Cray Wanderers pull off managerial coup with Neil Smith becoming their third manager of the season

CRAY WANDERERS chairman Gary Hillman has pulled off a managerial coup this evening by bringing Neil Smith to the club.

Hillman welcomed Smith to the site of the club’s new stadium at Flamingo Park today, before announcing his arrival at 19:15 this evening.

The 50-year-old was controversially sacked by his home-town club Bromley on 25 March 2021, despite the club sitting in seventh-place in the Vanarama National League table.

Cray Wanderers are currently third-from-bottom in the Isthmian League Premier Division table and Smith comes in with only six league games of the season remaining, and Isthmian League transfer deadline day being at 17:00 on Thursday evening.

After losing Tony Russell to their league rivals Lewes in the summer, the club appointed Danny Kedwell but he parted company with the club by mutual consent on 28 December, after winning only six and drawing four of his 24 games in charge.

Kedwell was assisted by Andy Drury, who was appointed the manager of Isthmian League South East Division strugglers Whitstable Town, who parted company with Keith McMahon yesterday.

Cray Wanderers then turned to interim managers Grant Basey and Gary Alexander, who were in charge for 18 games, where The Wands won five and drew four and their last game in charge was a 4-3 home defeat to Bowers & Pitsea on Sunday.

Alexander, who has managed Greenwich Borough, Ashford United and Glebe, said on Twitter that his time at the club was "short and sweet."

The 42-year-old former Millwall striker added: "My time at Cray Wanderers has come to an end, that's football, we move on.

"The good thing is I've got the buzz back, until we meet again, good luck. Hopefully it's not too long before the next opportunity."

Cray Wanderers have collected nine wins and eight draws from their 36 league games and are presently in the points-per-game zone in the Isthmian League Premier Division table.

Leatherhead and East Thurrock United are in the relegation zone, seven and eight points behind The Wands.

Smith makes an emotional return to Hayes Lane on Saturday when Cray Wanderers welcome tenth-placed Kingstonian.

"Cray Wanderers Football Club are delighted to announce the appointment of Neil Smith as our new manager," said a club statement.

"Neil comes with a wealth of experience in non-league football, having most recently managed our landlords Bromley FC, taking them to Wembley in the process.

"We would like to thank Grant Basey and Gary Alexander for the excellent work that they did as interims during a very difficult period for the club and we would like to wish them all the best for the future."

Visit Cray Wanderers' website: www.cray-wanderers.com