Coplestonians FC

Coplestonians FC is one of the largest grassroots football clubs in East Anglia, located in Ipswich. Founded in 1973, the club initially limited its membership to past and present students and staff of Copleston High School but has since opened up to players of all backgrounds.

Coplestonians FC holds the prestigious FA Accredited 3 Star Club Status, which is the highest designation available to a grassroots club. It is also one of the few Suffolk Clubs that still operates three senior teams. The First Team competes in the Senior League of the Suffolk and Ipswich League and plays their home matches at Ipswich Wanderers SEH Sports Ground. The Reserve Team plays in the Suffolk and Ipswich League Division 2 and the Development Team competes in the Suffolk and Ipswich League Division 4, both hosting home games at Copleston High School and Sports Centre in Ipswich.

Gaining a fair share of success in recent years, Coplestonians FC has achieved numerous honours. The club introduced a Youth Section in 2011, starting with two Under 8 and two Under 10 teams. Currently, they boast over 40 teams ranging from Under 8 to Under 18, participating in the Suffolk Youth Football League. Additionally, they have pre-minis (4 to 5 years) and minis (6 to 7 years) sections where young players can learn skills and techniques in a fun environment before joining the Under 8 teams.

Coplestonians FC has also made strides in developing Girls football. In 2018, they merged with Copleston Ladies and Girls FC, which played in the Suffolk Girls and Ladies League. The club now offers a designated 'Wildcats' centre, focusing on providing a fun and stimulating environment for girls up to the age of 11 to try football and develop their skills.

Alongside the thriving Youth and Girls Sections, Coplestonians FC also has two veterans teams competing in the Norfolk and Suffolk Veterans League, as well as disability football teams and a walking football section that's open to all ages. These teams engage in friendly matches and tournaments with other clubs in the area.

Coplestonians FC takes pride in its community involvement and aims to promote healthy recreation in the east Ipswich area. They became a registered charity, known as Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) number 1198626, on 13th April 2022. As a CIO, their objective is to advance amateur sport for the public benefit, with a particular focus on providing playing football for community participation. Currently, the club has seven trustees responsible for the CIO, with plans to bring in new trustees in the future.