FC Assyria was set up in the late 1960's to represent the Assyrian Society of United Kingdom in Ealing, West London. Over the past thirty years or so, the team have successfully competed in the local leagues, challenging for both league and cup honours.

The club has also competed in competions abroad, in countries such as Sweden, France, Germany, Holland and the USA. These International Assyrian Cup competions include teams from all over the world and are a good opportunity for Assyrians to gather and compete for silverware at a very competitive level.

These traditions are still alive today with the team competing in the Middlesex County Football League (member of the national league system), Division One and its associated cup competions.



WHO ARE THE ASSYRIANS?

The Assyrians of today are the indigenous Aramaic-speaking descendants of the ancient Assyrian people, one of the earliest civilizations emerging in the Middle East, and have a history spanning over 6750 years. Assyrians are not Arabian, we are not Kurdish, our religion is not Islam. The Assyrians are Christian, with our own unique language, culture and heritage. Although the Assyrian empire ended in 612 B.C., history is replete with recorded details of the continuous presence of the Assyrian people till the present time.

Assyrians are Christians and their church dates back to the time of Christ. In the first century they were among the first people to embrace Christianity. Living apart from the Christian World, the Assyrians came almost to losing their identity as a nation. It was not until the middle of the 19th century when they came in direct contact with the western world and their existence attracted the attention of the outside world. Thus experiencing a cultural renaissance, they built modern schools, colleges and technical institutions in Iran and Iraq during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Assyrians suffered the most destructive blows because of their religion and ethnicity. They fell victim to the wholesome message inflicted upon Christians under Ottoman Empire. Those who escaped the massacres fled their homeland to join the Assyrians living in Iran. To defend themselves, they threw their lot with the allies and fought bravely against all odds to repulse blows coming from all sides. For their bravery in the victorious battles, British historians called them “Our Smallest Ally”.

In 1918, Assyrians left alone without any support, they had no choice but to retreat from Iran to reach the British forces in Baghdad – Iraq. In this long and costly exodus, the Assyrians lost more then one-third of their population.

In Baghdad, Assyrians were settled in camps and their battle tested men were recruited by British I special military forces named “ Assyrian Levies”.

In return to the loss of their homeland in Hakkari – Turkey and in compensation for stupendous losses inflicted on them during the Great War, Britain, France, and Russia alike, a safe and independent homeland, promised Assyrians. This promise was not fulfilled and Assyrians were again betrayed and left alone in the situation that culminated in the terrible massacre of non-combatant population in Simeil, Iraq in 1933. From this time on, the Assyrian Diaspora started and they began to flee in all directions as stateless refuges to find a safe haven and protect themselves from total elimination until such a day when their voice would be heard through an international forum.