South Jesmond FC have kicked off this season with a run of strong results, demonstrating a marked improvement on last year’s campaign. After a winless start in 2024, the club has developed greater consistency and resilience, turning fixtures into victories and positioning South Jesmond FC as serious contenders rather than a mid-table side.

The club was established in 2024 by founder Oli Bradley, originally as a way for friends and course-mates to take a break from university work and play football together on Sundays in Jesmond. Bradley, a competitive swimmer at the time, found that other local Sunday league teams required training sessions that clashed with his schedule, prompting him to set up a club that worked for him and his peers.

Since then, South Jesmond FC have relied on the varying abilities of the students who join each year. While the level of experience can fluctuate, this season’s squad has built strong momentum and is setting itself up for a promising end to the campaign.

The team has recorded seven wins and one draw so far, placing it at the top of the league table and one point ahead of rivals Hunting Lodge.

Having been moved down a division at the end of last season, this year’s squad is on track to regain its position in Division 2.

Speaking to JesmondLocal, Bradley reflected on the team’s first win in 2024 and the shift that followed. “Sunday 13th October, 2024 was our first win against Connect Toon Inclusion, a team made up of recovering addicts. We were eight or nine games into the season and went into half time 1-1,” he recalled. “By the 85th minute there was nothing really happening, then out of nowhere we scored two goals in five minutes.”

Bradley added: “After those early weeks of waking up each Sunday morning to deal with players who didn’t show up, or were hungover from the Saturday night, everyone was over the moon [when we won that first game] and then we went on to win again two weeks later and we’ve just gained momentum since then.”