Sporting Bengal United Football Club is an
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
football team from
Mile End
Mile End is a district of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in the East End of London, England, east-northeast of Charing Cross. Situated on the London-to-Colchester road, it was one of the earliest suburbs of London. It became part of the m ...
, in the
London Borough of Tower Hamlets. They currently play in the .
History
The club was formed in 1996 to encourage Asian football in London. They initially played in the London Intermediate League until they were granted senior status in 2003 by the
London Football Association
The London Football Association (LFA) is the regional Football Association for inner areas of London. The London FA was established in 1882 and is affiliated to The Football Association. The London FA administers all levels of men's, women's and ...
, following a tour to
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
, where they played the
Bangladesh national team.
In the same year, Sporting Bengal joined the
Kent League. In 2005, they were one of the first Asian teams to play in the
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
, along with
London APSA of the
Essex Senior League
The Essex Senior Football League is an English men's football league. It contains clubs from the Essex FA, Hertfordshire FA, London FA, Middlesex FA and the Amateur Football Alliance. It is a feeder league to Division One North of the Isthm ...
, whose roots are in the neighbouring borough of
Newham
The London Borough of Newham is a London borough created in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963. It covers an area previously administered by the Essex county boroughs of West Ham and East Ham, authorities that were both abolished by the ...
.
The Sporting Bengal set-up is unusual in that it is operated by the
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
Football Association (UK) and players are selected from (and retain their affiliation with) the Sunday league clubs which are affiliated to that organisation. In 2011 the club signed up ex
Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. The team compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. They play their ho ...
and
Wimbledon striker
Shahed Ahmed. They were also unusual in being the only Kent League club to play their home matches north of the
River Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...
, outside the traditional borders of
Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
.
In 2010, Sporting Bengal was targeted by the Bangladesh Football Federation for its players to represent the Bangladesh national squad.
Sadiq Sarwar and
Shahed Ahmed were selected to represent their country at the 2010 South Asian Games.
Records
*Best league position: 8th in the Essex Senior League, 2018–19
*Best
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
performance: First qualifying round, 2016–17
*Best
FA Vase performance: Third round, 2011–12
*Attendance: 4,235 vs Mohammedan Sporting Club
[Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2012) ''Non-League Club Directory 2013'', p660 ]
See also
*
Football in London
Football is the most popular sport, both in terms of participants and spectators, in London. London has several of England's leading football clubs, and the city is home to seventeen professional clubs, several dozen semi-professional clubs an ...
References
External links
Club website
{{Essex Senior League
Football clubs in England
Association football clubs established in 1996
Sport in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Football clubs in London
Southern Counties East Football League
Essex Senior Football League
1996 establishments in England
Diaspora sports clubs in the United Kingdom
Diaspora association football clubs in England