Match Information
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Cray Wanderers 0-2 Cray Valley (PM)
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When: Tuesday 13th August 2024
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Kick-off: 7.45pm
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Where: Flamingo Park, Sidcup By-Pass, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 6HL
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Competition: Isthmian League Premier Division
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Attendance: 840
It was a total honour for me to attend this fixture - the inaugural competitive match at Cray Wanderers’ new £5 million Flamingo Park home.
Wanderers no more, this brought to an end 26 years of groundsharing at Bromley FC. In fact, it is the first time London’s oldest football club – dating back to 1860 – have acquired a ground of their own in 164 years of existence.
I had previously visited the site in April 2021 to take a look around. On that occasion, scores of buses and lorries were parked on an extremely dusty area where the football pitch and stands were planned.
Building work duly started in late August 2023. So the progress since then has been remarkable to create a venue of Step 3 standard in the National Non-league Pyramid.
Ground Description
The main entrance off Sidcup By-Pass leads to spacious car parking provision. As for the stadium itself, a pre-existing 1930’s pavilion has been transformed to the tune of £140,000 incorporating new dressing rooms on the ground floor and a modern club bar upstairs.
Catering and refreshment outlets service a fan zone atop extensive terracing behind one goal. In addition, a 250-seater grandstand containing covered terracing at the back sits on the halfway line adjoining the 3G artificial pitch.
Outside, there are two full sized grass pitches plus four smaller sized pitches allowing Cray Wanderers to have their 43 youth teams all operating out of Flamingo Park alongside the first team and the women’s team.
This has enhanced a fantastic connection the club enjoy with AW Football Coaching School who give them three to four under-7’s teams of good standard each season.
Although ‘Phase One’ at Flamingo Park has now been completed, long-term ambitions feature planning permission for 48 houses behind the football complex.
Once they are built, funds will pay for a major new main stand on the dug-outs side of the pitch. This will include 750 seats, state of the art function facilities, classrooms for the academy and changing rooms.
Programme Details
Ample interesting reading material within 52 pages. On sale at £3 from the well-stocked club shop and printed by MK Publications.
What I really liked about this programme was the lavish historical content reflecting on the host club’s long and proud existence. Up to date teamsheets were available too.
The Match
A crowd of 600 to 700 was expected but 840 spectators turned up on the night. Whilst the game commenced, I heard the shout of: “Come on Cray…” to which someone else loudly replied “They’re both called Cray!”
Travelling less than three miles as the crow flies for this inaugural ‘El Crayssico’ encounter, Cray Valley Paper Mills (to give them their full name) were party poopers by dominating for long spells to upset any live betting patterns.
Indeed, the writing was on the wall when they rattled the post in a first half goalmouth scramble. Two goals subsequently followed in quick succession after the break.
On 58 minutes, Denzel Gayle cut in off the right flank and hammered a low shot inside the near post. Gayle turned provider two minutes later expertly crossing for Freddie Parker’s close range finish.
A sizeable away support rejoiced with mischievous chants of: “2-0 to the proper Cray…”, “There’s only one Cray in London…” and “2-0 on your big day out…” In truth, it was a fair result defying pre-match football betting odds.
The People
I arrived an hour before kick-off and was greeted by Cray Wanderers’ hands-on CEO Sam Wright working hard in front of the turnstiles to ensure the assembling crowd would easily gain access to the stadium.
Also, it was nice to chat with the club’s chairman Gary Hillman. He has been ‘Mr Cray Wanderers’ for the past 30 years and continues to drive everything forward.
Furthermore, an interested onlooker at Flamingo Park was the Isthmian League’s hard-working chair Nick Robinson.
Nick told me: “I am truly delighted to see Cray Wanderers at their own home after so long. The new ground is all that is needed for a club at this level to progress, allowing plenty of room for development when they go to the next step. It is great London’s oldest football team have the newest ground.”
Football grounds visited: 2,589
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Tony Incenzo*
