AFC Croydon Athletic appoint Jermaine McGlashan as their new manager

AFC CROYDON ATHLETIC have appointed Jermaine McGlashan as their new first team manager after leaving their league rivals Fleet Town.

Long-serving manager Kevin Rayner was joined by former Holmesdale boss Lee Roots in the summer but the clubs celebrity owners decided to part company with the pair of them on Wednesday 13 September.

The Rams played eight games with the pair in charge and were in fourteenth-place in the Combined Counties League Premier Division South table with one win and two draws from their opening five games.

Centre-half Michael Kamara took temporary charge of the side and claimed a 3-1 home win over Camberley Town, before thrashing Forest Row 6-1 in the FA Vase, before beating Epsom & Ewell (4-3), losing 5-1 at Redhill and then suffered a 3-0 defeat at Knaphill last weekend.

The Rams are now in the bottom five (sixteenth-place) with eight points (two wins, two draws) from eight games.

Croydon-born McGlashan started his career with Staines Town and has also played for Bracknell Town, Kingstonian, Raynes Park Vale, Merstham and Ashford Town (Middlesex).

The midfielder then spent 11 seasons playing in either League Two or League One with Aldershot Town (75 appearances, five goals), Cheltenham Town (116 appearances, 14 goals), Gillingham (67 appearances, seven goals), Southend United (70 appearances, four goals) and Swindon Town (30 appearances), finishing his League career in 2020.

McGlashan then dropped back into non-league playing for Wrexham, Chesterfield and Ebbsfleet United (all National League), Maidstone United (National League South) and Isthmian League side Leatherhead, where he was appointed player-assistant manager in January 2022.

McGlashan arrives at Mayfield Stadium, alongside Chris Zebroski, 36, who is installed as his assistant manager.  Kamara, 34, has been appointed coach.

McGlashan retains his full-time job at Gillingham, where he is part of the Academy coaching staff.

Ean Paterson, who had remained at the club, has decided to step away having recently become a father again.

Chairman and co-owner Danny Young said in a statement: “I am delighted that Jermaine has accepted the role and look forward to a long and successful time with the club.

“He has a wealth of experience and is Croydon born, so is very familiar with the area.

Zebroski also has League experience, the striker has played for Millwall among others, and has worked alongside McGlashan, since he joined Fleet Town around a year ago.

The Hampshire outfit are in thirteenth-place in the table, having picked up three wins and a draw from their 10 league outings this season.

McGlashan takes his new side to league leaders Jersey Bulls on Saturday, before they travel to play Burnham in The FA Vase First Round on Saturday 21 October.

The Rams’ next home game is against Hilltop in the London Senior Cup First Round on Tuesday 31 October.

Visit AFC Croydon Athletic’s website: www.afccroydonathletic.co.uk