anniversary trip

South East Athletic Prepare for Remarkable Anniversary Trip to Osasuna

South East Athletic FC, members of the Kent County Football League, are preparing for an unforgettable club milestone this December as they travel to Pamplona to visit La Liga side CA Osasuna - a journey that began not on a football pitch, but with a PlayStation game and a borrowed crest.

The trip marks the London club’s 20th anniversary and brings full circle one of grassroots football’s most unusual and heart-warming stories.

From Catford Beginnings to a La Liga Connection

Founded in 2004 by a group of friends in Catford, South East Athletic have always carried a strong sense of community and family identity. Originally the club was predominantly made up of players from three families and in the early years, like many grassroots sides, the team adopted an existing professional club’s badge, though theirs was an unusual choice.

Selected after a random game of EA Sports’ FIFA game (now EA FC), South East Athletic took inspiration from Osasuna’s crest, tweaking it slightly and making it their own. For years, few noticed. That changed in September 2019, when SEA posted a routine match update on X (Twitter). The similarity to Osasuna’s crest went viral in Spain, where fans loved it. Spanish media quickly picked up the story, leading to a flood of messages, goodwill and even exchanges of merchandise between the two clubs’ supporters.

Outlets across Navarra ran features on the “London team with Osasuna’s badge” with supporters amused and proud that a grassroots side across Europe had adopted their icon and spirit. Camera crews made the journey from Spain to cover the story before covid put an end to any planned return.

A Cease-and-Desist, a Redesign… and a Friendship

By April 2020, Osasuna formally requested that SEA stop using the near-identical crest. The London club understood and complied, introducing a new badge later that year, still featuring a lion and SEA colours, maintaining a sense of heritage and continuity.

What could have ended the story instead strengthened it. Osasuna fans continued to support SEA online, praising the club’s humility and the funny, unusual origins of the connection. Threads went viral again, cementing a bond built on humour, respect and football culture.

A Special Trip Years in the Making

This December, 24 members of South East Athletic, including club officials, volunteers, players, supporters and ex-players will travel to Pamplona to celebrate the story that brought the two clubs together. SEA will fly out on 5 December, returning on the 9th. All travellers are self-funded, but Osasuna have gone the extra mile in welcoming their long-distance friends by;

• Helping to find affordable accommodation

• Arranging stadium tours of El Sadar

• Organising meet-and-greets with club officials and,

• Securing tickets for Osasuna vs Levante La Liga game.

SEA are also planning fan meets to continue the tradition of exchanging gifts and merchandise, a hallmark of the relationship since 2019.

SEA in the Kent Football Pyramid

South East Athletic have been competing in the Kent County Football League since the 2015/16 season, working their way up from Division Three West, where they won the league at the first attempt in 2016.

The club’s journey through the divisions has been impressive:

• Division Three West Champions (2016)

• Promoted from Division Two West (2018)

• KCFL Intermediate Challenge Shield Winners (2018/19), defeating that season’s Premier Division champions in the final.

Today, the first team compete in KCFL Division One West, while the club’s expanded structure includes:

• Two veterans teams in the Southern Veterans League

• SEA Maroon (Sunday team) in the Woolwich & Eltham Sunday Football Alliance and;

• An Under-9s side in the South East London & Kent Youth League.

The first team currently play their games at Long Lane JFC, Dursley Road, near Kidbrooke.

From the early days in Catford to representing the KCFL on the Spanish stage, the club’s growth has been remarkable.

“A bond built by football”

Speaking ahead of the trip, Steve Daley (Vice-Chair of South East Athletic) said “I never imagined a small design decision would lead to such friendships across countries. Five years on from changing our crest, we’re honoured to have maintained those links with the Osasuna fan base and to celebrate our 20th year in Pamplona with the people who turned a tricky moment into a bond between clubs. We’ve had nothing but love from the Osasuna fans and can’t wait to share an amazing occasion with them.”

Follow the Journey

Supporters across Kent and South East London can follow the team’s adventures, updates, photos and videos throughout the trip on X: @southeastath and Instagram: @southeastathletic.

This December promises to be a milestone moment, not just for South East Athletic, but for everyone who loves the community spirit of grassroots football.