Team Pen Pics
Neil Smith – Manager
Cray Wanderers announced on 22nd March, 2022 the appointment of Neil Smith as manager. Neil came in for the remaining six games of the season and helped to stave off relegation and from that helped build a much more successful 2022-23 season which saw Cray finish in their highest ever league position of 5th, most points and goals in an Isthmian Premier season. After a difficult start to last season Neil managed to guide the Wands away from relegation to help the club start life at Flamingo Park in the Isthmian Premier.
Neil had a distinguished Football League and Non-League career as a player and coach and later as a manager.
He started out in the Tottenham Hotspur youth system and was signed as an apprentice in 1990 but never got a chance to play so initially went on loan to Gillingham in 1991 and remained there for six years making over 200 appearances for the Medway club. He moved on to Fulham in 1997 for two seasons and scored against Tottenham in the FA Cup. In 1999 he moved to Reading and all three Football League clubs he gained promotion as a player.
He had a short spell at Stevenage Borough and then on to Woking in 2002 for five seasons and became interim manager for a spell. He continued in player management at Welling United and after short spells as a player at Bromley and Maidstone United he called time on his playing career.
He went into coaching at Grays Athletic, Croydon Athletic and Lewes and then to Bromley in 2011 and was Assistant Manager when Bromley won the National South title in 2014-15. He became first team manager in 2016 and established Bromley as a credible National League force and took them to the FA Trophy final at Wembley in 2017-18. He remained at Bromley until March 2021 until his departure from the club but has taken on a new challenge at Cray Wanderers with gusto where he helped introduce a new Academy side and the prospect of the new stadium at Flamingo Park.
Tim O’Shea – Assistant Manager
Tim joined Neil Smith as Assistant Manager of Cray Wanderers after arriving in March 2022. Tim is an experienced manager and coach who took the reins at Grays Athletic, Croydon Athletic and Lewes.
Tim represented Republic of Ireland at Youth level and came through the Tottenham Hotspur youth system and went on to make 3 appearances for the first team between 1983-88 which included a loan spell at Newport County and went on to Leyton Orient for the 1988-89 season. He went on to star at Gillingham as a defender making 112 appearances between 1989-1992. After later playing in Hong Kong he went into non-league football with Farnborough Town and Welling United and from here went into management at Grays, Croydon and Lewes where Neil Smith was a coach.
Shaun Rowley – Goalkeeper
Cray Wanderers are delighted that Shaun Rowley has been retained for the 2024-25 season. Shaun has had a fantastic two seasons with the Wands missing just one Isthmian Premier League game and his performances in goal earned him the Supporters Player of the Year for 2022-23 and runner up last season. Shaun kept fifteen clean sheets in 2022-23 as the Wands finished in 5th place in the league and reached the playoffs for the first time and eleven last season.
Shaun came through the youth system at Shrewsbury Town turning professional in 2005. Whilst with the Shrews he went out on loan to Halesowen, Chorley and Tamworth then signing for Halifax Town in 2018. From here Shaun went on to Solihull Moors and Kettering Town before joining Matlock in September 2020 spending the latter part of the 2021-22 season with Carlton Town.
Quade Taylor – Defender
Cray Wanderers are delighted to announce the signing of defender Quade Taylor to the club. Quade comes to the Wands from Corinthian Casuals whom he joined from Hastings United in January 2024.
Quade came through the youth systems at Dulwich Hamlet and Crystal Palace and signed for Palace in 2012 but never broke into the first team but spent a loan spell with Welling United. In 2014 he joined Bolton Wanderers where he made one first team appearance on the final day of the 2014-15 season and had a loan spell at Dagenham & Redbridge. In 2016 he joined Dulwich Hamlet where he remained until 2023 making 169 appearances and scoring 8 goals. At the start of the 2023-24 season he joined Hastings after starting the season at Carshalton Athletic before joining Corinthian Casuals.
We welcome Quade to Cray Wanderers and hope he enjoys his time with the Wands.
Tom Bonner – Defender
Tom is an experienced central defender who joined Cray Wanderers in November 2023 and made 22 appearances scoring twice against Haringey Borough and Hashtag United finishing the season in impressive fashion.
Tom came from the QPR Youth system and signed professional forms with Northampton Town in 2005 but went into non-league football joining Rushden & Diamonds after earlier loan spells at Bedford Town & Nuneaton Borough. He later went on to Hinckley United and Ilkeston before joining Dartford for the 2010-11 season and was part of their National South promotion winning side. He made 125 appearances up to 2013 before going on to Cambridge United where he won the FA Trophy in 2013-14 going on to play in the Football League for the U’s. He served Dover Athletic on loan during the 2014-15 season before joining Ebbsfleet United the following season making 37 league appearances. He returned to Dartford in 2016 and remained at Princes Park until 2023 announcing his retirement before joining Havant & Waterlooville this summer.
Tom has also represented Scotland at U19 level.
Darion Dowrich – Defender
Darion is a new arrival at Cray Wanderers having joined the club from near neighbours Glebe and made his league debut against Hashtag United on the opening day of the season.
Full back Darion joined Glebe for the 2023-24 season but also played seven games for FC Elmstead. He returned to Glebe and made seventeen SCEFL Premier appearances and played in their Playoff Semi-Final with Erith Town.
Darion is a player with huge potential and we welcome him to Cray Wanderers.
Ike Orji – Defender
Ike is a recent arrival at the Wands having joined from Chelmsford City in September 2024 and made his debut in the Kent Senior Cup win at Chatham Town.
Ike came through the Maidstone United and Chatham Town academies and began his senior career with Chatham in 2019 making 71 appearances between 2019-23 and was part of their SCEFL Premier promotion winning side. He went on to join Gillingham in 2023 making two appearances and making loan appearances back at Chatham Town, Welling United and Hemel Hempstead Town. He went on to join Chelmsford City in the summer of 2024 before joining Cray.
Remi Sutton – Defender
Remi is a newcomer to Cray Wanderers having joined from Cheshunt in November 2024 and is an experienced defender/left back who won the FA Trophy with Hornchurch in 2020-21 and the FA Vase with Romford last season. Remi made his Wands debut against Folkestone Invicta on 9th November.
Remi began his career with Basildon United before going on to Thurrock in 2013 where he played more than 100 games. After a spell at Greenwich Borough he returned to Thurrock in 2016 before going on to Enfield Town for the 2018-19 season. He departed Enfield to join Hornchurch in February 2019 where he remained until the summer of 2024 and made 112 appearances and helped the Urchins win the FA Trophy against Hereford in 2021. Last season after a spell out with injury he spent some time with Romford and helped the Boro win the FA Vase at Wembley vs Great Wakering Rovers. He moved to Cheshunt in the summer of 2024 and made 12 appearances including against Cray Wanderers on 26th October.
Adrian Gyamera – Defender
Adrian joined the Wands in August and made his debut against Lewes at Flamingo Park and has impressed in recent performances, keeping his place since.
Adrian is a full back/defender of great potential who joined the Wands having played for Boldmere St. Michael last season and made 9 appearances for the Sutton Coldfield based club. Adrian was also at Oxford City and was part of their U23s set up. Whilst at Boldmere St Michael, Adrian studied at Warwick University and graduated with BASc (Hons) in Global Sustainable Development.
Frankie Raymond – Midfield
Cray Wanderers are delighted to announce Frankie Raymond has been retained for the 2024-25 season. Midfielder Frankie had a very consistent 2023-24 season joining the Wands from Dulwich Hamlet making 40 appearances and scored four goals and also netted on the first day of the 2024-25 season.
Frankie adds considerable experience to the midfield and began his career in the Reading Academy spending loan spells at Horsham, Basingstoke Town, Eastleigh and Hungerford Town before joining Gillingham’s Development side in 2012. In 2014 he moved on to Eastbourne Borough making 70 appearances over two seasons in the National South. From there he moved into the Football League and the National League with Dagenham & Redbridge for three seasons making 56 appearances. He stayed in the National League in 2017 when he signed for Bromley for whom he made 171 appearances in four seasons including reaching the FA Trophy Final in his first season and reaching the National League playoffs in 2020-21.
The following season he signed for Boreham Wood and was part of the side which reached the 5th Round of the FA Cup making 42 appearances before joining Dulwich Hamlet at the start of last season.
We welcome Frankie back with the Wands for what will be a historic season for the club in our new home.
Nyren Clunis – Midfield
Cray Wanderers are delighted to announce that Nyren Clunis has been retained for the 2024-25 season. Nyren is a versatile midfielder/winger who signed for the Wands from Kingstonian in the summer of 2022 and bounced back from injury last season to make 25 appearances scoring 8 goals.
Nyren came through the Dulwich Hamlet youth system and made his league debut in 2009 and went on to make an impressive 486 appearances for Hamlet scoring 117 goals and was part of two promotion winning sides and a former player of the year. Nyren had a testimonial game for Dulwich Hamlet in May 2023. After being released at the end of the 2019-20 season Nyren moved on to Carshalton Athletic and then joined Kingstonian at the start of the 2021-22 season going on to make 44 appearances scoring 3 goals.
Nyren has made 62 appearances for Cray Wanderers scoring 14 goals including scoring in the Isthmian Premier Playoff semi-final at Hornchurch in April 2023.
Charlie Edwards – Midfield
Cray Wanderers are delighted to announce the signing of midfielder Charlie Edwards to the club. Charlie joins the Wands from Potters Bar Town where he finished last season after two seasons at Canvey Island.
Charlie started his career with Hertford Town, Harlow Town and Waltham Abbey joining Potters Bar briefly in 2021. He went on to Corinthian Casuals and then joined Canvey Island in November 2022 and went on to make 64 appearances scoring 8 goals before joining Potters Bar Town in late March 2024 playing the remaining 9 games of the season.
We welcome Charlie to Cray Wanderers and hope he enjoys his time at Flamingo Park.
Toby King – Midfield
Toby is a recent signing by the Wands in September 2024 after a spell in Icelandic football at Vestri and made his debut against Chatham Town in the Kent Senior Cup.
Toby came through the youth systems at West Ham United and West Bromwich Albion and signed professional with West Brom in 2020. He made one senior appearance against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup in August 2021 and whilst there spent a short loan spell at Billericay Town. In May 2022 he joined Vestri in the Icelandic 1st Division before joining Czech side Banik Ostrava in 2023 and then returned to Vestri in April 2024.
Kenny Coker – Striker
Kenny is a new arrival at Cray Wanderers having joined the club from Norwich City.
Kenny was born in Atlanta but grew up in the UK and came through the youth systems at Bowers & Pitsea, Billericay Town and Southend United. He came through the ranks at Southend and made four appearances for the Shrimpers in the Football League making his debut on 1st February 2020 vs. Lincoln City. He made four appearances in two seasons before joining Norwich City in 2021 signing professional forms. He went to Chelmsford City on loan last season before joining the Wands in August 2024.
Kenny made his debut in the opening day victory at Hashtag United and we welcome him to the club.
Nathan Jeche – Striker
Nathan is a striker who joined Cray Wanderers in November 2024 after appearing on dual registration with National South Hemel Hempstead Town and SCEFL Division One side Snodland Town. Nathan made his Wands debut as substitute against Cray Valley PM on 5th November and has scored two goals against Carshalton Athletic and the winner against Chichester City on 10th December.
Nathan came through the Maidstone United Academy and went on to sign with the club and made a handful of appearances in the first team while having a brief spell on loan at Fleet Town. He departed Maidstone in September 2023 to join the QPR Development squad but was released in the summer and signed for Hemel Hempstead making one appearance in the first team while at Snodland Town scored four goals in three matches including a hat-trick against Kennington in October 2024.
Lateef Adaja – Winger
Lateef is a new arrival at Cray Wanderers having joined the club from Potters Bar Town.
Lateef came through the Bromley youth set up and played for the U18s and in the FA Youth Cup for the Ravens during the 2021-22 season. During the 2022-23 season Lateef made six appearances on loan at Chatham Town and had a short spell at Burgess Hill Town. He joined Potters Bar Town in November 2023 and made 22 appearances, scoring one goal.
Lateef made a positive impact during pre-season and we welcome him to Cray Wanderers.
Josh Williams – Winger
Josh is a forward who joined the Wands from Lewes in November 2024 and made his debut as substitute at Cray Valley PM on 5th November and scored twice in the 4-0 win at Potters Bar Town on 16th November.
Josh started out with Chatham Town and Sevenoaks Town and excelled at Whitstable Town last season where he scored eighteen goals and also contributed eleven assists for the Oystermen. He moved on to Hampton & Richmond Borough but departed in the summer to join Lewes where he made 14 appearances scoring one goal before joining the Wands.