In two training sessions I've seen enough that they are more than capable of staying up, says newly-appointed Cray Wanderers manager Neil Smith

CRAY WANDERERS’ newly-appointed manager Neil Smith says it was a no-brainer to come in to manage the club.

The former Bromley manager, 50, makes an emotional return to Hayes Lane tomorrow – a year after being controversially sacked with his home-town club in seventh-place in the Vanarama National League table.

The Wands are in the bottom three in the Isthmian League Premier Division table, having collected 32 points from 36 games under two managers, Danny Kedwell and interim boss Grant Basey.

After losing Tony Russell to their league rivals Lewes in the summer, the club appointed 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 last Monday.

Cray Wanderers then turned to interim managers 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 last Sunday, before the club announced Smith's arrival at 19:15 on Tuesday night.

“It was a very, very late call I got on Tuesday night to help Cray out, Gary Hillman and the guys who own the club, it was a no-brainer to go in and try to help them out in the situation that they’re in,” said Smith.

When asked whether this is a short-term or a longer-term arrangement, Smith replied: “Let’s get through these six games and then we’ll have another chat and see what’s going on, who knows?

“They’ve told me about the project that they’ve got, which looks amazing with what they want to try to achieve and what they want to go.

“I managed to do it with Bromley, to go from that sort of division, going into the Conference South and then the National League and taking them to the heady heights of being in and around the play-offs and obviously Wembley.

“It does look like a fantastic project with what’s going on there, obviously with the planning permission to build the new stadium.”

Another former Bromley manager, Hayden Bird, brings his Kingstonian side to Hayes Lane tomorrow, for Smith’s first game in charge.

The K’s are in ninth-place in the table, having collected 53 points from their 36 league outings.

“I know Hayden Bird, another ex-Bromley guy,” said Smith.

“They’ve got a way of playing, I think they’re midtable and drew 3-all in the week (at home to Bowers & Pitsea), so if nothing else, what I’ve noticed at Cray, they’re very exciting games. I’ve not seen a 0-0 yet, so I imagine it will go on from that.

“I met the guys on Wednesday and then Thursday and it’s going to be a tough game. They’re all going to be tough games, they’re all cup finals and that’s how we’ve got to prepare for them.

“It’s weird going back to Bromley Football Club and normally you’d be expecting to go in the away dressing room after what’s happened. I’ll be going in the home one. Nothing’s changed that much, the changing rooms are a lot tidier, a pitch is a pitch, the ground is a ground and it’s about the 11 players and the subs and everyone else doing their job and trying to get a result.

“I’ve had a lot of calls from Bromley people, who have said they’re going to come down and support, which is amazing.  Being Non-League Day if they can’t get to Wealdstone it will be lovely to have that support for Cray.”

When asked if his departure from Bromley ‘hurt’, Smith replied: “Of course it did. I didn’t see it coming. Obviously, being seventh in the table, with momentum being gained.  I know we lost on the Tuesday before but we were the form team with Sutton, who were top of the league at the time, so be in the play-offs no one would have expected it (the sacking) and I had fit players and the momentum was with us.

“It was a big shock, a big disappointment. I wanted to finish the season. I believe we were going to get into the play-offs.”

The Isthmian League transfer window shut at five o’clock yesterday and Cray Wanderers lost midfielder Jacob Munting to Walton Casuals following a seven-day approach from the Southern League Premier Division outfit.

“I think that was put in last week and I found out about that on Tuesday night, Wednesday morning,” revealed Smith.

“I tried speaking to him but he made his mind up a long time before I got there and felt he couldn’t change his mind, which is his prerogative.

“You’re phoning around but a lot of people don’t want to let anybody go.  We managed to get a couple in, late calls. It wasn’t the greatest preparation, only having a day to try to get as many as we could to get them in.

“Fair play to Sam Wright (CEO), he’s working his socks off trying his best to help out for getting that result on Saturday.”

When asked what he demands from his new side, starting from tomorrow, Smith replied: “I just want full 100% commitment. In two training sessions I’ve seen enough.  They’re more than capable of staying up, just be a little bit tighter at the back as we can score goals.

“We’ve scored a lot of goals this season and we’ve got to score a lot of goals to get those wins.

“Grant Basey and Gary Alexander have done a great job to steady the ship going in as interim managers so I thank them for what they’ve given the club to actually stay up and hopefully I can carry that on for the last six games.”

Cray Wanderers, meanwhile, are a point adrift of the team immediately above them in the table, Brightlingea Regent, and the Wands sit in the points-per-game zone.

Leatherhead (25 points) and East Thurrock United (24) are trapped inside the relegation zone.

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

Cray Wanderers  v  Kingstonian
Isthmian League Premier Division
Saturday 26 March 2022
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Hayes Lane, Bromley, Kent BR2 9EF