Meet the groundbreaking football team crowdfunding through the FA Cup

Clapton CFC’s magical journey through the rounds has seen them do the unthinkable on the pitch and raise important questions off it, writes Rachel Steinberg

Clapton face third tier Plymouth Argyle away on Sunday (Nick Davidson)

Groundbreaking tier seven side Clapton CFC didn’t expect to find themselves in the third round of the FA Cup - let alone as the cause celebre in a widespread debate about prize money in the women’s game.

When Clapton face third tier Plymouth Argyle away on Sunday they will become the first step seven side to have advanced this far in the Cup’s 50-year lifespan.

But the pioneering 500-mile journey came at an unaffordable cost to the fan-owned and run east London club, whose line-up includes teachers and teaching assistants, civil servants, and a physiotherapist. Without support from the FA - which only begins in the fourth round - Clapton were forced to crowdfund the £3000 it would take to make history.

“We’ve surpassed the goal, which is amazing,” said club secretary and back-up goalkeeper Sophia Axelsson, whose side ultimately raised £4190.

“And we feel very lucky in that sense. Obviously it’s a shame that we have to do this. We would love to be in a position to be able to not ask that of members and family, friends, colleagues and strangers. But this is kind of the reality of playing grassroots women’s football.”

Should Clapton seal another miracle victory in their magical run, which has seen them advance through back-to-back thrillers decided on penalties, they could apply for support from the FA, who begin to reimburse travel and accommodation costs for visiting teams in the same round top-flight WSL sides enter the competition.

Discrepancies between prize money in the men’s and women’s FA Cups has attracted criticism from the game’s biggest stars including Chelsea boss Emma Hayes, who flatly stated the pot “[Isn’t] anywhere near what it should be” ahead of the Blues’ Cup win on Sunday, and called for “more prize money for everyone, not just the winning team.”

Victory this weekend would earn Clapton just £1250 - not enough to cover their expenses, and nowhere near the £82,000 awarded to men’s teams in the same round. Should they lose, they’ll take home just £315. Axelsson welcomed Hayes’ influential voice in the conversation, saying: “The more the merrier. I think we all kind of need to raise our voices and I don’t think anyone is ever going to demand equal pay.

“But it’s the discrepancy between them. £1.8 million for the [winners in] the men’s final and £25,000 for the women. The difference is just staggering, and I don’t understand why it would need to be that much of a difference. I just don’t see the reason for it.”

The crowdfunding campaign was also “quite badly timed”, said Axelsson, as Clapton, who currently rent pitches in Wathamstow, were already in the middle of a donation drive to build changing rooms at their Old Spotted Dog home - a project worth £150,000, of which they were hoping to meet a £25,000-£30,000 shortfall.

And unlike the men’s equivalent, which sees teams split gate receipts from the third round proper, visiting teams in the women’s FA Cup don’t share the profit.

Clapton face third tier Plymouth Argyle away on Sunday (Nick Davidson)

It’s something Axelsson, whose side saw hundreds of Tons fans make the journey to Hounslow in the second round, questioned.

She said: “I’m very happy for the teams that have hosted us, they’ve all been fantastic hosts.

“This round is still somewhat regionalised but when the region is just the south, and we have to make a 500-mile round trip, it would have been fantastic with some kind of support in that, because we don’t have a budget that can cover this at all.”

Still, Clapton have hired a supporter coach and expect to fill it with away fans hoping to experience even more of the Tons’ magical run. Some excess money raised from the crowd-funder will go to ensuring those who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford the journey are able to attend, with the rest going to the changing rooms effort.

And despite the myriad challenges, Axelsson’s Cinderella side are nowhere near ready for the clock to strike midnight on their fairy-tale Cup campaign.

She said: “It feels absolutely magical. Clapton is a community club. That’s in the name, Clapton Community FC.

“We’re fan run and fan-owned, which means that all the people that come out to support us, as well as the players, are involved with how the club is formed.

“To be part of that kind of football club, it’s magical, especially when you go on a run like this. It’s bigger than just the league.”