New Southern Counties East League First Division club AFC Greenwich Borough are progressing off and on the pitch.
Having received planning permission to rebuild on the former RACS ground on the Eltham / New Eltham borders, the owners, GB10, are currently reviewing the best artificial surface to lay when their new football stadium has been built.
While that is progressing their football team is having a stellar first campaign in senior football. They have a fantastic youth system and their model is to provide a pathway for the youngsters to play at a good level of senior football.
January could hardly have gone better for the first team on the pitch. They are second in the table at present, six points behind SE Dons having played four games fewer, with a goal difference of plus fifty. That was certainly helped in the last month when they won five out of five scoring twenty-two goals while conceding just once.
They are also still in two cups and are due to play Elmstead away tonight, weather permitting, in the SCEFL Challenge Cup Quarter Finals. They also have a London Senior Trophy Semi-Final tie with Tooting Bec to anticipate on 21st February.
If evidence is needed to show that there is a route for the youngsters no fewer than eighteen current academy players and seven former academy players have featured for the men’s first team this season in all competitions. They are learning from the experience of playing alongside Academy Director Tom McNamee, and veteran striker Stefan Payne.
February is a massive month for the team as they have an away game at SE Dons to negotiate as well as the two cup ties.
Players to have come through the Academy and gone on to play in the Premier League include Crystal Palace’s Caleb Kphora and Mason Burstow who played for Chelsea’s first team before moving on to Hull City. Who will be next?
Pictures supplied by Adetoro Ayodeji (AFC Greenwich Borough).