Cray Wanderers F.C.
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| Cray Wanderers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Cray Wanderers Football Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nickname(s) | The Wands | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Founded | 1860[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ground | Hayes Lane, Bromley (Capacity 5,000) |
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| Chairman | Gary Hillman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manager | Ian Jenkins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | Isthmian League Division One South | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–08 | Isthmian League Division One South, 3rd | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Cray Wanderers F.C. are an English semi-professional football (soccer) club. One of the oldest football clubs in the world, they were established in 1860 in the twin villages of St. Mary Cray and St Paul's Cray, both near Orpington in the postal County of Kent. They currently play their home matches at Bromley's Hayes Lane ground (capacity 5,000).
Cray Wanderers were Kent League champions four times, and have reached the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup once in their history. They are currently members of the Isthmian League Division One South.
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[edit] History
Cray Wanderers F.C. was formed in 1860 by workers building a railway from London to the Kent coast.[1] In 1894 they joined the first incarnation of the Kent League, where they were champions in 1901-02. At this time the club was operating on a full-time professional basis and also acted as a feeder club to Woolwich Arsenal. After World War I the team switched to the London League but returned to the Kent League in 1934.
In 1937 Wanderers lost the use of their Fordcroft ground in St. Mary Cray and were forced to drop into amateur leagues such as the Kent Amateur League whilst using various temporary grounds. They finally regained their senior status, and also rejoined the London League, in 1951, finding a new home at Grassmeade three years later.
Cray were London League champions in 1956-57 and 1957-58, and in 1959 became founder members of the Aetolian League, where they were champions in 1962-63. Shortly after this the Aetolian League merged with the London League to form the Greater London League, where Cray played until they moved to the Metropolitan League in 1966. This league merged with the Greater London League in 1971 to form the Metropolitan-London League, which in turn merged with the Spartan League to form the London Spartan League in 1975.
Cray were London Spartan League champions in 1976-77 and again the following season, after which they joined the reformed Kent League, where they were to remain until 2004. They were league champions in 1980-81 but then endured a long barren spell until they won the title again in 2002-03 and again in 2003-04, the second title win earning them a place in the Isthmian League, where they play to this day.
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.
[edit] Club records
- Best league performance: 3rd in Isthmian League Division One South, 2007-08
- Best FA Cup performance: 4th qualifying round, 2005-06
- Best FA Trophy performance: 2nd round, 2004-05
- Best FA Vase performance: Quarter-finals, 1979-80, 2003-04[2]
[edit] Grounds
Cray played at Grassmeade from 1954 to 1973, after which they moved to Oxford Road. 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 still play at the former ground.
[edit] Notable former players
- Sam Wood - Came through youth ranks at Cray before joining landlords Bromley in 2005. Signed for Brentford in May 2008.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Official website
- ^ Cray Wanderers at the Football Club History Database
