Real de Banjul FC

Real de Banjul was founded in the 1966–67 season after a group of secondary schoolboys international team returned from a trip to Thiès in Senegal and named it as Benson and Hedges FC. The name was eventually changed by the then Director of Youth and Sports to Real de Bathurst FC and upon its registration with the Gambia Football Federation, it headquartered at 81 Lancaster Street, Banjul. The team witnessed another name change in 1970 changing to its present name of Real de Banjul which led to the expansion of the team having basketball, volleyball and athletics teams.{{cite web |title=CLUB HISTORY |url=http://realdebanjul.com/club-history/ |website=Real de Banjul |access-date=2 April 2021 |archive-date=8 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408230301/http://realdebanjul.com/club-history/ |url-status=live }} The team then consisted of the youngest talented players in comparison to other local teams and won its first league title in 1971–72.

The first two cup titles were won in 1969 and 1970. Real de Banjul's cup final results in 1970 defeated White Phantoms 2–1, the club lost to Gambia Ports Authority in 1975 and later in 1980. Real lost to win their third title in 1993 after losing to Wallidan 2–1, they got their recent cup title in 1997 after defeating Hawks. The club lost to again to Wallidan in 2002 in their recent cup final appearance.

As champion winner, the club competed in the 2012 Gambian Super Cup and won their only title.{{cite news |title=Super Cup final slated for Sunday December 23rd - The Point |url=https://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/super-cup-final-slated-for-sunday-december-23rd |work=thepoint.gm |date=20 December 2012 |access-date=2 April 2021 |archive-date=8 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220108225236/https://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/super-cup-final-slated-for-sunday-december-23rd |url-status=live }}

Their first continental appearance was in 1975 after winning their second title and withdrew from a match with Guinea's Hafia FC. Their first match was played a year later against Mali's Djoliba AC. After winning their fourth title, the club advanced in the second round and challenged Liberia's Saint Joseph Warriors where they scored their first goal and won their first match at the continentals for Real, later the club lost two legs to Ghana's Hearts of Oak. Real Banjul competed against the club from Guinea-Bissau further south Sporting Bissau and lost the second leg. The club competed in 1995 and defeated Cape Verde's CD Travadores, then the club faced Mbilnga from Gabon and the second match was abandoned at the 70th minute. Four years later in 1999, the club faced another Guinea's club AS Kaloum Star, the first leg won 0–2 while the second lost 4–1, in 2001, the club faced FC Derby from Mindelo, Cape Verde and defeated 1–0 in the second leg, then faced ASC Diaraf from Dakar in the neighboring Senegal up northwest and scored only a goal in the first match, as they scored nothing in the second match, they lost. As the 2007 national champion,{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/news/2007/June/30/mouloudia-alger-and-real-banjul-qualify-for-africa/|title=Mouloudia Alger and Real Banjul Qualify for Africa|publisher=Soccerway|date=19 October 2007}} Real Banjul withdrew in early December{{cite web|url=http://observer.gm/africa/gambia/banjul/article/2007/12/10/real-withdraw-from-caf-champ-league|title=Real Withdrew from CAF Champ League|newspaper=The Daily Observer|date=10 December 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225050057/http://observer.gm/africa/gambia/banjul/article/2007/12/10/real-withdraw-from-caf-champ-league|archive-date=25 December 2013}} and did not participate in the 2008 CAF Champions League.{{cite web|url=http://wow.gm/africa/gambia/banjul/article/2007/12/12/real-de-banjul-will-not-participate-in-caf-champions-league|title=Real de Banjul Will Not Participate in the CAF Champions League|website=wow.gm|date=12 December 2007|access-date=25 February 2011|archive-date=18 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090618073723/http://wow.gm/africa/gambia/banjul/article/2007/12/12/real-de-banjul-will-not-participate-in-caf-champions-league|url-status=dead}} Their next appearance was twelve years later in the 2013 season, the club challenged with FUS Rabat and won 2–1 and was out as the away team succeeded. Their recent appearance was the 2015 season and succeeded up to the first round.

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Its uniform color is red with a white right sash, sleeve and short edges for home games and the opposite being white with a red right sash, sleeve and short edges.

Its uniform color for home games was white with blue lining near its edges.

• GFA League First Division: 14

:: 1972, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1983, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2007, 2012, 2014, 2023, 2024

• Gambian Cup: 3

:: 1969, 1970, 1997.

• Gambian Super Cup: 3

:: 2000, 2012, 2014.

• Best position: Second Round (continental)
• Best position at a cup competition: First Round (continental)
• Total matches played at the CAF Champions League: 22
• Total matches played at home: 11
• Total matches played away: 11
• Total matches played at the continental cup competitions: 2

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite web|url=http://observer.gm/africa/gambia/article/real-de-banjul-lads-out-to-impress-scouts|title=Real de Banjul Lads Out to Impress Scouts|publisher=The Observer|access-date=25 February 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130430063708/http://observer.gm/africa/gambia/article/real-de-banjul-lads-out-to-impress-scouts|archive-date=30 April 2013}}
• {{cite news |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200906300914.html|title=Real de Banjul Out of FA Cup|work=All Africa|date=30 June 2009|access-date=25 February 2011}}

• {{official website|http://realdebanjul.gm}}

Category:Sport in Banjul

Category:Football clubs in the Gambia

Category:1966 establishments in the Gambia

Category:Association football clubs established in 1966