DUAFC Venture into Non-League Football

Team Durham will lead DUAFC's men’s First Team Wearside League Division 1 match programme on a Saturday afternoon out of the £30m Sport and Wellbeing complex at Maiden Castle. The ‘Durham as One’ team will run out at the end of August for their first game as Durham United FC, wearing Claret and Amber and sporting the Club Badge; we look forward to seeing the team's high achieving 16+ boys training with the performance group and playing competitive, open-age football in the Wearside League that this unique opportunity promotes.

In the last season, Committee Member Steph Makepeace, aligned the club to the University’s managed Durham Women’s Wildcats Affiliation Programme; in showing DUAFC the way, the club now open a pathway for elite performers, as well as enabling the club to tap into more quality coaching and improved facility use.

The club seen the transition as a long time coming. Most of the other BUCS Premier Football teams play in the non-league set up. Notably Loughborough, who won the BUCS Nationals, have been competing in non-league matches and reached the semi-final of the FA Vase last season. This is one of many examples of the clear impact that playing more fixtures a season, against tough opposition, can do for a University Football Club. Not only will the team be playing more games, but this transition will encourage further spectators from both local and student communities. The attraction of a greater fanbase will only serve to push the club on even further. This will also provide the club with the opportunity to seek new partnerships with local companies. 

The club will play in the Wearside Division 1 (Step 7 of non-league). The potential of bringing in a full-time Head of Football to oversee the university team, as well as the venture into the non-league is all very exciting for the club. We wish DUAFC all the best with their future ventures into the non-league, and are excited to see them on their journey.