American businessman Abdullah Ashraf is the new owner and chairman of Tamworth Football Club. The 24 year old real estate investor has bought the club through his successful US firm Dawn Group International (DGI) and wasted no time in making his intentions crystal clear. He says his main ambition is to achieve promotion into the Football League for the first time in the club’s history.

Keen football fan Ashraf said: “I’m exceptionally excited and blessed to be the next custodian of Tamworth Football Club! Previous owners Bob Andrews and Steve Lathbury have done amazingly well with the club over the past 40 years. Back-to-back promotions, the excitement of the 2024/25 FA Cup run and stabilising the club in the National League are superb achievements. Now it’s time to build on those successes and take the club to even greater heights and I intend to make the dream of Tamworth playing in the EFL a reality!”

The dramatic transatlantic deal completes months of intense negotiations to reach an agreement to buy the club and gain approval by the Football Association, Football League and the newly formed Independent Football Regulators. Now, the new chairman is impatient to start planning for next season and promises he will be a regular at the club rather than a faraway absentee owner.

He added: “I will be very ‘hands-on’ at Tamworth and won’t be an absentee owner watching on from across the Atlantic. I’ll be flying over frequently to support the club and push forward my plans to advance Tamworth FC on and off the field. I hope to quickly become a familiar face in the stadium and fans will soon realise just how passionate I am about our club!”

The DGI founder and CEO already owns a football club in the US, having been instrumental in the foundation of his hometown side, Oklahoma United FC. Now, though, Ashraf’s main focus is on Tamworth and he has huge plans for ‘The Lambs’ which he will unveil at a press conference at the town’s Assembly Rooms on at 4pm on Friday June 19. He’ll also directly address fans at a celebratory FanFest at The Lamb on Saturday June 20 which is being staged between 4-11pm.

He continued: “I see a very bright and exciting future ahead and, in my capacity as Chairman, I guarantee that I will do everything in my power to push Tamworth Football Club to new heights. I’ve really enjoyed attending matches and visiting the town in recent months and could not be happier as we embark upon this new chapter in the club’s history. Tamworth is an exceptional town with a beloved football club right at the heart of the community and we aim to keep it that way. So to the club’s amazing fans, players, staff and to the town, I am genuinely honoured to be going on this journey with you all. Together, we will bring about a new dawn for Tamworth. Come on you Lambs!”

Ashraf has an impressive business track record which includes having acquired, disposed of, brokered, financed, and been directly involved in more than $250 million in commercial real estate transactions across the United States. He also currently oversees a commercial real estate platform with more than $100 million in assets under management and active development. Tamworth fans are now about to discover how that expertise and experience is going to transform their club, their team and the Lambs’ long-term future.