (2024/25), and they will be looking to compete for the Premier Division title again during the current season. Camden & Islington play their home matches on the show pitch at Hackney Marshes.

Camden United play their home fixtures at the New River Stadium, in north London. Their Saturday team is managed by Leon Louis, and the club was founded by a group of friends from Camden, to make a difference in the local community. Off the pitch, like with Camden & Islington United, Camden United do some fantastic work in the local community. They are also challenging for the Premier Division title this season, after a good start to their league season. Camden United also compete in the Islington Midweek Football League Premier Division, at Market Road, in nearby Islington.

Camden Town are a women’s football team, playing in the football pyramid. They also represent Camden in football, playing their home matches at Wingate & Finchley FC’s home ground. Hopefully in the future, Camden & Islington United, Camden United, and Camden Town can all play their home games in the Borough of Camden, or at least in nearby Islington, to really bring football to the community, and to hopefully build more of a fanbase.

Camden in grassroots, amateur and Sunday League football:  

Old Pegasonians play their football in the Southern Amateur Football League, and they play their home matches in the Borough of Camden, at Regents Park. Additionally, the really interesting London Accountants Football League also sees some of their matches take place in the Borough of Camden, again at Regents Park. In the summer months, the Munye League also takes place in the Borough. The Munye League was set-up in memory of Camden United’s much loved co-founder, Abdulaziz Munye.

Also in grassroots football, there is the Camden Sunday Football League, which is played at Hackney Marshes on Sunday mornings, and that very well known Sunday league has been going since the late 1940s. And finally, I must mention the similarly well known Islington Midweek Football League, which features a good number of Camden sides across the league. Teams such as Tawfiiq FC, and Euston Lane (both sides have started their respective divisions well this season), are two teams who have roots in Camden.