Non-league club set for American takeover with promotion to EFL in 93-year first eyed

A US-based group is on the brink of a takeover of National League club Tamworth FC.

Negotiations are at the final stages and an announcement is likely to be forthcoming in the immediate future.

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talkSPORT understands Tamworth’s prospective new owners watched Saturday’s 5-1 win over Braintree Town, which ensured an 11th place finish for the Midlands-based side.

The group is understood to have experience working in professional US soccer and will come into the club as a controlling owner, buying out Bob Andrews.

Tamworth are managed by Andy Peaks and won back to back promotions, first from the Southern Football League Premier Division in 2022/23 before also going up from the Conference North in 2023/24, thus securing their place in the National League.

Last season, Staffordshire-based Tamworth finished tenth in the table and faced Tottenham Hotspur in the third round of the FA Cup, taking them to extra-time before eventually losing 3-0.

Tamworth have backed that up with another solid season with 21-year-old striker Oliver Lynch contributing with 12 goals and two assists.

If all goes to plan, the takeover could be official in just a matter of days, and barring any complications certainly by early May.

The club, who have had both Callum Wilson and Paul Merson turn out for them, is only currently a part-time outfit and do not own the 4,000-capacity Lamb Ground.

The incoming group are expected to put a long-term and ambitious vision in place, ultimately with a view to getting Tamworth promoted into the EFL.

The Lambs have never reached the EFL in their 93-year history with last season’s finish in the National League the highest they’ve ever managed in the English football pyramid.

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The non-league revolution

The National League produced the most exciting sporting spectacle this weekend with the league title decided in the most dramatic of circumstances.

York City travelled to Rochdale on the final day on Saturday in a straight shootout for the league, and the only automatic promotion spot into the EFL.

Rochdale needed to win to make that happen for them and they were all set to get it when Emmanuel Dieseruvwe put them 1-0 up in the fifth minute of stoppage-time.

However, York brutally snatched the title away from the home side with an equaliser in the 13th minute of stoppage-time, meaning Rochdale must compete with five other teams in the National League to earn promotion via the play-offs.

There were unsavoury scenes at the Crown Oil Arena but what unfolded demonstrated the growing appetite for non-league football among fans.

A #3UP campaign for three teams to earn promotion from the National League to League Two instead of two continues to grow in popularity due to the increase in teams who go up into the EFL not suffering an immediate relegation.

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Meanwhile, a number of high profile figures have become heavily involved with non-league clubs in recent times; former England striker Jermain Defoe becoming manager of National League Woking in March.

It was also announced in March that YouTuber and influencer KSI became a co-owner of National League outfit Dagenham & Redbridge.