Cray Wanderers announce end of ground sharing agreement with Bromley FC at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Cray Wanderers announce that the club is on target to start the 2024/25 season at their new ground at Flamingo Park, the first that the club has officially owned in their 164 year history.
Chairman Gary Hillman, who has been Chair since October 1994 said
“ I have spoken to Robin Stanton-Gleaves (Chairman) and Mark Hammond (CEO) at Bromley FC and given them an update on developments and building our new ground and informed them we are all on target to end our groundshare at Bromley FC at the end of the season”.
Cray Wanderers started groundsharing at Hayes Lane at the start of the 1998-99 season when the club moved from Oxford Road in Sidcup as it was a requirement of the Kent league to have floodlights and wasn’t possible to continue playing there.
Hillman said “ We’ve had twenty five great years at Hayes Lane with two Kent League Championships and two promotions to the Isthmian Premier (the third tier of non-league football) and it’s played an important part in keeping “London’s Oldest Football Club “ alive.
When we moved into Hayes Lane there were old condemned portacabin changing rooms and the ground was on the verge of being closed down by the league. Today it has better facilities than some EFL League One/Championship clubs and feel Cray Wanderers FC can also be proud of the part we have played in helping to improve the stadium and facilities.
I would like to thank Bromley FC Chairman’ over that time Eddy Davis, Jerry Dolke and Robin Stanton–Gleaves and also to the part the late Glyn Beverly made and who arranged with the Isthmian League to allow us to groundshare even though it wasn’t allowed at the time when we got promoted in 2003-04.
Glyn always said that Jack Pearce (Vice-Chairman of Bognor Regis Town FC/Ex-Isthmian League Committee member) was instrumental behind the scenes in playing a part in this so it’s somewhat fitting that currently our last game at Bromley FC is due to be against Bognor Regis on 20th April, 2024.
But it’s all about the future now and everyone at Cray Wanderers and in the Community are looking forward to the 2024 /25 season and for the first time in our 164 year that we will be playing at our own ground”.
