1) Bosom buddy 2) Brother 3) Buddy 4) Chum 5) Close friend 6) Cohort 7) Confidante 8) Familiar friend 9) Favor-seeking sort 10) Friend 11) Good buddy 12) Inner circle member 13) Intimate 14) Intimate companion 15) Long time pal 16) Old chum 17) Old friend 18) Old pal 19) One of the gang 20) Patronage beneficiary Found on https://www.crosswordclues.com/clue/crony
Cro'ny noun ; plural Cronies (-n...z). [ Orig., an old woman. See Crone .] 1. A crone. [ Obsolete] 'Marry not an old crony .' Burton. 2. An intimate companion; a familiar frend . [ Colloq.] « He soon found his former cronies , though ... Found on http://www.encyclo.co.uk/webster/C/190