The National League season is reaching its climax after a dramatic and entertaining season.
A number of sides including the likes of Oldham Athletic and Forest Green Rovers have flirted with the possibility of winning the title throughout the season. Despite themselves and York City’s best efforts it looks as if Barnet will be securing promotion to the EFL.
Despite Barnet’s impressive season, one of the most surprising National League title winning sides in recent seasons was Sutton United. The South London side won the National League and promotion to the EFL for the first time during the 2020-21 season as a semi-professional side.
Promotion was sealed on the penultimate weekend of the season with a 3-0 win at home to Hartlepool United on 23rd May 2021. This article will take a look back at the Sutton team from that fixture and what has happened to them since that famous day.
Dean Bouzanis – Goalkeeper
Bouzanis made 42 appearances during the title winning campaign, and kept his 18th clean sheet of the season during the 3-0 win against Hartlepool. After a season in League Two with the U’s, Bouzanis moved to Reading in 2022 but made just six appearances for the Royals.
Unsuccessful loan spells back at Sutton and with Stevenage followed before the 34 year old signed for Charlton Athletic on a short-term deal in March until the end of this season who he has not featured for to date.
Jonathan Barden – Right Back
Barden’s versatility allowed him to make 38 appearances for Sutton during their title winning campaign. The 32 year old made over 100 appearances for the U’s but was forced to retire in 2024 after a horrific injury during a fixture at Stevenage in October 2022.
Louis John – Centre Back
The 2020-21 season was part of John’s second spell at the VBS Community Stadium. The defender made 35 appearances during the 2020-21 season and formed an important partnership with Ben Goodliffe.
The 31 year old scored the crucial second goal in the 3-0 win against Hartlepool along with another five other goals across the season. The defender made over 280 appearances in total for the South London side.
John left after relegation from the EFL and joined Ebbsfleet United. His game time has been limited and he has only made 10 appearances for the National League’s bottom side.
Ben Goodliffe – Centre Back
Goodliffe was included in the National League team of the season because of his impressive performances during his 34 appearances in the 2020-21 season. The defender made over 150 appearances for the U’s and his time in South London came to an end at the beginning of the 2024-25 season when he joined Colchester United.
The 25 year old made 11 appearances, scoring three goals for the Essex side at the start of the season. However, a reduction in game time saw him join Southend United until the end of the season on loan and he scored against his former side in the 1-1 draw at Sutton at the beginning of April.
Rob Milsom – Left Back
The former Premier League full-back made 36 appearances for the U’s during the season and scored the opening goal (one of his three across the season) in their 3-0 win against Hartlepool. Milsom went on to be first-choice left-back for Matt Gray during Sutton’s spell in the EFL.
After 155 appearances for Sutton, the 38 year old departed from the VBS Community Stadium at the end of the 2023-24 season. Milsom eventually joined Dorking Wanderers in September, making 26 appearances for the Surrey side at the time of writing.
Craig Eastmond (Captain) – Central Midfielder
Eastmond lifted the National League trophy at the end of the Hartlepool game having made 41 appearances during the 2020-21 campaign. Eastmond is a club legend at Sutton and made 304 appearances across a nine year spell.
Eastmond was a key part of the U’s successes in the EFL and scored at Wembley in the 2022 EFL Trophy final. He departed when Sutton suffered relegation from the EFL and signed for Wealdstone ahead of the 2024-25 season but injury has limited him to 11 appearances.
Kenny Davis – Central Midfielder
26 of Davis’ 185 appearances came during the U’s title winning campaign. After promotion to the EFL, the midfielder committed to retaining his job as a taxi driver despite the transition to full-time football.
The tenacious midfielder was released at the end of the 2021-22 season and joined National League South side Farnborough. In October of the 2022-23 season, the midfielder joined Aldershot Town on a month-long loan deal and made four appearances before retiring.
David Ajiboye – Right Winger
Ajiboye was one of the creative talents within the U’s squad and made 39 appearances, scoring five goals across the title winning season. After impressing in League Two with Sutton, the winger earned a move to Peterborough United.
Despite making 73 appearances for the Posh, the 26 year old hasn’t nailed down his spot within the first team. Numerous loan spells have followed with Sutton, York City and currently back in League Two with Newport County where he has made 20 appearances and scored 2 goals.
Isaac Olaofe – Left Winger
Olaofe bagged the third goal in their win against Hartlepool and finished top scorer for the club with 14 goals from left-wing and his preferred striker position. Olaofe made 37 appearances on loan from Millwall in his first full season in first-team football.
A second loan spell with the U’s followed during the 2021-22 season before a permanent move to Stockport County in 2023. Since his move to Manchester, the 25 year old has helped the Hatters secure promotion to League One and scored 11 goals so far this season to secure a play-off spot for the club.
Omar Bugiel – Striker
During the 2020-21 season, the Lebanese international led the Sutton attack 37 times and scored five goals. Bugiel made a total of 159 appearances for the U’s and finished joint-top scorer during the 2022-23 season.
A move across South London to AFC Wimbledon occurred at the end of the 2022-23 season. The 31 year old has made over 75 appearances for the Wombles so far and scored seven goals this season, helping them in their quest for promotion to League One.
Donovan Wilson – Striker
Wilson joined midway through Sutton’s promotion season and made 16 appearances. The striker scored 11 goals with a number of them securing three points including 1-0 wins at Chesterfield and King’s Lynn Town.
After two seasons with the U’s in the EFL, Wilson joined Grimsby and has made 45 appearances for the Mariners since signing at the start of the 2023-24 campaign, scoring 10 goals. The striker’s minutes have been limited this season and he hasn’t featured for the Mariners since the end of February.
Will Randall (Substitute) – Left Winger
Randall made 24 appearances from the wide areas and scored a total of two goals including an incredible solo goal against Boreham Wood during Sutton’s title winning season. After 127 appearances and impressing in the EFL with the U’s, the 27 year old moved to Notts County ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Randall didn’t make an impact at Meadow Lane and moved to Ebbsfleet United in September. The winger was loaned to Dorking Wanderers where he made seven appearances.
After being released from the Fleet in January, the 27-year-old signed for Wealdstone. He is yet to score in his 11 appearances for the West London side.
Harry Beautyman (Substitute) – Central Midfielder
Beautyman made 40 appearances and scored 11 goals during the promotion winning campaign. Sutton’s vice-captain was a key component of the U’s successes and made over 220 appearances in his second spell at the club.
He joined Woking at the beginning of the 2024-25 season and has scored 14 goals in 44 appearances for the Cardinals so far this season.
Tobi Sho-Silva (Substitute) – Striker
Sho-Silva made 35 appearances in total across Sutton’s title winning campaign and scored four goals. Limited appearances followed after promotion to the EFL and the striker moved to Carlisle United in January 2022.
Sho-Silva made 21 appearances for the Cumbrians before a move to National League side Maidenhead United ahead of the 2023-24 season. The 30 year old has made 22 appearances so far this season for the Berkshire side, scoring 3 goals.
Matt Gray – Manager
One of the greatest managers in Sutton’s history, Gray oversaw the South London club’s first ever promotion to the football league. During his four years at the club he managed 226 matches and had a 39.82% win rate. Since his sacking in December 2023, the 43 year old has yet to take another managerial role.