Chelsea prospect Kai Crampton joins Concord Rangers for short-term youth loan

Chelsea Academy goalkeepers are certainly no strangers to going out on loan to non-league teams well down the football pyramid, and young Kai Crampton is the latest to look to gain some valuable senior football experience this way.

The 17-year-old joined Concord Rangers last week, and has already made his debut over the weekend, in a 2-1 defeat against Dulwich Hamlet. The defeat leaves Concord in the relegation zone of the Isthmian League (step 3 of non-league, i.e. the 7th tier), though with multiple matches in hand thanks to fixtures that were not able to go ahead due to pitch conditions.

Crampton’s move is apparently classed as a youth loan, and is set to be just a short-term arrangement while keeping him eligible for Chelsea’s youth fixtures as well (mostly at the under-17 level though he does have two appearances in the U18 Premier League as well).

Concord have a similar arrangement with West Ham U21 goalkeeper Mason Terry, who’s been their starter all season while also competing for the Hammers in youth fixtures. Terry recently won the Isthmian Premier division’s Golden Glove award for the month of January, so Crampton certainly will have his work cut out for him to earn some minutes.

In any case, good luck, Kai!