Cray Wanderers F.C. Explained

Clubname:Cray Wanderers
Fullname:Cray Wanderers Football Club
Nickname:The Wands
Founded:[1] traditionally
Ground:Flamingo Park, Chislehurst
Capacity:2,500 (299 seated)
Chairman:Gary Hillman
Manager:Neil Smith
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Website:http://www.cray-wanderers.com/

Cray Wanderers Football Club is an English semi-professional football club based in Chislehurst, London.[2] [3] Based on later reports, the club has a claim to have been established some time in 1860 in the twin villages of St Mary Cray and St Paul's Cray, near Orpington.[4] Such a date would make it one of the oldest football clubs in the world.

As of the 2024–25 season, the club play their home matches at the Flamingo Park stadium on the A20 in Chislehurst, the first ground Cray Wanderers have owned in their 164 year history.[5]

Cray Wanderers were Kent League champions four times, and have reached the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup twice in their history. The club currently play in the .

Badge

The badge of Cray Wanderers is based on the coat of arms of Orpington Urban District, before the 1965 Greater London expansion, in yellow and black with 'CRAY WANDERERS FC' and 'Founded 1860' encompassing the crest.[6]

Today, the coat of arms of Orpington is no longer used, as it was replaced with the London Borough of Bromley coat of arms. Although Cray Wanderers still use the crest today, recently their badge was altered for a simplified design, which can be found on all digital platforms.[7]

History

The first origins of Cray Wanderers are linked to the construction of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway line during 1858 to 1860.[1] During their leisure time, migrant workers kicked a ball around, and that is how the club originated in the St Mary Cray village. The pitch at Star Lane is now a cemetery, and is located beneath the nine-arch railway viaduct that spans the Cray Valley. The industrial belt of the River Cray, especially the paper mills, provided much of the club's support up until the 1950s.

Cray Wanderers were a strong force in senior county football at the turn of the century. After being Kent Junior Cup semi-finalists and finalists in 1890–91 and 1891–92, they entered the first ever FA Amateur Cup competition in 1893–94. They had a spell as a professional club between 1895 and 1907. They were a nursery club for Woolwich Arsenal during part of this period. They were one of the founder members of the Kent League in 1894–95, and they won the championship in 1901–02. Other honours included Southern Suburban League champions in 1898–99, West Kent League champions in 1903–04, and Kent Senior Cup runners-up in 1899–1900.

After World War I, Cray switched to the London League where they remained until 1934. In the 1930–31 season, they won the Kent Amateur Cup. Cray rejoined the Kent League in 1934–35, but their four-year stay came to grief when 1936 saw the loss of the Fordcroft ground in Cray Avenue, their home since 1898. Cray were forced to drop into a lower level of football, drifting from one temporary pitch to another while the club committee dwindled to a perilously small number. The team struggled badly in the South London Alliance and the Kent Amateur League.

In 1936, under Harry Taylor's guidance, the Orpington & District Amateur Boxing Club organised various tournaments to raise funds for Cray Wanderers Football Club, ensuring its survival during the challenging times.[8]

1951-52 heralded a new era, and an upturn in the club's fortunes, when local businessman Mick Slater took over at the helm. The club was elected to the London League and regained its senior status. Cray moved to a new ground at Grassmeade in 1955. Their stay there was a very successful period in the club's history. Drawing extra support from the commuter town of Orpington, they played in the London League and then the Aetolian League. They were three times crowned champions, won the League Cup twice, and also won the Kent Amateur Cup three times.

Cray switched to the semi-professional Metropolitan League for five seasons commencing in 1966–67. In 1971–72, the Met London League was created by a merger of the Metropolitan League and the Greater London League.

Cray moved to Oxford Road in 1973–74. Johnny Biddle and Jimmy Wakeling proved to be successful managers. In 1974/75 Cray won the Met London League and League Cup, scoring 170 goals in all matches that season. In 1976–77 and 1977–78, Cray won the London Spartan League championship.

Cray decided to return to the Kent League in 1978–79. Success came quickly because Cray won the championship in 1980/81, having been runners-up the year before. Their powerful new team under manager Harry Richardson reached the FA Vase quarter-final and 5th round in those two seasons. After that, the 1980s decade brought only one more piece of silverware, the Kent League Cup in 1983–84. After finishing Kent League runners up in 1990/91, Cray had a lean period during most of the 1990s, with the exception of 1992–93 when they won the Kent Senior Trophy.

A new club chairman Gary Hillman arrived in 1994/95 and Ian Jenkins, a Cray player since 1993, was appointed manager in 1999. By now, Cray were tenants of Bromley F.C. As champions of the Kent League in 2002–03 and 2003–04, also reaching the FA Vase quarter-final, they achieved promotion into the Isthmian League Division One.

In the 2007–08 season Cray reached the play-off final after finishing 3rd in the table, but lost to Tooting & Mitcham United 1–0 at Imperial Fields. They also reached the Kent Senior Cup final, played at Hayes Lane on 26 July, where they lost to Ebbsfleet United 4–0.[9] Cray again reached the play-off final the following year, in which they beat Metropolitan Police 1–0 and were promoted to the Isthmian League Premier Division.

Cray Wanderers celebrated their 150th anniversary during the summer of 2010, including friendlies against the other two oldest clubs in the world, Sheffield and Hallam, in a three-team tournament.

Ian Jenkins, who had managed the club for 14 years, left in September 2013.[10] Keith Bird and Mike Paye, managers of Bromley's reserve team, were appointed as manager and assistant manager respectively. The team was relegated into the Isthmian League Division One North at the end of April 2014. Gary Abbott and Mike Paye became joint managers of the team at the start of October 2014. On 5 January 2015 the club appointed Tommy Warrilow as the new manager. Warrilow masterminded a dramatic "Great Escape" from a second successive relegation as the team won their last ten games of the season.

Former player Tony Russell took over for the 2015–16 season, guiding the team to fourth place in Division One North. Cray therefore qualified for the promotion play-offs but lost to Harlow Town. Two years later, they reached the play-offs again, this time after finishing 3rd in Division One South, but lost 5–2 to Walton Casuals. On 13 April 2019, Cray secured their return to the Premier Division with a 3–1 win over Ashford United to win the inaugural Division One South-East title.[11] The following season, Cray were challenging for a second successive promotion when the season was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[12]

Neil Smith was appointed as manager towards the end of the 2021–22 season[13] and the following year led Cray to the highest league finish in their history (5th). The Wands lost on penalties to Hornchurch in the play-off semi-final.[14]

League history

Information taken from club stats book.[15]

Season ! League contested Played ! Won Drawn ! Lost For ! Against Points ! Final league position
42 13 11 18 54 6650 17th of 22
42 20 14 8 78 4874 5th of 22
42 10 9 23 64 8536 19th of 22
2020–21 Isthmian League Premier Division 7 5 0 2 21 10 15 Season curtailed
2019–20 Isthmian League Premier Division 33 18 10 5 63 45 64 2nd of 22 Season abandoned
36 25 7 4 79 35 82 1st of 19 Promoted
46 25 14 7 112 46 89 3rd of 24
46 19 11 16 88 86 68 11th of 24
46 27 9 10 98 52 90 4th of 24
46 14 10 22 77 86 52 16th of 24
46 7 5 34 40 137 26 24th of 24 Relegated
42 10 13 19 60 85 43 17th of 22
42 20 8 14 74 55 68 9th of 22 - 42 20 9 13 72 46 69 9th of 22 - 42 14 9 19 54 70 51 15th of 22 - 42 24 7 11 87 54 79 - 42 25 11 6 87 42 86 3rd of 22 - 42 14 12 16 67 69 54 12th of 22 - 44 20 8 16 80 74 68 11th of 23 - 42 19 16 7 95 54 73 6th of 22 - 2003–04 32 22 4 6 88 35 70 - 2002–03 29 19 5 5 68 23 62 1st of 16 - 2001–02 30 15 6 9 56 44 51 5th of 16 - 2000–01 32 10 5 17 39 46 35 12th of 17 - 1999–00 34 10 3 21 42 80 33 13th of 18 - 1998–99 36 8 9 19 53 66 35 14th of 19 - 1997–98 42 20 11 11 70 50 71 6th of 22 - 1996–97 40 11 6 23 43 66 39 18th of 21 - 1995–96 38 16 5 17 70 70 50 12th of 20 - 1994–95 40 6 14 20 45 76 32 19th of 21 - 1993–94 40 11 9 20 37 65 42 17th of 21 - 1992–93 40 10 8 22 64 79 38 17th of 21 - 1991–92 40 8 7 25 38 84 31 18th of 21 - 1990–91 40 27 11 2 91 33 92 2nd of 21 - 1989–90 38 7 11 20 48 74 32 18th of 20 - 1988–89 38 19 7 12 67 53 64 7th of 20 - 1987–88 36 16 7 13 72 51 55 7th of 19 - 1986–87 34 12 8 14 56 48 44 10th of 18 - 1985–86 34 9 12 13 34 51 39 14th of 18 - 1984–85 32 17 2 13 59 51 53 5th of 17 - 1983–84 30 14 7 9 66 40 49 4th of 16 - 1982–83 32 12 10 10 65 53 34 8th of 17 - 1981–82 30 13 6 11 51 40 32 8th of 16 - 1980–81 32 24 5 3 92 27 53 1st of 17 - 1979–80 32 20 9 3 80 25 49 2nd of 17 - 1978–79 34 9 9 16 50 65 27 14th of 18 - 1977-78 London Spartan League Premier Division
(renamed from Division One) 		30 21 5 4 74 30 47 1st of 16
1976-77 30 23 3 4 66 21 49 1st of 16
1975-76 30 11 9 10 55 55 31 6th of 16
1974-75 38 32 4 2 128 36 68 1st of 20
1973-74 26 14 5 7 62 42 33 4th of 14
1972-73 26 16 2 8 46 28 34 4th of 14
1971-72 26 15 1 10 59 38 31 4th of 14
22 12 3 7 45 36 27 4th of 12
28 8 5 15 34 52 21 13th of 15
30 11 5 14 49 49 27 12th of 16
26 12 8 6 50 35 32 4th of 14
32 14 6 12 60 75 34 9th of 17
26 19 4 3 57 30 42 1st of 14
22 16 3 3 66 25 35 2nd of 12
1963-64 22 15 5 2 76 27 35 3rd of 12
1962-63 24 16 5 3 58 30 37 1st of 13
1961-62 26 12 4 10 60 52 28 7th of 14
1960-61 24 14 3 7 79 52 31 3rd of 13
1959-60 26 11 2 13 52 56 24 9th of 14
1958-59 28 15 4 9 79 51 34 3rd of 15
1957-58 30 23 5 2 102 35 51 1st of 16
1956-57 28 23 2 3 118 54 48 1st of 15
1955-56 24 14 4 6 50 37 32 3rd of 13
1954-55 22 16 3 3 53 29 35 2nd of 12
1953-54 26 15 6 5 66 46 36 2nd of 14
1952-53 30 9 6 15 56 60 24 12th of 16
1951-52 28 10 4 14 52 72 24 10th of 15
1950-51 27 18 1 8 75 47 39 2nd of 15
1949-50 26 2 4 20 24 88 8 14th of 14
1948-49 25 1 5 19 27 103 7 14th of 14
1947-48 26 3 4 19 53 107 10 13th of 14
1946-47 22 5 2 15 55 81 12 11th of 12
1945-46 25 15 4 6 91 58 34 2nd of 14
1944-45 22 13 1 8 79 50 27 5th of 13
1943-44 23 10 7 6 56 46 27 5th of 13
1938-39 24 13 2 9 61 56 26 6th of 13
1937-38 32 5 1 26 39 130 11 17th of 17
1936-37 32 3 4 25 55 164 10 17th of 17
1935-36 36 16 7 13 62 83 39 7th of 19
1934-35 36 13 1 22 63 106 27 17th of 19
1933-34 26 4 4 18 41 97 12 14th of 14
1932-33 26 9 5 12 54 58 23 9th of 14
1931-32 26 6 4 16 56 104 16 13th of 14
1930-31 26 9 4 13 45 55 22 9th of 14
1929-30 26 8 3 15 55 68 19 12th of 14
1928-29 24 13 4 7 84 56 30 4th of 13
1927-28 24 12 6 6 55 78 60 3rd of 13
1926-27 26 12 2 12 80 76 26 9th of 14
1925-26 26 13 4 9 54 50 30 5th of 14
1924-25 26 8 4 14 46 60 20 5th of 14
1923-24 30 8 6 16 36 54 22 12th of 16
1922-23 30 10 1 19 58 87 21 13th of 16
1921-22 30 21 3 6 87 40 45 3rd of 16 Promoted
1920-21 30 14 9 7 88 54 37 4th of 16
1913-14
18
20
13
42
56		48
43		19
26		6th of 10
4th of 11
1912-13 28 6 5 17 41 74 17 15th of 15 Relegated
1911-12 28 8 4 16 44 69 20 14th of 15
1910-11
10
8
8		7
5
5		0
1
1		3
2
2		29
10
26		19
6
20		14
11
11		2nd of 6 Promoted
2nd of 5
1st of 5
1909-10
16
12		9
7		2
1		5
4		36
47		20
29		20
15		2nd of 9
3rd of 7
1908-09
20
10		6
6		5
2		9
2		40
23		53
16		17
14		5th of 11
2nd of 6
1907-08
20
6		3
2		5
0		12
4		21
7		62
12		11
4		10th of 11
4th of 4
1906-07
14
20		4
5		1
6		9
9		20
24		51
38		9
16		7th of 8
7th of 11
1905-06 West Kent League Division One 14 8 2 4 40 17 18 3rd of 8
1904-05 West Kent League Division One 20 12 2 6 50 26 26 3rd of 11
1903-04 West Kent League Division One 14 12 2 0 47 13 26 1st of 8
1902-03
16
14		5
11		1
0		10
3		24
33		43
11		11
2		6th of 9
2nd of 8
1901-02
20
12		15
9		2
2		3
1		69
36		21
16		32
20		1st of 11
2nd of 7
1900-01
16
10		7
3		0
2		9
5		27
16		33
19		14
8		6th of 9
4th of 6
1899-1900 19 5 2 12 24 49 12 10th of 11
1898-99
24
13		8
12		8
0		8
1		47
51		58
17		24
24		9th of 13
1st of 8
1897-98
14
10		3
5		3
2		8
3		26
22		36
14		9
12		7th of 8
2nd of 6
1896-97
16
16		6
9		1
3		9
4		44
42		37
18		13
21		7th of 9
3rd of 9
1895-96 16 12 0 4 56 21 24 3rd of 9 Promoted
16 10 2 4 48 25 22 3rd of 9

Grounds

Cray Wanderers currently play their home games at Flamingo Park, Chislehurst.

Cray started playing football at Star Lane, St Mary Cray, now a cemetery. After playing at numerous other grounds in St Mary Cray and Foots Cray, Cray played at Grassmeade from 1954 to 1973, after which they moved to Oxford Road, Sidcup. Unfortunately for the club, in 1998 the Kent League ruled that clubs must have floodlighting. As Cray were unable to have lights installed, they were forced to move out and share the Hayes Lane ground of Bromley, although their reserve and youth teams continued to play at the former ground until 2011, when it was taken over by Seven Acre Sports & Sidcup.[16]

In the summer of 2008, Cray announced plans to move to a new stadium near Orpington by 2014.[17] [18] Official plans published on the club's official website on 18 February 2009 confirmed that the new ground at Sandy Lane would be open by 2014, for the 2014–15 season, subject to planning consent.[19] The stadium, which was proposed to be part of a new "Sports Village-like complex" was designed to be eco-friendly and to be built to an initial Conference standard.

The bid was rejected unanimously, by all councillors on Bromley Council's Development Control Committee on Thursday 20 September 2012. This was for a number of reasons, but mainly because the club was hoping to build a Football League sized stadium, using the profits from building nearly 200 houses and a large hotel on Green Belt land.

In the debate on the application, which was opposed by the Police and the GLA as well as other bodies, it was clear that Councillors were supportive of a proposal to relocate Cray Wanderers to a new home in St Paul's Cray, but not to the building of houses, a hotel and another swimming pool, given that LA Leisure already have a swimming pool opposite the site, in order to fund it.[20]

On 3 October 2014, Cray Wanderers signed a conditional contract to purchase Flamingo Park Sports Centre, historically in Foots Cray parish on the A20 Sidcup bypass. The club had an 18-month period to obtain planning consent from Bromley Council for a new sporting community hub, featuring a new multi-sport stadium with a spectator capacity of 1,300. This was achieved in April 2016, when the council approved the proposal.[21] There was disappointment when the application was later refused by the Mayor of London and a revised set of plans were being prepared in 2017.[22] These were finally approved in November 2018.[23] Building work on the new stadium began in August 2023.[24]

On 9 February 2024, the club announced that the 2023–24 season would be their final one groundsharing with Bromley and that they would move into their new stadium for the beginning of the 2024–25 season.[25]

Academy

The Cray Wanderers Academy, based at Coopers School, Chislehurst, was established in January 2009 by representatives of the club (Gary Hillman and Darren Anslow) and school (Oliver Hobbs and Shirley Puxty). The academy competed in the Isthmian Youth League from the 2009–10 season, finishing second. In its first season it already showed signs of success, with youngster George Porter breaking into the senior first team in the academy's first season, impressing to the extent that he was signed by professional club Leyton Orient at the end of the season. Several other players have made first team appearances during the first season.

It was decided at the beginning of 2016 that this arrangement with Coopers School would come to an end. As from the 2022 - 23 season Cray Wanderers will be again running a football youth academy out of their new stadium at Flamingo Park.

Women's team

In 2023 Cray Wanderers established a women's team for the first time, entering the South East Counties Women's League Kent Division 1 West.[26] They were crowned league champions after a 6–0 victory in their final game of the season.[27]

Honours

1901–02, 1980–81, 2002–03, 2003–04

1956–57, 1957–58

1962–63

1965–66

1974–75

1976–77, 1977–78

1992–92, 2003–04

1930–31, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65

Current squad

[28]

Club staff

PositionName
Club Management
Manager Neil Smith
Assistant Manager Tim O'Shea
Goalkeeper Coach Alfie George
Physio Ally Maloney
Kit Man Paddy Gray
Board
Chairman Gary Hillman
Vice-chairman David Francis
President Keith Reeve
Life President Kerry Phillips
Chief Executive Officer
Director		 Sam Wright
Directors Mick Paye
Jason Miller
Club Secretary
Match Secretary		 Martin Hodson

Records

Player records

Managerial history

Information from new club history published in 2024.[29]

DatesNamePWDLWin %
1958–1960Peter Long542662248.15
1960–1961Charlie Prior24143758.33
1961–1966Arthur Baron13181232761.83
1967–1969Norman Golding7734172644.16
1969–1971Jack Payne683492550.00
1972Jim Paris (caretaker)810712.50
1972–1975Johnny Biddle9062111768.89
1975–1978Jimmy Wakeling9055171861.11
1978Bobby Sustins811612.50
1978–1979Albert Dorey1856727.78
1979Alan Williams (caretaker)832350.00
1979–1981Harry Richardson644414668.75
1981–1986Alan Payne15061345540.67
1986Trevor Willis (caretaker)843150.00
1986–1991Peter Gaydon18681446143.55
1991–1994Eddie Davies13230267622.73
1994–1996Alan Whitehead6621172831.82
1996–1997Glen Cooper401162327.50
1997–1998John Roseman4220111147.62
1998–1999Ian Jenkins36891922.22
1999Fabio Rossi710614.29
1999–2013Ian Jenkins54624511718444.87
2013–2014Keith Bird45853217.78
2014Michael Paye and Gary Abbott151776.67
2015Tommy Warrilow21112852.38
2015–2021Tony Russell214119514455.61
2021Danny Kedwell19431221.05
2021–2022Grant Basey (Interim)1755729.41
2022–Neil Smith9034263037.78

(includes league games only)

Notes and References

  1. http://www.cray-wanderers.com/ Official website
  2. Web site: Official Website .
  3. Web site: Live Events .
  4. Book: Vain Games of No Value by Terry Morris . Author House. 2016 . 9781504998529. 15 September 2016.
  5. Book: Wandering No More! Compiled by Peter Goringe . Cray 150 Publications . 2024 . 9780995575981. 12 July 2024.
  6. https://www.footballcrests.com/clubs/cray-wanderers-fc Cray Wanderers F.C.
  7. https://www.cray-wanderers.com/revamped-club-crest-logo/ Revamped Club Crest / Logo
  8. News: VILLAGE HALL BOXING. SPIRITED CONTESTS. . 5 June 1936 . Bromley & West Kent Mercury . Mr. Harry Taylor's boxing programme attraeted an enthusiastic crowd to Orpington Village Hall on Thursday last week. and if they were inclined to give spirited advice and criticism to combatants it showed at least ....
  9. Web site: Match Report: Cray Wanderers 0 Ebbsfleet United 4 . Official Website . 2008-09-20.
  10. http://www.kentishfootball.co.uk/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9312&Itemid=38 Kentishfootball.co.uk
  11. https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/otherfootball/17573081.cray-wanderers-3-1-ashford-united/ Cray Wanderers 3-1 Ashford United
  12. https://www.betvictoristhmian.co.uk/match-info/tables
  13. http://kentishfootball.co.uk/news/craywanderers220322/ Cray Wanderers pull off managerial coup with Neil Smith becoming their third manager of the season
  14. http://kentishfootball.co.uk/news/horncray260423/ Hornchurch 3-3 Cray Wanderers
  15. Web site: Cray Wanderers – A Complete Statistical Record. Cray 150 Publications . 2014 . 2014-10-31.
  16. Web site: Club History (brief). Sporting Club Thamesmead F.C. . 2016-11-16.
  17. Web site: Chairman has grounds for optimism ahead of play-offs . Kentishfootball . 28 April 2008 . 2008-07-26 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090904013001/http://www.kentishfootball.co.uk/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3051&Itemid=38 . 4 September 2009 .
  18. Web site: Jenkins faces Cup Final selection dilemma . Kentishfootball . 13 July 2008 . 2008-07-26 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090904013006/http://kentishfootball.co.uk/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3288&Itemid=38 . 4 September 2009 .
  19. Web site: Cray Stop Wandering After 40 Years! . Official Website . 18 February 2009 . 2009-02-18 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090223074138/http://www.craywands.co.uk/component/content/article/102-nowander . 23 February 2009 .
  20. Web site: Cray Wanderers fail with Sandy Lane Stadium Bid . News Shopper . 2024-07-12.
  21. Web site: Bromley Council approve planning permission for Flamingo Park . Official website . 19 April 2016 . 2016-04-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160426153445/http://www.cray-wanderers.com/bromley-council-approve-planning-approval/ . 26 April 2016 . dead .
  22. Web site: Stadium updates . Official website . 13 April 2017 . 2017-05-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170907071529/http://www.cray-wanderers.com/stadium-updates/ . 7 September 2017 . dead .
  23. Web site: Cray Wanderers get Mayor's backing for new stadium at Flamingo Park . News Shopper . 27 November 2018 . 2019-03-06.
  24. Web site: The Wands get a home!. Club website . 11 August 2023 . 2023-10-05.
  25. Web site: The End Of An Era. www.cray-wanderers.com. 9 February 2024. 9 February 2024.
  26. https://www.cray-wanderers.com/cwfc-qr/ Cray Wanderers Women's 1st Team
  27. Web site: Congratulations Cray Wanderers women. www.cray-wanderers.com. 28 April 2024. 29 April 2024.
  28. https://www.cray-wanderers.com/teams/first-team/ First team
  29. Book: Wandering No More! Compiled by Peter Goringe . Cray 150 Publications . 2024 . 9780995575981. 12 July 2024.

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