Last summer gradually saw a wave of rainclouds landing at Croydon Athletic FC, from the euphoria of their promotion to the Ryman Premier League in May to being shrouded in controversy in August's Pakistan cricket scandal. With countless players leaving the Rams and positioned near the foot of the table, Croydon are seeking to survive - not just from relegation, but more importantly extinction.

Croydon's Exciting Project

When owner Mazhar Majeed took control of the club in 2008, the local businessmen embarked on a long-term project for Croydon Athletic to become the heavyweight in non-league football, even attempting to promote them to the English Football League. It was a new dawn for the club - funds released for the acquisition of academy players from clubs like Millwall, Gillingham etc. (even Jermaine Wright, formerly a Premier League player at Ipswich Town), improved club facilities such as football pitches and its clubhouse - Majeed laid the foundations for success on the field. Season after season staving off relegation from the Ryman Division One South (eight tiers below the Premier League), Croydon achieved promotion in their second season under Majeed's ownership reign.

Croydon were blessed with personnel of good non-league football quality. Playmaker Danny Waldren, a young, talented, but mercenary-like character playing his trade at local rivals Tooting & Mitcham, was Croydon's chink in their armour as a set-piece specialist. The non-league's David Beckham and Frank Lampard wrapped into one. Striker Gary Noel, who also left the club, scored a bundle of goals that saw him end last season the league's top scorer. And defender Jeremy Williams, the only surviving member of last season's fantastic league campaign, is a Trojan warrior on a Saturday with a great passion for the Rams.