NON-LEAGUE NEWS: The borough’s newly-promoted Isthmian League club has new sponsors and embark on an FA Cup campaign tomorrow with the players refreshed and energised by a summer holiday paid for by one of their famous owners
Who’s on the wings?: Athletic’s new sponsors will be unveiled at the Mayfield tomorrow
Croydon Athletic kick-off their 2024-2025 season at the Mayfield Stadium tomorrow with an FA Cup extra preliminary round tie against Guildford City and the knowledge that they “have a target on our back because of our high-profile owners”.
Having Stormzy, Wilf Zaha and Danny Young as owners, the players are discovering, can have down-sides as well as up-sides.
But after the whirlwind finish to last season, with promotion clinched in the play-offs, and then celebrated in Ibiza courtesy of flights paid for by Stormzy, the players are enjoying that journey.
It is just 14 months since the phoenix club that rose from the ashes of tragedy and a spot-fixing betting scandal was bought by the global rap star, an Eagles fans’ idol and Palace’s former head of player care.
Jermaine McGlashan’s arrival as manager last October transformed the playing fortunes of the team, as they went from 17th in the Combined Counties League Premier Division South to promotion contenders, who had battled their way into the play-off final.
Ibiza would be their next stop if all went well.
“Stormzy let them know before the play-off final he would fly them out if we won,” McGlashan said.
“Tactically, it didn’t really matter what I said after that. The players came flying out of the traps and played like bravehearts.
“I always get an extra 10% out of my players when Wilf, Stormzy or Danny are watching. The boys give an extra bit more.”
Party time: co-owner Stormzy celebrating the play-off win with the players back in May
It’s not known, but seems possible, that at least one of the co-owners will be on hand in Thornton Heath tomorrow afternoon to provide the necessary inspiration against Guildford, who play in the league that Athletic have just been promoted from.
That promotion represents the first step towards fulfilling the ambitions for the club. For while Sutton, and now Bromley, have had non-league clubs that have got promoted into the Football League, Croydon’s part-timers have been long-term under-achievers by comparison. Until now.
“We have a target on our back because of our high-profile owners,” says McGlashan. “When you have got owners like we have, everyone assumes they are just chucking money at it.
“We run a tight ship,” McGlashan said in an interview with the BBC. “There’s a lot of work that needs doing in and around the ground and that costs a lot of money.”
That might yet have to include the purchase price of the council-owned Mayfield Stadium. Cash-strapped Croydon Council has the football ground on its lists of assets for potential sale.
But to help with the increased costs of playing in Tier 8 of English football, the Isthmian League South East Division (where the Rams’ first match is at home on Saturday, August 10, suitably against… Ramsgate) they have today announced a sponsorship deal with Wingstop.
The announcement revealed the new short sponsors and smart-looking new home shirts, from Adidas (Stomzy’s preferred sportswear supplier) and a redesigned club badge.
“The partnership will provide equipment, upgrade facilities and subsidise subscription fees for members, to help and inspire young people in the local Croydon area to get involved with football,” the release from the wings and burgers fast-food business said.
Wingstop opened their first Croydon outlet a couple of months ago.
“The partnership will see Wingstop UK as the proud main front of shirt sponsor for the Croydon Athletic first and under-18 teams,” the company said. “With around 93,000 young people living in Croydon, the partnership hopes to create a safe and welcoming space for locals to connect, learn and develop – both on and off the pitch.”
The association, through the club, with Stormzy, Zaha and Young, as well as director of football Andrew Johnson, is clearly attractive to commercial partners.
New badge: the Trams have re-styled the club badge, too
There’s quite a list of things on the Wingstop “menu” for Croydon Athletic and the Mayfield: club members will benefit from subsidised travel costs for competitions, an upgraded club house, and vouchers for local restaurants.
“Not only this, but Wingstop UK hope that they will be able to offer job opportunities to young people involved in the club at their newly opened restaurant in Croydon Valley Park.”
Malachy O’Keeffe, Wingstop’s head of marketing said: “Croydon Athletic is a football club on an inspiring journey, and we are just privileged to play a small part in that over the next season and beyond.” So it sounds like a one-season deal, initially at least. No value was given for the sponsorship.
The borough’s other non-leaguers, Croydon FC, the London Senior Trophy-winners, get their 2024-2025 season underway also with a sharp-looking new club badge as well as a new manager, Antonio Gonella, and a league fixture at Croydon Arena against Elmstead, determined to improve on their eighth place league finish last term.
With no fixture clashes for a couple of weeks, the Trams are offering Crystal Palace season ticket-holders a special £5 entry fee at the turnstiles, and £4 a pint in the clubhouse. What’s not to like?
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ROTTEN BOROUGH AWARDS: In January 2024, Croydon was named among the country’s rottenest boroughs for a SEVENTH successive year in the annual round-up of civic cock-ups in Private Eye magazine
Does anyone know if Croydon Athletics’ home matches are ever commentated on in order for blind people to follow them?
Think that’s a “No” from the club, Yusuf.
Perhaps a Rams fan and iC reader might come forward to help?