AFC Croydon Athletic
Full nameAFC Croydon Athletic
Nickname(s)The Rams
Founded2012
GroundMayfield Stadium, Thornton Heath
OwnerAFC Croydon Athletic 2023 Ltd
Co-chairmenDanny Young, Wilfried Zaha and Stormzy
ManagerJermaine McGlashan
LeagueCombined Counties League Premier Division South
2022–23Combined Counties League Premier Division South, 15th of 20
WebsiteClub website

AFC Croydon Athletic is a football club based in Thornton Heath in the London Borough of Croydon, England. The club are currently members of the Combined Counties League Premier Division South and play at the Mayfield Stadium. They are affiliated to the London Football Association.[1]

History

The club was formed in 2012 by fans of Croydon Athletic F.C. after that club withdrew from the Isthmian League during the 2011–12 season and eventually folded.[2] Prior to their resignation, the club's owner Mazhar Majeed had been jailed following his involvement in the Pakistan cricket spot-fixing scandal, Majeed had been recorded admitting that he had purchased the club solely in order to launder money, and the club had been locked out of its ground by the local council due to unpaid debts.[2]

The new club joined Division One of the Combined Counties League for the 2012–13 season.[3] In their first season they finished eighth and won the Division One cup, beating Staines Lammas 5–0 in the final.[4] They finished seventh the following season and were runner-up in 2014–15, earning promotion to level eight of the pyramid. Rather than entering the Premier Division of the Combined Counties League, they were transferred into the Southern Counties East League.[5] The season also saw them win the London Senior Trophy, beating Interwood 4–3 after extra time.[6] The first season in the Southern Counties East Football League saw them finish eleventh, their highest finish to date.

After four years at the club, manager Antony Williams left to join Chipstead in May 2016, and was replaced by Kevin Rayner.[7] At the end of his first season in charge he led the team to their highest finish of seventh. At the end of the 2020–21 season the club were transferred to the Premier Division South of the Combined Counties League.

On 27 June 2023, the club confirmed that a consortium consisting of Premier League footballer Wilfried Zaha, rapper Stormzy and former Crystal Palace head of care Danny Young had exchanged contracts to purchase the club.[8][9]

Ground

After its establishment the club were unable to continue playing at the former club's Mayfield Stadium, and so arranged to groundshare with Croydon F.C. at the Croydon Sports Arena.[10] In January 2013 the Mayfield Stadium clubhouse was destroyed in a fire,[10] but was rebuilt and the club moved to the ground in 2014, playing their first match there against Banstead Athletic on 15 November 2014.[11]

Mayfield Stadium

Club officials

Position Name
ChairmanDanny Young
Vice-ChairmanPaul Smith
SecretaryPaul Pickering
Commercial and FundraisingSean Ryan
ManagerJermaine McGlashan
Assistant ManagerChris Zebroski
CoachMichael Kamara
Junior Development ManagerTom Kavanagh
PhysioDenis Lawton

Managers

As of matches played 20 November 2023. All competitive matches are counted.[12]
Name From To G W D L %W
Antony Williams 29 May 2012 4 May 2016 166 86 17 63 051.81
Kevin Rayner 26 May 2016 18 May 2023 285 93 56 136 032.63
Lee Roots & Kevin Rayner 19 May 2023 13 September 2023 17 9 4 4 052.94
Danny Young (temp) 16 September 2023 11 October 2023 5 3 0 2 060.00
Jermaine McGlashan 11 October 2023 to date 7 4 1 2 057.14

Honours

  • Combined Counties League
    • Division One Cup winners 2012–13
  • London Senior Trophy
    • Winners 2014–15

Records

See also

  • AFC Croydon Athletic players
  • AFC Croydon Athletic managers

References

  1. ↑ AFC Croydon Athletic Football Club Southern Counties East League
  2. 1 2 Croydon Athletic FC revival plans get underway Croydon Advertiser, 13 April 2012
  3. 1 2 3 4 AFC Croydon Athletic at the Football Club History Database
  4. ↑ Staines Lammas beaten in Final Middlesex Football Association, 7 May 2013
  5. ↑ AFC Croydon Athletic join nineteen-team SCEFL next season Kentish Football, 27 May 2015
  6. ↑ London Senior Trophy 2014–15 London Football Association
  7. ↑ AFC Croydon Athletic have announced their new manager for next season Croydon Advertiser, 26 May 2016
  8. ↑ "CLUB ANNOUNCEMENT: EXCHANGE OF CONTRACTS WITH NEW CONSORTIUM". www.afccroydonathletic.co.uk. 27 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  9. ↑ "Wilfried Zaha and rapper Stormzy are set to buy AFC Croydon". BBC Sport. 27 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  10. 1 2 AFC Croydon Athletic in race against time to return to 'spiritual home' for new season Wirral Globe, 8 July 2014
  11. ↑ Saga of the Rams David Bauckham
  12. ↑ Hall of Fame AFC Croydon Athletic

51°23′36″N 0°07′36″W / 51.393442°N 0.12656003°W / 51.393442; -0.12656003

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