KIDS GET FIRST USE OF NEW GROUND AT CRAY
THE ground work for Cray Wanderers’ new community stadium complex is underway – and their Under 10s have already kicked off the new era!
Just over 12 months ago, the club, dubbed the oldest in London, was given the green light to build a new stadium at Flamingo Park having been homeless for 45 years.
Plans to build a new 1,300-capacity ground and community football pitches were backed by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and their new home is beginning to take shape.
Last week the club’s U10s made history by becoming the first of the club’s youth sides to play there while Tony Russell’s first team began training on the new site.
“We’re setting it all up, demolished some outbuildings and clearing a lot of rubbish off,” long-standing chairman Gary Hillman told The NLP. “We’re getting it all ready to go.
“We’ve done the grass for our youth teams and they are playing there. We’re getting a feel now that we’ve got a home for the first time.
“It’s been hard to establish an actual heart and soul when you’ve always been nomads all over the place but when you see the U10s play on your own actual pitch and when you’ve got a home, it’s much nicer.”
Hillman celebrated 25 years in charge of the club earlier this month and following promotion last season, the good times just keep on coming for Cray, who are now flying high in the BetVictor Isthmian League Premier.
“We’ve been really pleased with how we’ve got on,” added Hillman. “We’ve got the crux of last season’s team and improved on that. Obviously when you go up the priority is to stay up and that’s still the first priority.
“There’s people still around from day one and I know I’ve got the title of chairman but it’s all about the football club and the community and keeping it going.
“I always wanted it to become sustainable, on a sustainable model and if you’ve got the correct facilities, as we have now, then the sky’s the limit and we can see what happens in the coming years.”
Bromley councillors voted 11-3 in favour of the project earlier this year, which includes demolishing a nightclub and building new 3G pitches and homes.