Two years ago SE Dons were playing Sunday league football. Next Saturday they travel to Sholing for the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup. A win would put them in the first round proper.
Few clubs have climbed so far, so fast, at this level. The Dons were not playing Saturday football two seasons ago. Now they are among the last 64 non-league sides left in the competition, in their first attempt at it.
The club was formed in 2014 by John McHugh, his son Andrew and son-in-law Ryan Palmer. Andrew McHugh, a rapper known as Don Strapzy, owns the club. Andy Ansah is chairman.
For most of their first decade the Dons were a Sunday side. They won the Orpington and Bromley District Sunday League in 2021 and again in 2022. Their profile grew well beyond south-east London because they filmed almost everything. Their matchday and behind-the-scenes videos have drawn more than 240,000 YouTube subscribers and millions of followers on other platforms. That audience has made them one of the most-followed non-league clubs in the country.
In 2024 the Dons entered the National League System by taking over Forest Hill Park. They played the 2024/25 season under the Forest Hill Park name and came close to a strong first year. They reached the SCEFL Challenge Cup final, the Division One Cup final and the First Division play-off final, but lost all three.
Last season they played as SE Dons for the first time. In the regular season they lost only twice and collected 84 points from 34 games, but still finished second, two points behind AFC Greenwich Borough. They went up through the play-offs instead, beating Rochester United 4-2 in the final to reach Step 5 for the first time.
Antonio Gonnella is the manager, and the squad has strong local roots. Co-founder Ryan Palmer was still at right-back during last seasonās promotion push.
The Donsā FA Cup debut began with an extra preliminary round tie at Lancing on 8 August. They won 6-0, with three goals in each half. Aaron Watson headed the first goal in the clubās FA Cup history after 20 minutes.
The preliminary round was much tighter. They drew 1-1 at Punjab United, then won the replay 2-0. Goalkeeper George Kamurasi made several important saves that night against Isthmian South East opposition.
They then beat Erith Town 2-0 at home in front of 910 spectators, with Bohui and Morgan-Griffiths scoring. A 3-2 win at Chichester City followed in the second qualifying round.
The third qualifying round produced their biggest result so far. Weymouth, who played in the Southern League Premier South last season, were beaten 5-1 at home. The Dons led 2-0 at half-time, and the crowd was 1,407.
Six rounds in, the Dons go to Step Three Sholing. Most fourth qualifying round ties are on Saturday 17 October, and the winners receive Ā£9,375. That is a significant sum for a Step 5 club. The first round proper, which brings in League One and League Two sides, takes place on 7 November.
McHugh has been open about his ambition: he wants to face Manchester United in the third round. That is still a long way off. But a club that was playing on Sunday mornings two years ago is now one win from the first round.
They have also kept their league form going. In August they won 3-0 at Larkfield & New Hythe and 7-1 at Erith & Belvedere.
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