Cray Wanderers – In Memoriam – Peter Jackson
All at Cray are saddened to announce the passing of the Wands Life President Peter Jackson at the age of 71.
Peter had a 50 year association with Cray Wanderers dating back to 1973 when his brother Dave played in goal for the Wands in the final year at Grassmeade. He remained an incredible ambassador for the club ever since with the Jackson’s family involvement with the club through the 1980’s with Dave returning in goal in 1979 and Peter was a major player behind the scenes as a fan and as a committee member.
With Cray looking to progress into higher leagues the club were hampered by the inadequacy of Oxford Road as a ground, despite this Peter put his heart and soul into the club on match days as a groundsman and gate man helping out at a ground unloved by visitors but adored by Peter, the staff and Wands fans. Peter was assisted along this course by the likes of Jerry Dowlen, Keith Reeve, Chris Daniels and Kerry Phillips, a bright new secretary of the club from 1991 who helped the club to prosper and do things in a professional manner and Peter and Kerry remained close friends until Kerry’s passing almost a year ago in March 2024. This continued into 1998 and the club groundsharing at Hayes Lane and remained gate man until 2022.
Peter’s working life saw him in the print industry and was a proud union man and champion of the industry and certainly no lover of the Prime Minster of the time. His links to the industry helped the club with printing costs for the match programme thereby keeping
costs low when times at the club especially in the early 90’s was tough to say the least. In later years away from the Wands Peter had an association with the Cons Club in Dartford firstly as a patron and later a part of the committee and was also a keen ballroom dancer and darts player.
Peter is possibly the funniest man I have ever met in football. Sometimes his humour was bordering on the acceptable side of sarcasm but once you got his humour, subtle as a rubber cosh put downs and deciphering what was true or false you were with him for life. The first time I remember meeting him was when I was introduced by John Whitnell in 2011 he saw the potential in me getting involved with the team but because of my allegiance to Arsenal played it down and made it clear I couldn’t possibly be accepted. I also said I was undecided about getting involved because it was either going to be Cray or Whitstable Town. Peter said you should go with us because Whitstable are not very good, or words to that effect.
Peter and the Committee – 2004-05-Tony Lettington, Martin Hodson, Barry Lambert, Jerry Dowlen, Steven Hodson, Greg Mann, Pete Goringe, Dave Jackson
His anti Arsenal stance made me think he must have been a Spurs fan or at least a Paxton Lane regular but much to my shock he had a soft spot for Man United (Sir Alex’s United not this current mob) through his friendship with the late Barry Lambert but admitted he was a York City supporter. In a rare breach of protocol for Peter (something if we did it he wouldn’t accept) went to watch York play at Bromley once Bromley reached the National League instead of coming to Cray but that was a one off.
His humour was piercing and he had a delivery that could make an innocuous comment seem funny, i.e. one time John Whitnell, father of Tommy and something of a confidence guru for me was chatting to me at Harrow Borough about his holiday in Las Vegas and how he saw the Jersey Boys perform there. Peter said the Jersey Boys also played in Dartford which in itself is not that funny but the way he said it made it sound like something so preposterous you just fell about laughing.
Peter middle at Moneyfields in 2017 with Pete Goringe, John McArthur, Mark Hunt, Jon Smith, Adrian Jewell and Derek Pullman
He also said the funniest thing I’ve ever heard in football when at a Cons Club 100 Club draw at the prospect of the working week being reduced he remembered the three day week in the 1970’s which so annoyed him as at the time only worked two days a week.
His football knowledge of local and non league football was unparalleled and could remember club officials from teams either still going or now defunct and an incredible knowledge for referees and in particularly their misdemeanours and ever did Cray any wrong and players from across the leagues Cray played in.
He spoke openly that the greatest Wands team of all time was the 1980-81 Kent League Championship winning team that his brother Dave played in and also mentioned that the ex- Tottenham and Millwall striker Eddie Jones was the greatest Wands player of all time.
The Cray Wanderers Kent League Champions 1980-81 – Back row – L-R – Tony Pamphlett, Alan Payne, Don Butterfill, Mick Kelly, Ian Walsh, Dermot Trainor, Glen Cooper, Dave Jackson, – Front, Ken Edwards (partly hidden), Dave Wadhams, Geoff Parsons, Andy Bushell, Eddie Jones, Alan Whitehead
Peter despite living in Dartford often made the town part of his comedy routine if you like although he did admit the Rolling Stones are the greatest band of all time but was also a fan of Elvis Presley and Soul music, particularly the works of Carole King amongst others.
I went to visit Peter along with John McArthur on 23rd February and it was sad to see him looking so poorly after becoming ill following Christmas/New Year and although heartbreaking we felt we left a glint in his eye that we had come all that way to see him for five minutes. We were just happy he was able to visit Flamingo Park during this historic first season when even not in great health and worked on match days as a steward and got to see us play in our new home where many of his circle of friends never did.
Brothers – Dave & Peter Jackson
From all at Cray Wanderers we owe a great debt of gratitude to his niece Lorraine for keeping us in the loop on his progress and condition and also his partner Lesley and all the Jackson family for their care and updates. Peter was a man who loved life and people of a similar ilk and we know now that Peter can join his brother Dave and sister-in-law Jeanne, his brother Mick, as well as his best friends Kerry Phillips, Barry Lambert, Tony Lettington, Mick Francis, Keith Reeve, Chris Daniels and others in what will be some heavenly Sidcup Cons club style reunion and we say thank you Peter for your dedication to Cray Wanderers and being there for everyone and rest in peace until we all meet again.
Cray Wanderers – Great Escapers –
