AFC Totton
YOUNG DEFENDER CHRISTOS BATZELIS has signed on the dotted line for National League South side AFC Totton.
Of Albanian heritage, Batzelis was born in Athens, Greece. He was part of the youth set-up at Swansea City and then at Watford before being elevated into The Hornets’ Under-18 team in 2021, playing primarily at left-back.
In June 2021, Batzelis made his international debut for Albania’s Under-19s against their Kosovo counterparts. He went on to win two further caps – both from matches also against Kosovo – in March 2022.
After being released by Watford he had a short spell in the Southern League Premier Division Central with Biggleswade Town in 2024/25, who were AFC Totton’s conquerors in the Third Round of the Isuzu FA Trophy in December 2024. He did not feature in the match at Langford Road and just a few days later, he joined Poole Town.
Batzelis settled in quickly at the Tatnam Ground to become an integral part of their defensive line, whether operating as a wing-back or a conventional full-back, and helped The Dolphins to secure their Southern League Premier Division South status with a comfortable midtable finish.
In the recent Retained List article published on the club’s website, Poole Town reported that Batzelis was offered a new deal but declined to extend his stay in Dorset, enabling Jimmy Ball to make his move to strengthen The Stags’ defensive ranks in time for the start of the 2025/26 campaign.
“I see a lot of potential in Christos, a player that I really took notice of last season,” explained the AFC Totton boss.
“Between myself and my management team, we watched him several times. He won the Player of the Month award four times in five months at Poole Town, so I was keen to do my background checks and all my homework on him, and everything I learned about him came back positive and very encouraging.
“I don’t want to put undue pressure on him but I believe we have signed a real gem of a player in Christos, who can come here and establish himself in our first team, and enjoy a bright future with this football club.”
AFC Totton would like to thank the player’s representatives Ali McGivney and Olu Durojaye for helping us to complete this deal.
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Images courtesy of Ian Middlebrook
