Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha and British rapper Stormzy are set to buy non-League side AFC Croydon Athletic, a club competing in the Combined Counties League Premier South Division, step five of the English football pyramid.
The duo, both of whom grew up in Croydon, have formed a three-man consortium with Danny Young, the former head of player care at Crystal Palace. The consortium has exchanged contracts with the existing owners, and the deal is subject to final FA and league approval.
AFC Croydon Athletic, nicknamed “The Rams,” was formed in 2012 by fans of Croydon Athletic F.C. after the club withdrew from the Isthmian League during the 2011-12 season and eventually folded. The club is based in Thornton Heath in the London Borough of Croydon and plays at the Mayfield Stadium.
📣 📣 CLUB ANNOUNCEMENT 📣📣
— The Rams (@AFCCroydonAth) June 27, 2023
We are delighted to embark on a new era at AFC Croydon Athletic, subject to final FA and league approval. This has been the culmination of many months of discussions.
Further details to follow in due course. pic.twitter.com/zruFM751nf
Zaha and Stormzy have been friends for many years, with the rapper having attended school a short distance from Palace’s Selhurst Park stadium. In March, Zaha and his partner, Paige, were spotted being shown around Croydon Athletic’s Mayfield Stadium, with a TikTok video captioned “welcome to our new project” subsequently deleted.
The consortium aims to develop a community asset in the borough that gave them their own opportunities and hopes to take the entire community on an exciting journey with them. Stormzy, who has previously funded scholarships for disadvantaged children in the borough, has a history of supporting local initiatives.
AFC Croydon Athletic’s official statement expressed delight in embarking on a new era for the club and mentioned that the deal was the culmination of many months of discussions. More updates from the consortium are expected in due course, following the completion of the transaction.
