SOURCE :- THE AGE NEWS
London: In an era of mega-rich moguls and all-or-nothing takeovers in the world’s most popular sport, a quiet revolution is taking place in South London, powered not by star-studded egos or deep-pocketed vanity, but by a group of down-to-earth Australians with a plan.
Sutton United, a 127-year-old club in England’s National League, has found new life thanks to an unlikely group of investors led by Melbourne friends Costa Alexiou and Craig Lovett, in partnership with US-based colleague Ben Hautt. Under their Civitas Collective banner, they’ve set their sights on building something truly rare in modern football: a sustainable, community-first club with big aspirations – and the patience to get there.
Melbourne businessman Costa Alexiou has invested in English club Sutton United.Credit: Joe Armao
Think Welcome to Wrexham meets Moneyball, with a touch of Ted Lasso’s heart and humility.
Alexiou, a senior executive in property and sports technology at PMY Group who spent a decade in the United States before returning to Australia, first entered the game through real estate advisory roles around stadium infrastructure. But commercial interest quickly transformed into a passion project.
“We were advising on stadium real estate, but the more we looked into the football ecosystem, the more we realised there was an opportunity to build something real,” he says. “There was a lot of ‘play money’ in football, but very few treating it like a genuine business.”
The Civitas group now spans property, investment, data science, and professional sport backgrounds. With strategic diversity and shared passion as their core, they identified Sutton United – with an estimated annual turnover of £4 million ($8.2 million) – as the perfect launchpad.
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds celebrate Wrexham’s latest promotion.Credit: Getty Images
“We weren’t even looking at the UK initially,” Alexiou admits. “It felt too competitive, too hard to break into. But Sutton ticked every box – historic, community-focused, undervalued, and full of potential.”
The history of investors in English football charts the sport’s transformation from local pastime to global business. For much of the 20th century, club owners were often local businessmen, driven more by loyalty than profit.
But as TV rights boomed and the Premier League gained international appeal, clubs attracted celebrity backers and foreign billionaires.
Roman Abramovich’s takeover of Chelsea in 2003 signalled a new era, followed by the Glazers at Manchester United and Sheikhs and sovereign wealth at Manchester City and Newcastle.
Roman Abramovich lifts the Champions League trophy with Chelsea in 2012.Credit: AP
Even celebrities joined in, with Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney turning Wrexham – then a National League club in the fifth tier of English football – into a global media story.
Australians have also made their mark in lower leagues. Sydney-based businessman Clem Morfuni took over Swindon Town in 2021, rescuing the club from financial collapse. At Southend United, a consortium led by Australian businessman Justin Rees has taken control after years of chaos and the club’s near-expulsion.
The Civitas group, which also includes former AFL player Ray Wilson – the former Hastings Funds Management chairman – and Tim Cheong, a tax partner at Moore Australia, bought into Sutton as minority shareholders in late 2023.
Since then, Civitas has been heavily contributing to the club’s operations and quietly transforming its DNA. Rather than chasing headlines or superstar signings, the Civitas style is focused on long-term foundations.
The London club hopes to be building a promising future based on sustainable growth. Credit: SUFC
First, it brought the players and training facilities back home to the heart of Sutton. Previously training near Heathrow – an hour away – players now prepare just metres from their match-day ground, Gander Green Lane.
“We found out who really wanted to be part of the club. Some didn’t want to make the move. That was telling,” Lovett says. “But I think people finally saw us as walking the talk … we’re bringing things back to the community.”
Next came the backroom transformation. Civitas installed a new sporting department, prioritising data-driven recruitment and performance. Enter “Swiss Amber” – a proprietary analytics platform developed in-house to scout, track and profile talent based on KPIs specific to Sutton’s evolving style.
“Clubs in lower leagues often recruit based on who played well against them last week,” Alexiou says. “We’re applying the same data principles used in the Premier League – just tailored to our reality.”
They’re not chasing Hollywood endings; they’re building systems. Slowly, methodically.
Sutton’s historic Gander Green Lane is now also home to the Crystal Palace Women’s Super League team, thanks to a landmark 10-year partnership that’s upgrading facilities and generating revenue.
“It’s a big deal,” says Alexiou. “A true partnership with Crystal Palace. They’ve invested in the ground, installed a Premier League-quality pitch, and brought real visibility. We’ve now got the best surface in the National League – and we didn’t pay a pound for it.”
Sutton United FC investor Craig Lovett.
There’s also a community element that can’t be faked. The club has partnered with the Royal Marsden Hospital, fostering local health and outreach initiatives that reflect the club’s roots. Sutton’s staff and players are becoming part of the borough’s day-to-day fabric.
While firmly planted in English soil, the Civitas vision extends across the hemisphere. The long-term dream is to create a multi-club model, linking teams across the United States, Europe and potentially Australia – each operating sustainably, sharing lessons, and developing talent.
But first comes connecting with Australians abroad. Nicknamed “The U’s”, Sutton United recently launched targeted promotions to engage the Aussie expat community in London, beginning with local outreach in Clapham, a known hub for Australians and New Zealanders.
“We want Sutton to be the club for Aussies in the UK,” Lovett says. “Affordable, authentic football in a proper ground. Not £100 Premier League tickets that aren’t accessible to most fans.”
There are plans to eventually establish an Australian talent pathway, creating opportunities for young players from the A-League or NPL to cut their teeth in England while avoiding the brutal churn of top-tier academies.
“It’s about giving them the right environment – not just a shot at glory, but time to grow,” Alexiou adds.
The club founded in 1898 plays out of Gander Green Lane in the National League. Credit: SUFC
Unlike many lower-league takeovers, the group isn’t looking for a quick flip.
“This is a long-term play. We’re talking decades, not seasons,” Alexiou says. “We want to create a club that can outlive us. One that’s profitable, and built to last.”
Sutton United is known for its rich local heritage.Credit: SUFC
Sutton United and its new-look young squad finished the 2024-25 National League season mid-table, a result that the group knows loyal fans – the Amber Army – won’t be overly happy about.
But managed by Steve Morison, a former player with Norwich in the top-flight, the team reached the final of the National League Cup (losing 2–1 at home to Leeds United’s Under-23 team last month) – an exciting prospect for a club whose recent history has been mostly about survival.
There’s a quiet confidence to what the group is building. They know they don’t have billionaire backers or blockbuster branding, but they also know what they do have: data, experience, heart, and a long view.
“We’re not pretending to be Wrexham,” Lovett says. “We believe if we keep doing things the right way – recruitment, training, community – there’s no reason we can’t be a championship team in the medium term.”
Sutton United may never be the loudest name in English football. But with its new Aussie engine room, it might be one of the smartest.
From their base in Melbourne, Alexiou and Lovett are infusing Sutton United with a blueprint that echoes successful models back home – like the Western Bulldogs or Geelong in the AFL, clubs that have become community institutions, not just sporting entities.
To partner with the Royal Marsden Hospital, the club wore a purple kit for solidarity in their match against Dagenham & Redbridge.
“It was actually the first thing we did when we bought into the club,” Alexiou says, noting the importance of embedding the club deeper into its community from day one.
Their approach is influenced by the tradition and passion they’ve found at Sutton – a club steeped in local pride, not just results. “You sit there and these guys in the crowd are talking about FA Cup wins in 1989 against Coventry City,” Alexiou says. “It’s hard to describe … very hard to replicate something like that. We want every Australian in London to feel they are a part of this, too.”
Lovett adds another personal interaction: “I was talking to a guy … whose dad was our goalie back in the ’40s. And they’re still there. That’s their club. That community feel really drives me. I really love that sort of stuff.”
While some football takeovers can be met with scepticism, the group’s transparency and openness have gone a long way with fans.
“Sutton is a small club. It’s pretty direct,” Costa says. “You can literally come down to a game and start talking to us … you get direct engagement. There’s no middleman.”
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