A new era for Cray Wanderers begins on Saturday as the Wands play their first pre-season game in the new stadium at Flamingo Park as the SE Dons are the visitors. Please note the 1 pm ko time.
This will be the first of six home pre-season games and a chance for players, the club and supporters alike to get in tune for the start of the Isthmian Premier League season on 10th August and become accustomed to the new home after playing at Hayes Lane from 1998-2024.
Wands boss, Neil Smith has been looking to build a new team but has been able to retain the services of goalkeeper Shaun Rowley and experienced players, Tom Bonner, Frankie Raymond, Anthony Cook, Nyren Clunis and last season’s player of the year David Ijaha. Joining the club are defender Quade Taylor from Corinthian Casuals, midfielder Jack Leahy from Lewes and forwards David Smith and Alex Teniola from Folkestone Invicta and Hashtag United respectively and both scored goals in double figures last season.
After Saturday, Cray will be at home to Sheffield FC in the Heritage Cup next Saturday, then are away to VCD Athletic on 18th July and then at home to Bromley U21s (20th July), Millwall XI (23rd July), Crystal Palace XI (26th July) and Tottenham Hotspur XI (6th August).
Also starting on a new adventure are the Wands opponents SE Dons who after ten years as a Sunday League club have taken the step up to Saturday senior football in the SCEFL Division One in partnership with Forest Hill Park FC playing at the Ladywell Arena. The Dons are managed by former Wands U18s coach, Mark Dacey who was appointed towards the end of June and looking to recruit positively for the season ahead.
The SE Dons were founded in 2014 by rapper Don Strapzy and competed around the Lewisham area in Sunday league football and successfully used the medium of social media and YouTube to film their matches which became a viral sensation and led to thousands of watchers which led to increased attendance at their matches.
The club competed in the Orpington and Bromley District Sunday League and won the Kent County Cup in 2019, the Paul Pericard Cup in 2019 and 2020 and were league champions in 2020-21 and 21-22 and briefly had a ground share arrangement to play on the grass pitch at Flamingo Park and the Plumstead Cup in 2023. In 2022 they moved to the Sunday Football League and finished 2nd in 2022-23 and 3rd last season but under Chairman, Andy Ansah have decided to set their sights on climbing the league pyramid over the next few years and will certainly create plenty of noise along the way.
For supporters, gates open at 11 am, there will be an ITV London News team recording from this time, then at 11.30 am there will be live music from The Brockalites. Following the game for supporters who wish to stay on for a while, England v Switzerland will be shown on the screens from 5 pm.
Admission £10 adults, £5 concessions, £2 U18s on the gate or online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets/
DIRECTIONS TO FLAMINGO PARK
Cray Wanderers FC – Flamingo Park Sports & Leisure – Sidcup By-Pass, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 6HL
Flamingo Park lies on the A20 and is the home of Cray Wanderers and from the 2024-25 season used by the first team, U23s, Youth Team games, the Women’s team, Academy side and the club house hosts live music and private events. For the 2024-25 season Bexley FC will also play their Kent County League Premier games at Flamingo Park.
By car
From Kent – Via M20 or A2
M20 – Follow the M20 for 16.8 miles then continue on to A20 for 3.6 miles then continue on to Sidcup By-Pass Road/A20 for 1.9 miles. Continue onto Sidcup By-Pass/A20 for 0.3 miles then take a left into the ground entrance and another left for the car park.
A2 – Get on the M2 from A229 for 5.1 miles. After merging onto the M2 after 5.5 miles continue onto Watling Street/A2 for 8.7 miles. Use the left lane to take the M25 (S) slip road to M23 for 0.7 miles. Merge onto the M25 for 2.4 miles then at junction 3, exit towards A20/London (SE)/Swanley for 0.3 miles. At the Swanley interchange, take the 5th exit onto the A20 slip road to London (SE)/Lewisham for 0.8 miles. Merge onto the A20 for 3.5 miles then continue onto Sidcup By-Pass Road/A20 for 1.9 miles. Continue onto Sidcup By-Pass/A20 for 0.3 miles then take a left into the ground entrance and another left for the car park.
From London, North & West
Via A20 – If traveling from London take A3212, A302 and Westminster Bridge Road and at the roundabout take the 3rd exit onto St. George’s Circus/A201 and after 0.3 miles turn left onto New Kent Road/A201 for 0.5 miles. Then keep right staying on New Kent Road/A201 for 0.4 miles and then onto Old Kent Road/A2 for 2.6 miles. Take a slight right onto Amersham Road/A2/A20 then a left onto Amersham Road/A20 for 0.2 miles. Take a slight right onto Lewisham Way/A20 for 1.1 miles and then use the left 3 lanes to turn left onto Rennell Street/A20 for 1.9 miles. Use the right 2 lanes to turn slightly onto Sidcup Road/A20 for 0.3 miles then at the roundabout take the 2nd exit and stay on Sidcup Road/A20 for 3.7 miles. Then take the A222 towards Bromley/Chislehurst/Sidcup for 0.2 miles then at Frognal Corner Roundabout take the 4th exit onto the A20 slip road to C. London/Lewisham for 0.3 miles. Then merge onto the Sidcup By-Pass Road/A20 for 0.6 miles and then onto the Sidcup By-Pass for 0.3 miles. Then take a left into the entrance to the ground and another left into the car park.
From Essex/East Anglia
Via A13 – If traveling from Essex/East Anglia get onto the A13 for 11.6 miles. Use the left lane to take the M25 (N)/M25 (S) slip road to M11/M1/Stansted Airport/Dartford Crossing/A282 for 0.2 miles. At Mardyke Junction take the 1st exit for 0.3 miles and then use the right lane to take the A282 slip road to M25 (S)/Dartford Crossing then keep right at the fork to continue towards A282 for 3.8 miles. Use the right 3 lanes to stay on A282 then follow signs for M20/M23/Gatwick Airport /M25/Channel Tunnel/Dover for 0.6 miles. Continue onto M25 (signs for Dover/M20/Channel Tunnel/M23 for 3.3 miles. At junction 3 exit towards A20/London (SE)/Swanley for 0.3 miles and at Swanley Interchange take the 5th exit onto the A20 slip road to London (SE)/Lewisham for 0.8 miles. Then merge onto the A20 for 3.5 miles, continue onto Sidcup By-Pass Rd/A20 for 1.9 miles and then continue onto the Sidcup By-Pass for 0.3 miles then turn left into the entrance to the ground and then a left into the car park.
From: Sussex/South
If traveling from Sussex/South best get on Hastings Road/Pembury By-Pass/A21 in Kent from A267 and after 9.4 miles continue straight onto Sevenoaks Bypass/A21 for 3.8 miles and then keep right to continue onto M25. After 7.9 miles at junction 3 use the left 2 lanes to take the A20 exit to London/Lewisham/Channel Tunnel/Maidstone/M20 for 0.3 miles. At Swanley Interchange take the 2nd exit onto the A20 slip road to London (SE)/Lewisham for 0.5 miles. Merge onto the A20 for 3.5 miles, continue onto Sidcup By-Pass Rd/A20 for 1.9 miles and then continue onto the Sidcup By-Pass for 0.3 miles then turn left into the entrance to the ground and then a left into the car park.
By Train – Nearest BR Station – New Eltham – 1 mile. Trains from London Charing Cross/London Cannon Street/London Bridge or from Dartford/Gravesend.
From the station walk south-east onto Foots Cray Road/A211 for 0.3 miles then turn right onto Thaxted Road for 0.2 miles. Then turn left towards Sidcup Road/A20 and cross over the pedestrian footbridge and take a sharp and then a slight right towards Sidcup Road/A20 for 0.4 miles and then turn right and then a left into the entrance to the ground.
By Bus – The best bet is to get the 233 from Swanley, Sidcup, Eltham or New Eltham which stops on Thaxted Road but is around 0.8 miles to the ground. The 160 from Carlton Road, Sidcup stops at Montbelle Road or the 162 from New Eltham Station which also stops at the Five Ways roundabout or Montbelle Road and is around a 22 minutes walk to the ground.
Nearest Hotel: Premier Inn London-Eltham
738 Sidcup Road, Eltham, London SE9 3NS – 20 minutes walk to the ground
https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/england/greater-london/london/london-eltham.html
