From a game of EA Sports FC to a LaLiga link up, Grassroots Club South East Athletic are heading to Pamplona in Spain for its 20th Anniversary trip.
South East Athletic FC (SEA), a grassroots club who play in the Kent County League Division One West, operate a number of teams across Adult and Junior football and will mark their 20th anniversary this December with a friendship trip to Pamplona to meet CA Osasuna and its fanbase completing a remarkable story that began when the club’s early choice of crest was copied from Osasuna’s badge.
What became a legal request to change the crest has since become a cross-border friendship embraced by supporters and Spanish media alike.
How it started
Years after SEA’s founding (2004), the club adopted the crest of Osasuna, making some minor adjustments before celebrating it as its own for many years. Many grassroot football teams utilise versions of professional teams’ badges but Osasuna was a rare choice to copy, it was selected after a random game of the popular computer game EA Sports FC, then known as FIFA.
On 28th September 2019, having used the badge for many years previously, SEA tweeted about an upcoming game:
https://x.com/southeastath/status/1177910948205678594
This was the post that first started to draw attention to the use of the Osasuna badge and as the lookalike spread online in late 2019, Spanish outlets picked up the story and Osasuna fans discovered and largely celebrated the tribute, sparking a good-natured relationship on social media with exchanges of gifts between the clubs fans.
Coverage in Navarra and national sports media documented the episode and the fan response (Sept– Nov 2019).
https://navarra.okdiario.com/articulo/osasuna/equipo-ingles-escudoosasuna/20190929201452290857.html
In April 2020, Osasuna formally asked SEA to discontinue the near-identical crest, a step reported locally and as such SEA subsequently unveiled a new badge in 2020, keeping some of the Osasuna badge elements but whilst moving to a distinct design.
https://www.southeastathletic.co.uk/about/badge
https://www.southeastathletic.co.uk/about/history
Throughout, Osasuna fans on X (Twitter) and other social media platforms publicly backed the club, with viral threads and posts defending SEA as a community club that had shown admiration for Osasuna’s values.
https://x.com/southeastath/status/1978832212649718138
How it’s going
Now, with support from contacts inside CA Osasuna, a delegation of SEA’s volunteers, current and ex players, coaches and supporters will travel to Pamplona in December 2025 to attend a home match at El Sadar, meet club representatives and hopefully share community events with local fans, celebrating football culture, respect and the friendships forged online. Recent features in Navarra’s press have revisited the story ahead of the visit.
“I never imagined a small design decision would lead to such friendships across countries,” said Steve Daley, current Vice-Chair of South East Athletic.
“Five years on from changing our crest, we’re honoured to celebrate our 20th year in Pamplona with the people who turned a tricky moment into a bond between clubs. We have had nothing but love from the Osasuna fans and we can’t wait to join them at El Sadar for an amazing occasion for all connected to South East Athletic.”
Why this story matters
In an era dominated by broadcast rights and transfer fees, SEA x Osasuna is a rare, fan-driven tale about humour, goodwill and community. From South-East London’s park pitches to a LaLiga city. It’s a rare reminder that clubs at every level can connect through shared values of pride, hard work and togetherness.