Cray Wanderers – Flamingo Park Update – New Floodlights Switch On – Friday 1st December
Photos: Ben Keayes
Neil Smith, Gary Hillman and Sam Wright
Friday 1st December saw a huge moment in the history of Cray Wanderers Football Club when at 5.13 pm the new floodlights at our soon to be home of Flamingo Park were officially switched on.
The switch on was performed in front of a crowd of club officials, current and ex-first team management, committee members, youth team managers, Women’s team management and supporters.
The expectation had built over the course of a fortnight spell where the new pitch was laid and the floodlights were installed. The issue of floodlights has long been a problem for the club over the decades so to see the club’s own set be switched on was an incredible moment and a look into what promises to be a great future. The 3G pitch has been laid and will be available in the New Year for our women’s team and U18s to play on with the first team expected to follow for the 2024-25 season.
The overriding feeling amongst the attendees that I spoke to was that this was a special day for the club but also for our Chairman Gary Hillman for whom getting the Wands a ground of our own has been an ambition since becoming Chairman in the mid 90’s. So to see the joy on his face and a realisation of a dream was great to see. Also the hard work and efforts from the Board of Directors and Ground Development team has been vital in getting the club to this stage of the Flamingo Park development.
We do need to remember that this is just phase one of the ground development with the stands and construction of the ground still to follow and there will be an interview with CEO Sam Wright in the double edition New Year Match Day programme outlining what has been done so far and what is still to come but 1st December at least gave our supporters a glimpse of an exciting future.
