The Cray Massive — Part 2

Following on from my previous article about the formation of 'The Cray Massive', I am pleased to now report that I have liaised with Mark Hunt, the Cray Wanderers Press Officer and he has brought me up to date with proceedings, for which I thank him.

Mark started watching the Wands regularly from the 2011-12 season. Our paths must have crossed ever so slightly at that time, like ships that pass in the night, because I stopped being able to go to matches at the end of the same season. 

It is interesting to note that we are both in agreement with the fact that Mark Simpson appears to have been the driving force behind the early creation of The Cray Massive. Mark Hunt recalls that he first heard about The Cray Massive from Mark Simpson, the latter stating that it was the adopted name for the loyal band of Cray Wanderers supporters that turned out in all weathers, win, lose or draw.

That comment reminded me of my own years when following the club home and away. I have already written in the matchday programmes of my little jaunts to the likes of Canvey Island on a bitterly cold Saturday afternoon and when I stood pitchside in the pouring rain watching the Reserves play at Darenth Heathside, although to be fair that one was on official committee duty... and Albert Dorey did rescue me and invited me into the dugout to keep dry (or, as it happens, to not get more wet than I already was).

It wasn't until the 2014-15 season that the ball really started rolling for The Cray Massive. Of course, this was after my 'time', so I was not fully aware of these later facts. Cray had been relegated from the Isthmian Premier League at the end of the 2013-14 season and plonked into Division One North when Division One South would have been more appropriate and user-friendly to our club. During the first of two seasons of Cray travelling 'north of the river' for most of their away games (only Thamesmead and, even more surprisingly than us, Chatham Town were our Isthmian League opponents that season who played 'south of the river'), Mark purchased the now infamous 'The Cray Massive' flag that now adorns one part of Flamingo Park.

Mark went on to say that former supporter and First XI kit man, Adrian Jewell, took over the custody of the flag from him when Mark found it too cumbersome to transport to away games. Adrian attached some hooks to the flag so that it could be displayed at not only the games at Hayes Lane but also at those grounds 'on the road'. What made me smile was when Mark described the flag's 'big moment', during a promotion parade on the Hayes Lane pitch, when Cray won promotion back to the Isthmian Premier League by winning the IL South-East title by a country mile.

Adrian Jewell then left the club, after his stint as kit man came to an end and, the flag was passed back to Mark for safekeeping. As soon as the First XI moved into Flamingo Park and started playing their home games there, Mark sought agreement from former club CEO Sam Wright to have the flag permanently placed somewhere in the ground and, it now rests there for all to see.

From what Mark says, 'The Cray Massive' is now the official nickname of the re-formed Cray Wanderers Supporters' Club. And it all started with a chance ironic comment by one long-time Wands supporter who couldn't have possibly foreseen the eventual outcome of his folly.

Cray Wanderers are Massive!

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