Penn vs FC Deportivo Galicia

Deportivo currently operate with one senior side, though there are clear ambitions to establish a youth section in the near future.

Their first team competes in the Combined Counties League Division One. Now in their seventh season at Step 6, it’s been something of a learning curve, but one they’ve handled with resilience. In that time, they’ve reached eight semi-finals and secured consistently respectable league finishes. Going into the 2021/22 season, Deportivo approached the campaign with renewed focus, having learned many valuable lessons.

The club was founded in 1968, emerging from a tight-knit community of Galician immigrants. What began as a friendly gathering has grown steadily, starting in minor Sunday leagues before stepping up to Saturday football in the 1995/96 season. By the time of their promotion in 2016/17, Deportivo were the longest-serving club in the Middlesex County Football League.

Progress has been steady, albeit with a few ups and downs along the way. A five-year plan, launched in the 2012/13 season, saw the club achieve FA Adult Club Charter Standard status, upgrade their facilities, grow the backroom staff, and attract a strong group of players — many of whom are the sons and grandsons of the original founder members. That continuity and family spirit has been key to the club’s longevity.

Deportivo have also taken part in the FA Vase between 2016 and 2018, reaching the First Round Proper, and earned promotion to Step 6 after being crowned Middlesex County Premier Division champions in 2016/17. The 2021/22 season was particularly successful, as they won both the Middlesex and Surrey County Cups. The long-term goal remains to compete in the FA Cup.

Looking ahead to 2024/25 and beyond, the club’s future progress will rely not just on the ongoing support of members, but also on attracting individuals or businesses willing to invest in helping them take the next step. Like many grassroots sides, that’s perhaps the biggest challenge facing the club at this level.

Deportivo are professionally run by a group of experienced football and business minds — all high-calibre volunteers dedicated to doing things the right way, both on and off the pitch.