Look into History 225

Although records for football in the St Mary Cray area go back to 1860, the team we know as Cray Wanderers came into their own about 1890 and the first time both Cray Wanderers and Callenders Athletic competed against each other in the league was for one season in the West Kent League Division One of 1906-07.

In 1920-21 they joined the London League with moderate success until 1933-34 when they finished bottom and joined the Kent League Division One but were in last place in 1937 and 1938 with relegation to the Kent Amateur League. I am indebted to an excellent publication called 'Cray Wanderers Football club 1860-2010 - A Statistical Record' by Peter Gorringe for the additional information.

In 1946-47 it was time again to meet up with Callenders Athletic in the Kent Amateur League then in 1947-48 met again with Cray finishing second last to London Paper Mills and in season 1948-49 Cray had two horrendous results with Callenders Athletic, 2-15 at home and 0-14 away and finished last. Returning once again to the London League in 1951 that is how things stood until 1959-60 when they were founder members of the Aetolian League that included Ford United and Eton Manor.

Our Match Programme, an unusual A6 style was for their FA Amateur Cup 2nd Qualifying Round tie with Kent Amateur League side, Callenders Athletic on 15th October 1960, kick off 2.30pm having knocked out Whitstable Town 5-0 previously and consisted of club notes, teams, fixtures, the Aetolian League table and copious adverts which showed them to be just behind Ford United at the top.

The result was 0-0 which meant a replay on the 22nd October and that was a 4-1 win for Cray but continuing was short lived as Herne Bay knocked them out after a replay in the next round. Cray Wanderers were then playing at home since 1955, Grassmeade in Chelsfield Road, St Mary Cray but it was very basic and they moved in later years to Oxford Road in Sidcup. Once again the lack of floodlights meant more moves but in terms of playing standards life got far better in latter years but that’s another story. The programme was 3d and it cost 1/6d for entrance. Two previous results stood out, a 6-6 draw at Sheppey and a 4 1 win against Charlton Athletic 'A'.

Callenders Athletic FC in Black, White and Old Gold, were the Works team of British Insulated Callender Cables Ltd and formed in 1903. Their ground was in Church Manor Way off Lower Road in Erith (Trolleybus 698 from Woolwich would get you there) later to be used or next to Royal Arsenal Sports and Recreation Association FC.

They had been founder members of the Metropolitan League in 1949/50 and came 3rd behind winners St Neots & District and Dagenham but after finishing last of 16 in 1953 returned to localised Kent Amateur League football changing later to just Callender Cables FC.

Robert Errington
President & League Historian