CWFC is the oldest football club in London and the second oldest in the world. It was established in the Crays during the 1860’s by railway labourers and factory/mill workers. The original pitch was a recreation ground which is now the site of the Star Lane cemetery, St Mary Cray. During the 1880’s the club played its home games at a recreation ground known as Derry Downs at Griggs Cross (which may be the same as the present date recreation ground or the field that became Grassmeade).

During the 1890’s the club emerged from being one of countless casually organised village sides to a prominent local football club. The end of the 19th century saw the club move to land at Fordcroft (on Cray Avenue where the Tip Top factory later stood).The Club had to leave Fordcroft in1936 and moved to Twysdens Meadow, Footscray close to the site of the later Schweppes/Coca-Cola drinks factory. Circumstances during world war two meant the club played games at Grassmeade and by 1948/49 the wandering Wanderers moved to the St Mary Cray Recreation Ground.

The 1950’s saw the club continue their “wanderings” moving to a pitch at Northfield Farm (now Northfield Avenue and Sussex Avenue), then to the Rowlands manor site (now the site of the RC church) and then to Grassmeade.

The games regularly attracted crowds in excess of 1000 spectators and on occasion up to 3000 spectators.

The club spent almost 20 years at Grassmeade which during their stay became a well appointed ground but unfortunately there was an enforced departure when the owners sold it for redevelopment in the early 1970’s. A temporary base was found at Oxford Road, Sidcup and with success in the league the club had aspirations for a permanent home at Rectory Lane, Foots Cray. Sadly, plans for Rectory Lane fell through and because of difficulties organising floodlights at Oxford Road, the club commenced a ground sharing arrangement with Bromley FC in 1998 at Hayes Lane which is quite a distance for a local club from their heartland.

The club has spent a large part of its life in the Kent Leagues but successive promotions in 2003 and 2004 saw the club elevated to the Ryman League (Division One). Season 2008/9 saw a further promotion which placed the club in the Ryman Premier Division (the 7th tier of English football).

Over the last 150 years the club has had a nomadic existence which has probably been at the cost of success on the pitch and resulted in them being located away from the Crays. The lack of a permanent ground has damaged the success of the club in the past and is now threatening their ongoing progress. As a result, the club is seeking to build their own stadium to be in control of their future and also for it to be a centre for encouraging sport in the community and a focus for encouraging the regeneration of the Crays

The Vision

The vision is to create a sports/community village incorporating a fit-for-purpose stadium for Cray Wanderers FC and associated sports and community facilities. The concept of “sports village” has been around for 20 years and is a title to describe a destination for sport, physical activity, education, health and leisure that serves the whole community. The new stadium, which will comply with Football League standards, will include facilities to support the club’s flourishing youth set-up (the club has 12 youth teams and an Academy) and active commitment to encourage sport in the local community.

As a private sector project it will need to be developed and operated at a profit and needs to include ‘enabling development’ to offset the construction costs of the stadium.

The Proposal

At its core the “sports village” will offer:

A 5000 capacity stadium with Category A pitch that can be used by CWFC and other sports/leisure events.
A full size outdoor Astroturf pitch for club and community use.
Hotel/conference/exhibition/banqueting and leisure facilities linked to the stadium.
A 25m pool, arena and gym.
Car parking, access roads, roundabout/widening to Sandy Lane, bus stop and access zone.
New landscaping and water features
Ecological enhancement and provision of buffer zones to Ruxley Gravel Pits SSSI and Sandy Lane

The areas of the sports village are as follows:

Use Floor Space (GIA)Stadium and club facilities 1,815m²
Hotel 4,517m²
Leisure Centre 3,013m²
Creche/education 510m²
Total 9,855m²