From a glance, AFC Croydon Athletic’s match against Camberley Town in the Combined Counties League on April 9 appeared quite ordinary.
In fact, it was so ordinary that only 43 paying fans showed up for the midweek encounter in the ninth tier of English football.
However, among the attendees at Krooner Park that evening was Wilfried Zaha, who is used to showcasing his talents before crowds of 50,000 since making the switch to Turkish powerhouse Galatasaray.
As a co-owner of the non-league AFC Croydon Athletic, former Crystal Palace star Zaha takes his obligations earnestly.
“Wilf had a few days off and decided to fly over to support us at Camberley,” remarked Rams manager Jermaine McGlashan.
“He visited the changing room to wish us luck before the match, and it was fantastic for the players to see him.”
Zaha’s attendance motivated the team, known as the Rams, leading them to a resounding 5-1 victory.
When they clinched promotion to the Isthmian League South East Division by beating Knaphill in the play-off final in May, music sensation Stormzy was in the locker room, celebrating with the team.
Rapper Stormzy, whose real name is Michael Omari, has received three Brit Awards, headlined Glastonbury, featured Usain Bolt and Jose Mourinho in a music video, and shares a close friendship with Zaha, partly due to their mutual ties to Croydon.
In June 2023, it was revealed that they had acquired their “childhood hometown football club” along with Danny Young, the former head of player care at nearby Crystal Palace.
“Wilf and Stormzy don’t merely watch from the sidelines,” noted Brandon Pierrick, captain of AFC Croydon Athletic. “They integrate into the dressing room and contribute to the squad and the camaraderie.”
This Saturday, the Rams will host Guildford City in the extra preliminary round of the FA Cup (15:00 BST).
“We have a target on our backs due to our high-profile owners,” McGlashan stated, sharing that he, like Zaha and Stormzy, grew up in Croydon.
