F.C. Peterborough

Football club

FC Peterborough

Full name

Football Club Peterborough

Founded

2014; 10 years ago (2014)

Ground

The Focus Centre, Peterborough

Chairman

Arif Aziz

Manager

Shahzad Hamid

League

Eastern Counties League Division One North

2022–23

Peterborough & District League Premier Division, 5th of 16 (promoted)

Home colours

FC Peterborough is a football club based in Peterborough, England. They are currently members of the Eastern Counties League Division One North and play at The Focus Centre, Peterborough.

History

Established in 2014, FC Peterborough are a community club proudly represented by over 20 different nationalities with over 300 players across teams ranging from U7’s through to adults; making us one of the most diverse clubs in our region.

The mission is to create opportunities for and empower young people to flourish as footballers and individuals so they become positive and inspirational members of society. The success of the First team is vital to this mission by creating a platform for players to showcase their talent. FC Peterborough adopt a true one club philosophy, providing a clear structure and pathway for our academy players to develop and progress into our senior sides.

FC Peterborough began their journey with 1 team for the 2014/15 season competing in division 5 of the Peterborough & District Football League, playing at Fulbridge Recreational Ground, a public park off Fulbridge Road. It wasn’t perfect but it was the place they called home. Founding member Imtiaz Ali took charge as first team manager and steered the team to a successful first season as we finished as runners up in the league playing 22 games, winning 15, drawing 4 and losing only 3. They went one better in the Chromasport League Shield, winning 1-0 against Stanground Sports FC after a terrific free kick from Kamran Khan cementing his place in the clubs history.

Up next was division 4 of the PDFL in the 2015/16 season and it was much of the same story of success. The Club finished as runners up in the league, playing 28, winning 19, drawing 3 and losing 6. Unfortunately they fell just short in our cup run, finishing as runners up in the PFA Minor Cup Final. After leading the game 1-0 for the most part, thanks to a goal from Arslan Ali, we conceded in injury time and went on to lose 4-3 on penalties against Feeder FC.

2015 was a special year for FC Peterborough as they launched their Academy which now accommodates over 250 players across U7’s through to U18’s and they also formed our Reserves side which saw Ifiaz Mohammed take charge and gain promotion in his first season.

2016/17 was another successful campaign for the first team, finishing as runners up in Division 3 of the PDFL, playing 22, winning 16, drawing 1 and losing 5. The Club also reached the PFA Junior Cup Final but fell to a 3-1 defeat to Bretton North End, Azizullah Sharifi scoring our only goal. The reserves competed in Division 4 under a new manager, Ahmed Mustafa whilst the club reached another milestone in forming a Veterans side in 2016.

FC Peterborough competed in Division 2 in the 2017/18 season managing to clinch promotion, making it 4 promotions in a row, a stunning achievement whilst the Reserves side were also promoted from Division 4.

In 2018, then Reserves manager, Ahmed Mustafa was promoted to First team manager as Imtiaz Ali decided to step down. Seasons 2018/19, and 2019/20 saw us compete in Division 1 but fall short of promotion spots in both seasons. It was a similar story for our Reserves in Division 3 with Darren Blake in charge in 18/19 and Shahzad Hamid taking over from 19/20.

There were more changes in season 2020/21, with Ahmed Mustafa stepping down, Imtiaz Ali taking charge of the First team in his second stint. The season was cut short due to COVID and failed to resume after the winter break, where we ended on a high with a memorable 2-1 win over Wittering Premiair who were unbeaten at the top of the league.

Season 2021/22 saw Shahzad Hamid promoted to First team manager with Faizal Ur Rehman taking charge of the Reserves in Division 3. It was third time’s a charm as the First team were promoted to the PDFL premier division, finishing in 3^rd place in div 1; playing 22, winning 14, drawing 2 and losing 6 games. Our reserves were also promoted to Division 2.

As Fulbridge Road was ultimately a public park, The Club were always met with certain challenges as they looked to progress up the leagues and into the PDFL Premier Division. As if fate found its way at the most perfect time, they had the opportunity to move into the Focus Centre at Chestnut Avenue, former home of Peterborough Northern Star and a ground rich in the history of local football. Coincidentally, it was also the ground where they played in the PFA Minor Cup Final in 2016.

Season 2022/23 was a historic one; FC Peterborough moved into our new ground and had a blitzing start to the season leading the Premier Division at the winter break, including a 10 game unbeaten run. However it was a season of two halves as the form slumped and saw them drop down the table but still managed to achieve a remarkable promotion to Step 6, something the club could only dream about when starting this journey. Meanwhile our Reserves also secured a promotion to Division 1 of the PDFL.

After 9 years of an incredible effort by club members, starting the club from nothing and developing it in all areas, growing our academy, developing our coaches and ultimately benefiting the community, we were presented with a civic award for sport from the Peterborough City Council for our services to the community. This is something we hold in very high esteem as it is what the club envisaged from the outset and to receive an award for this is very special.

The club has enjoyed a lot of success and growth in such a short period of time since inception but we are keen to continue this pace of progression and create a long lasting legacy that will benefit the community for generations to come.

A special mention to our founding members (Arif Aziz, Hamad Javed, Imtiaz Ali, Kamran Khan, Mohammed Ashraf, Nadim Parvez, Raheel Saghir, Shahzad Hamid and Younes Tajer) to whom we will always be grateful; They had a vision for the club and community when they began this project in May 2014 and executed it impeccably.

In 2014, FC Peterborough were formed, joining the Peterborough and District League Division Five.^[1] In 2023, the club was admitted into the Eastern Counties Division One North.^[2]

Ground

In 2022, the club moved into The Focus Centre, Peterborough, after playing at Fulbridge Road in the north of the city.^[3] The ground is currently called the Millfield AutoParts Stadium.

Club First Team Honours

League Honours:

· Peterborough & District Football League Division 5 - Promotion 2014/2015 to Div 4

· Peterborough & District Football League Division 4 - Promotion 2015/ 2016 to Div 3

· Peterborough & District Football League Division 3 - Promotion 2016/ 2017 to Div 2

· Peterborough & District Football League Division 2 - Promotion 2017/ 2018 to Div 1

· Peterborough & District Football League Division 1 - Promotion 2021/ 2022 to Premier Division

· Peterborough & District Football League Premier Division - Promotion 2022/ 2023 to Step 6 – Eastern Counties Div 1 North

Cup Honours:

· Chromasport League Shield - Winners 2014/ 2015

· PFA Minor Cup - Runners Up 2015/ 2016

· PFA Junior Cup - Runners Up 2016/ 2017

References

^ "Dor-Jan Windows & Doors Peterborough & District Football League". The Football Association. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
^ "National League System club allocations – steps 5/6, season 2023–24" (.pdf). The Football Association. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
^ "Club announcement". Football Club Peterborough. 21 March 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2023.

Eastern Counties League

2023–24
clubs

Premier Division	Brantham Athletic Dereham Town Downham Town Ely City Fakenham Town Hadleigh United Harleston Town Heacham Kirkley & Pakefield Lakenheath Long Melford Mildenhall Town Mulbarton Wanderers Newmarket Town ~~Norwich United~~ Sheringham Soham Town Rangers Thetford Town Walsham-le-Willows Woodbridge Town
Division One North	AFC Sudbury Reserves Cornard United Diss Town Dussindale & Hellesdon Rovers FC Peterborough Framlingham Town Great Yarmouth Town Harwich & Parkeston Haverhill Borough Haverhill Rovers Holbeach United Holland Leiston Reserves Needham Market Reserves Norwich CBS Parson Drove Stanway Pegasus Swaffham Town Whittlesey Athletic Whitton United Wivenhoe Town
Division One South	Barkingside Basildon Town Benfleet Brimsdown Burnham Ramblers Cannons Wood Clapton Clapton Community Dunmow Town Enfield Borough Hackney Wick Harlow Town Hoddesdon Town Hutton May & Baker Newbury Forest NW London Park View Southend Manor St Margaretsbury Tower Hamlets Wormley Rovers

Seasons

as Eastern Counties League	1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78
as Town & Country League	1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82
as Eastern Counties League	1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24