South London rapper Stormzy has joined Crystal Palace footballer Wilfried Zaha and former head of player care at Palace Danny Young in buying a portion of non-league club AFC Croydon Athletic. According to a statement, the consortium will own, operate and develop their childhood hometown football club. Despite the deal being subject to legislative and governance procedures, many fans are already talking about the potential benefits for the ninth English football league team.
The trio hope their purchase will help to develop AFC Croydon Athletic into an asset for the South London community, where they all grew up. Responding to the announcement on social media, fans praised Stormzy and Zaha for investing in youth and giving back to the ends. This move sees Stormzy and Zaha join the growing list of celebrities investing in the sporting world, along with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney who recently acquired a share in F1 team Alpine.
Football clubs have long played an important role in their local communities and the investment from celebrities like Stormzy and Zaha can provide a financial boost to smaller clubs, as well as offering more opportunities to young players. This move is part of a broader trend of celebrities getting involved in the sports industry with a focus on investing money into communities and helping them grow.
Although the deal is still subject to finalisation, the excitement surrounding this development is palpable. The hope is that this will provide an economic and social boost to the community where the club is based. AFC Croydon Athletic may find itself in store for a bright future with the backing of such high-profile investors.
