The club needs to move forward, says Cray Wanderers' assistant Joe Francis

JOE FRANCIS says he is supporting his chairman’s bid to bring Cray Wanderers back home.



The Wands have played at Bromley’s Hayes Lane ground since 1998 and they face one of the biggest days in the club’s history on Saturday.

There will be a viewing, by the Development Committee of Bromley Borough Council at the site of the club’s proposed stadium at Sandy Lane, St Paul’s Cray.

Following the viewing the committee will be shown a video in the function room at the rear of The Bull Inn public house, St Paul’s Cray.

The Development Committee will meet to assess, debate and decide on, the club’s planning application on 20 September.

Assistant manager Francis, who is employed full-time by Championship club Charlton Athletic, insists the Kent club deserve to be given the go-ahead to return home.

He said: “We’re all going to support the chairman Gary Hillman beforehand, strength in numbers and that’s been a long time waiting. 

“Gary wants this for the future for the club and we go there with optimism.

“The club needs to move forward.  The strides that the club has made over the years, it’s very frustrating for the management team and Gary and (vice-chairman) John Woolf and all the committee are part of that.

“We want to move forward. I think we would have moved forward quicker had we had our own ground.”

Cray Wanderers scooped a welcomed £3,000 in prize money following their last-gasp win away to Greenwich Borough – another homeless club – yesterday.

The Wands sealed their place in the Second Qualifying Round when America-bound striker James Darvill came off the bench to head home the winner deep into injury time at the end of the game at Holmesdale’s Oakley Road ground in Bromley.

Ian Jenkins’ side will now face Ryman League Division One North side Thamesmead Town in the next round on 22 September – with £4,500 up for grabs for the winner of the Kent derby at Hayes Lane.

After meeting delegates from Bromley Council, The Wands jump on a coach and travel to Lewes looking to kick-start their Ryman Premier League campaign.

Both sides have picked up five points so far this season which is far below both club’s standards.

“It will be another tough game,” said Francis.  “Big club.  The manager who’s gone in there (Simon Wormull) since Steve King left last year has done a good job.

“It will be a tough game but we went there twice last year and I think we deserved to win both games so not saying we’re going there expecting to win, we’re going there to be competitive and come away with a positive result.  That’s what we’ve got to do.”

Reflecting on their campaign so far, Francis said: “It’s been a bit frustrating because in every game bar last Saturday, the first four, we’re a goal in front and playing well and we needed to score again, but we’ll be ok.

“Ask us after ten games. This time of the season you play five and its’ a week off with the FA Cup. Once we get into the end of September that’s when the season kicks in and that’s when I think we’ll be ok.”   

Visit Cray Wanderers’ website:  www.pitchero.com/clubs/craywands

Lewes  v  Cray Wanderers
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 15^th September 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at The Dripping Pan, Mountfield Road, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 2XD