As a teenager growing up in Croydon, Prince Choudary had a dream to build a football club.
But, rather than turn to the paradise of a PlayStation game to do so, the 16-year-old did it for real – and now, ahead of AC London’s momentous Buildbase FA Vase first round tie with Highworth Town, Choudary believes his players can match his ambition.
Established in 2012 initially as a youth team, the club are playing senior football for only the second season.
AC London v Highworth Town
The Buildbase FA Vase
First Round
2pm, Sunday 23 October 2016
Merland Rise, Tadworth
Choudary – owner, manager and club secretary – guided AC London to victory though in their first-ever FA Vase tie last time out, beating Littlehampton Town 5-1 in their second round qualifying replay.
And the 21-year-old says he and his players are not yet ready to awake from their dream: “Everyone is so excited,” said Choudary.
“They want to train every day but we don’t have the funds or facilities, so we do one session a week.
“Players get excited, because they want to go to Wembley. Walking out for a final is every player’s dream.
“Having said all that going into this game we are not expecting to win, but I have said to them to enjoy the occasion, playing in the FA Vase is a massive achievement for the club.”
AC London have enjoyed a flying start in their first season in the Combined Counties League and are top of the Division One table after 12 games.
Choudary is under no illusion though, that despite their strong league form, his team head into the weekend as underdogs.
“We won’t be the favourites, but hopefully we can produce a shock,” he said.
“Highworth Town are a team from the league above us. Their history compared to ours is massive, they were founded in 1893, so it’s going to be a tough game.”
FA Vase history
This is AC London’s first season in the FA Vase and only their second playing senior football.
By contrast, Highworth Town have enjoyed recent success in the competition. Two years ago they were semi-finalists and narrowly missed out on a trip to Wembley after losing 3-0 on aggregate to North Shields.
Did you know?
Being manager, secretary and founder of AC London certainly Prince Choudary on his toes but he has also had a first team management offer from Jakarta FC.
Choudary, a full-time solicitor, turned down the move to Indonesia though, to further develop AC London which he began as a youth team and re-started as a senior side following his exams.
He said: “I will always be part of AC London even if I did move on but I want to get them up the league system first.”
Ones to watch
Leonel Medrado has been in lethal form for AC London with 13 goals in his six league starts so far this season. However, Choudary will be without his star striker this weekend.
“Medrado’s on fire at the moment, but unfortunately he’s going to be missing on Saturday,” Choudary explained.
“Our captain, Daniel Stewart, will step up, hopefully. He scored five on Saturday when we won 11-0.”
Highworth Town have not been short of goals themselves either with strikers Aysa Corrick and Ashley Edenborough scoring 24 between them so far this season.
The prize
The winning club will pick up £675 as well as a place in the second round. For the team on the wrong side of the result, they will take home £225.
