About us
Acorn FC was founded in 2007 and began links with the Essex FA with recognition that lack of motivation to exercise and keep fit was identified among local youth, as many chose to stay home and engage in video, computer console games, and social networking sites. Spending hours in front of a computer revealed youngsters do not go outdoors which doctors say they suffer from lack of vitamin D. And when they did go out they loitered on the streets with no meaningful activities. Adopting the Acorn, keeping with community values, the Club became a reflection of a concerted effort to tap into the youth in the community and provide a ‘local’ sport outlet for the young growing (Acorn FC) families.
For the initial eight months the club organised and managed Summer Coaching Projects for youth in the local communities, in the London boroughs of Havering, Newham and Tower Hamlets. And competeting in friendly matches, however, that all changed in 2008 when Acorn Football Club entered the East London Sunday League in the youth division 3. After a lot of hard work, dedication, and owing to growing numbers of registered players wishing to play on match days, the coaches had a discussion with few club members after a training session to further express their ambitions. As a result the club was moved to form an U/16s “B Team”. The goal was to provide a vehicle whereby all players may be offered opportunities to participate in the sport of playing competitive League Football. In addition, participation in the B Team would further develop skills to help form positive team building, with an opportunity to progress. As well as raising awareness regarding the demanding nature of competitive weekly league matches. Therefore we successfully prepared our B Team to participate in their first Soccer Sixes League in Dagenham, Essex which commenced 6th October 2008.
The first season 2008/09 for the club now known as Acorn FC was long with some milestones achieved whereby we finished mid tableand enjoyed what was a satisfactory first season, playing in red jerseys, black shorts and socks, reaching the semi-final of the Dick Coppock Cup unfortunately losing to William Fitt Tigers. This was a great springboard for the team to improve and another learning curve nonetheless. Meanwhile the first season for the U/16s B Team in the Beckton Power and Soccer Sixes League was a long, harsh and fruitless one with the team failing to register a win. It was a tantalising taste of what might come for the team if they did not apply themselves and raised their level of commitment. It’s a year that saw the addition of Andrew Harvey, Senior Coach with a team of Emmanuel Utomi, Franklin Ofori-Asante, Kingsley Akanador, Rabah Mokaddam and volunteers. It was a fantastic year all round!
We returned to the East London Sunday League the following season and saw a complete rebuilding of the side but managed to hold on to most of the squad to begin the 2009/10 campaign with the nucleus of a strong team coming from the group, along with a mix of experience and some talented young players. However, our 2009/10 season was an abject failure from start to finish, we were too inconsistent, throwing away points which could have got us automatic promotion. The enforced winter break, postponed matches due to adverse weather conditions also did not help the players form and fitness. This improved when the club focused on delivering the action required when we played positive football. 2009/10 season we consolidated ourselves in Division 2 with renewed enthusiasm for a bright future with improvement again paramount on the agenda.