London APSA F.C.
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| London All Peoples' Sports Association |
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| Full name | London All Peoples' Sports Association Football Club |
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| Founded | 1993 (as Ahle Sunnah) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ground | Aveley Stadium, Thurrock | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chairman | Zulfi Ali | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | Essex Senior League | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007-08 | Essex Senior League, 17th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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London All Peoples' Sports Association are a non-League football team who play in the Essex Senior Football League.
The club was formed in 1993 at the time of the first Asian Football League. A group of friends at Newham's East Ham College merged with a youth Team known as Young Muslims, who were no longer eligible to play under 16's football. Brought together by the Current Club Chairman Zulfi Ali, London APSA then known as Ahle Sunnah were crowned the first ever-Asian League Champions.
The team continued for a number of years with some success, playing in various Asian run competitions. It wasn't until April 1999 that the club became really serious about making a mark in mainstream football. The trigger was a trip to Pakistan via a group called APSA based in Manchester.
This trip brought together the Chairman and Vice Chairman Zulfi Ali and Anjum Khan. With plenty of non playing time the two spent much time discussing plans of how to move forward and how to bring about the birth of an Asian Team which will compete in the mainstream and be the standard bearer for the Asian Football Community.
The plan was good and the team enjoyed major success on return from Pakistan. In the year preceding the tour the club won the Umbro International Tournament Manchester, Business Houses League and Cup Premier Division and the Asian Football League and the UK Asian Championships. This rich vein of form continued as the club strived to make a name for it self and be recognized within the community and in the mainstream. Undoubtedly the impact made on everyone in the Asian football arena was phenomenal. Documentaries with the BBC, CH4, game against the Pakistan national football team in Oxford and even on the 6 o'clock news.
Although so much was happening for the club it was still not enough until the five-year plan was completed. The club had still not achieved its goal of playing Senior Football. Hence in 2002 the first attempt was made to enter the Essex Senior League. Plans fell through as the Newham Terence Macmillan stadium was not up to standard and needed work before it could be used for Senior Football. However with the help of Aveley FC, the financial help of the fastest growing Asian Franchise Business KEBABISH, London APSA Projects Teams, persistency and hard work finally paid dividends as they entered the league in August 2003.
2003 was a season of learning for APSA as they held onto mid-table obscurity for much of the first half of the season. The latter part of the season showed the lack of depth within the squad and clearly this was evident in the results. Highlight of the year had to be the 1-0 victory over Enfield Town F.C. to win a place in the quarter finals of the Gordon Brasted Trophy. 2004 was much the same, as the club went through major changes in order to find the correct balance. Notable results of this year were a 2-2 draw against league champions Enfield Town F.C. and a 2-0 victory over Waltham Abbey F.C., ending their unbeaten run. In the off season APSA entered the UK Asian Championships and lifted the title at Stamford Bridge in a tensely fought encounter against rivals and friends Kingsbury London Tigers F.C.
2005 to 2007 has seen APSA develop good young Asian talent and reach their highest position in the league in 9th place in 2005. 2006 they were the first Asian Club to play in the FA Cup. In 2007 the First Asian Club to progress to the next round in the FA cup winning the local Derby against Sporting Bengals in a thrilling 7 Goal FA Cup tie. APSA again lifted the UK ASIAN Championship Cup at Stamford Bridge after making the final for the third successive year.
Most proud moment of 2007 has to be the Youth development. They have successfully brought the under 14’s of three years ago to under 16’s in the Highest Youth League Standard around London. Into the Eastern Junior Alliance league and developed them into a competent under 18’s Team.
London APSA has recently returned to Newham based at the Terence MacMillan Stadium.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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Essex Senior League Premier Division 2007/08
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Barking | Barkingside | Basildon United | Beaumont Athletic | Bowers & Pitsea | Burnham Ramblers | Clapton | Concord Rangers | Enfield (1893) | Eton Manor | Hullbridge Sports | London APSA | Mauritius Sports & Pennant | Romford | Sawbridgeworth Town | Southend Manor | Stansted |
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