AFC Croydon Athletic

Croydon Athletic
Full nameAssociation Football Club Croydon Athletic
Nickname(s)The Rams
Founded2012
GroundMayfield Stadium, Thornton Heath
OwnerAFC Croydon Athletic 2023 Ltd
Co-chairmenDanny Young, Wilfried Zaha and Stormzy
ManagerDanny Kedwell
LeagueIsthmian League South East Division
2024–25Isthmian League South East Division, 12th of 22
Websitecroydonathletic.com

Association Football Club Croydon Athletic is a football club based in Thornton Heath in the London Borough of Croydon, England. Founded by supporters of Croydon Athletic after it folded, the club are currently members of the Isthmian League South East Division 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,although Peter Deadman was heavily linked to the role he was replaced by Kevin Rayner.[7] At the end of his first season in charge he led the team to their highest finish of his reign of seventh. At the end of the 2020–21 season the club were transferred to the Premier Division South of the Combined Counties League.

In 2023 the club was bought by consortium consisting of Premier League footballer Wilfried Zaha, rapper Stormzy and former Crystal Palace head of care Danny Young.[8][9] Jermaine McGlashan was appointed manager during the 2023–24 season and led the club to a fifth-placed finish in the Premier Division South, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. After beating Jersey Bulls 2–1 in the semi-finals, they defeated Knaphill 2–1 in the final to earn promotion to the South East Division of the Isthmian League.[10] McGlasham left the club nine matches into the 2024–25 season and was replaced by Keith Millen. Millen departed in February 2025, with Danny Kedwell appointed as his replacement.[11]

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.[12] In January 2013 the Mayfield Stadium clubhouse was destroyed in a fire,[12] but was rebuilt and the club moved to the ground in 2014, playing their first match there against Banstead Athletic on 15 November 2014.[13]

Current squad

As of 27 April 2025[14]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  CIV Amadou Tangara
2 DF  FRA Junior Savane
3 DF  ENG David Boateng
4 MF  ENG Nya Kirby
5 DF  SLE Michael Kamara
6 DF  ENG Darryl Siaw
7 MF  GUY Kadell Daniel
8 MF  ENG Ghassimu Sow
9 FW  ENG Daniel Thompson
10 FW  ENG Brandon Pierrick
11 FW  NIG Ibrahim Akanbi
12 MF  ENG Sam Woods
No. Pos. Nation Player
13 DF  ENG Cameo Stewart-Smith
14 FW  BEL Ben Cheklit
15 FW  ENG David Omilabu
16 MF  ENG Luke Dreher
17 FW  SCO Josh Bayliss
18 MF  ENG James Dunne
19 MF  ENG Kervant Serbonij
20 DF  ENG Cian McCarthy
— GK  ENG Milo Dean
— GK  ENG Tom Marshall
— MF  ENG Preston Kedwell
— FW  ENG Malachi Mullings

Club officials

Position Name
Chairman Danny Young
Vice-chairman Paul Smith
Secretary Paul Smith
Matchday Communication Sean Ryan
Manager Danny Kedwell
Assistant Manager Dean Beckwith
Coach Michael Kamara
Coach Harold Odeletey
Goalkeeping Coach Dave Kast
Physio Georgia Haskett

Managers

As of matches played 26 April 2025. All competitive matches are counted.[15]
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 286 89 58 139 031.12
Kevin Rayner & Lee Roots 19 May 2023 13 September 2023 8 3 2 3 037.50
Caretaker 16 September 2023 11 October 2023 5 3 0 2 060.00
Jermaine McGlashan 11 October 2023 16 September 2024 48 27 4 17 056.25
Michael Kamara (caretaker) 16 September 2024 18 November 2024 14 5 7 2 035.71
Keith Millen 18 November 2024 13 February 2025 14 3 4 7 021.43
Danny Kedwell 14 February 2025 current 15 7 2 6 046.67

Honours

  • Combined Counties League
    • Premier Division South Play Off winners 2023–24
    • Division One Cup winners 2012–13
  • London Senior Trophy
    • Winners 2014–15

Records

  • Top 5 All-time club appearances (competitive games only, as at 10 Jun 2025):
    • Nahum Green - 242
    • Abbas Agoro - 179
    • Tony Martin - 146
    • Junior Kaffo - 139
    • Ibrahim Kallon - 138
  • Top 5 All-time club Goalscorers (competitive games only, as at 10 Jun 2025):
    • Nahum Green - 61
    • Joe Loyza - 58
    • Warren Mfula - 45
    • Danny Penfold - 45
    • Lee Jansen - 44
  • Most Goals by a Player in a Season: Warren Mfula - 45 (2016/17)
  • Most Goals in a Match:
    • Louis Theophanous - 5 vs. Sheerwarer – Combined Counties Football League Premier Division South, 4 November 2023

See also

  • AFC Croydon Athletic players
  • AFC Croydon Athletic managers

References

  1. ^ AFC Croydon Athletic Football Club Southern Counties East League
  2. ^ a b Croydon Athletic FC revival plans get underway Croydon Advertiser, 13 April 2012
  3. ^ a b c d e 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". AFC Croydon Athletic. 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. ^ @AFCCroydonAth (7 May 2024). "Rams promoted! Play Off winners! Yes, this is real! The Rams are going up! 🐏🐏🐏 ⏭️ Next stop, Step 4 football!" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 May 2024 – via Twitter.
  11. ^ "Keds' new managerial role". Kent Online. 18 February 2025. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  12. ^ a b AFC Croydon Athletic in race against time to return to 'spiritual home' for new season Wirral Globe, 8 July 2014
  13. ^ Saga of the Rams David Bauckham
  14. ^ [1] Men's First Team. AFC Croydon Athletic. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
  15. ^ Hall of Fame AFC Croydon Athletic

51°23′36″N 0°07′36″W / 51.3934°N 0.1266°W / 51.3934; -0.1266

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