AC Moose

AC Moose is a Bristol-based community football club focused on providing a safe space in the sport of football where people of all backgrounds are welcome. The club aims to foster an inclusive and competitive environment based on the belief that by providing a sanctuary from the distasteful side of the sport we create the best environment for success. Club Chairman Zac Schroder explains, “At AC Moose, we’re all about being a friendly, welcoming bunch. Whether we’re training or playing matches, it’s never just about the result — it’s about having fun, supporting each other, and enjoying the game. For us, it’s about playing with your mates and feeling like you’re part of something special”

Zac continues, “A lot of our players have come from other football teams where there was more aggression, with arguments and shouting during games - and not just with the opposition. At AC Moose, kindness is our priority. We want all of our players to go home happy. When you come to a session, you are treated fairly and with respect. If you make a mistake, you make a mistake. We understand that. From the coaches to the supporters, we encourage everyone to care about the team. We’re a bit of a family.”

This ‘family’ has grown to more than 70 players with full First and Reserve teams built from an initial small 5-aside team in just five years. Joe Dennis, their Director of Football, puts this success down to how they operate - with kindness!  “We know that people keep coming back because we’ve created a genuinely inclusive and welcoming environment. Whether you're a new recruit, a long-term player, or someone who's had to stop playing through injury, you're still part of Moose. Many ex-players stay involved as volunteers and supporters - it’s that sense of belonging that has driven our growth.”

But why AC Moose? Where does the name come from? Zac laughs as he starts to explain, “I used to teach tennis with Daniel who founded the club. With the junior lessons, we would always end the session with a light-hearted game called Chicken Run. The kids had to shout out the name of an animal and then run across the court mimicking this animal, whilst everyone else rolled balls across the court. One kid chose moose. He made a moose sound and with his palms open and fingers splayed above his head like antlers, ran across the court jumping over all the rolling balls. That stuck with Dan and when the time came on January 4th 2021 to enter a 5-a-side league, AC Moose was born.”

AC Moose are one of our BREWED TO GIVE Community Partners. As a grassroot team passionate about increasing inclusivity and accessibility in their sport, we’re helping them out with kit sponsorship and donated beer at their community events and celebrations. The team have an award ceremony coming up in the studio which we hear is going to be an Antlers-out kind of night. Joe tells us more, “We are really looking forward to the award ceremony as another opportunity to get together and celebrate our achievements. It’s been a hugely successful season for the club - we’ve won three trophies and both teams have been promoted. The First team completed a treble, winning the Gloucestershire F.A Primary Shield, Division 3 of the Bristol Suburban League, and the Norman Goulding Cup, and the Reserves secured promotion from Division 4. The Reserves are a newly formed team with lots of new faces, so securing promotion in their first season is a major achievement!”

AC Moose are proud to be an inclusive, values-driven club that supports a range of meaningful initiatives — on and off the pitch. They proudly champion the Rainbow Laces campaign, with players wearing the iconic laces every matchday as a visible stand for LGBTQIA+ inclusion in sport. They’ve partnered with Football v Homophobia, an international campaign tackling anti-LGBTQIA+ discrimination at all levels of the game. AC Moose use their platform to raise awareness and promote a culture where football is safe, welcoming, and respectful for all. They’ve also raised over £1,000 for Grief Encounter, a Totterdown-based bereavement charity supporting children and young people after loss — a cause that resonates deeply with the club and reflects their belief that football can be a force for healing and hope. And they’re not stopping there. AC Moose are always looking for new causes to support, guided by the voices of their players and community. Inclusion isn’t a box to tick, it’s a principle they run the club by.

AC Moose have also taken a refreshing approach to social media, setting themselves apart from the usual crowd. Instead of relying on the standard, off-the-shelf templates used by many grassroots teams, they create custom graphics and original content that reflect the personality and creativity of the club. Last season, they ran a brilliant theme based on retro football stickers, tapping into a sense of nostalgia that resonated with players and followers alike. It brought a fun, throwback vibe to their posts while celebrating the squad in a unique and personal way. From matchday designs to campaign artwork, their social feeds feel more like a creative community space than just a scoreboard, capturing the spirit, humour, and values that make AC Moose stand out.

Understanding the wider community, AC Moose have plans to ensure that financial barriers are not an obstacle to being involved with the club. They are also taking their value of kindness to the next level by partnering with TALK CLUB, a UK male mental health charity close to our hearts. They proudly display their logo on their kit shirt to spread the word that talking can save lives. Over the summer, their team captains are training to facilitate their own Talk Club Talk & Listen sessions so they can better support their teammates year-round. Zac sums this up by saying “Football should not just be about the competition. Being part of a team is being nurtured. We are the best versions of ourselves when we feel safe and supported. So if you're creating that, then the likelihood is, you're going to have a better game on the pitch.”

Zac and Joe, we know just what you mean. Cheers to that AC Moose!

Want to join the team or support them from the sidelines? Head to their Instagram or website and get your antlers out!

Want to find out what it means to be a BBF Community Partner – head to our Brewed to Give pages.