The Cray Massive

Where did the name come from? Where did the supporters come from? Here's my view on it...

I know exactly where the name 'The Cray Massive' came from and who it was that accidentally and permanently inserted it into Cray Wanderers' vocabulary.

No, it wasn't me, but this is very definitely an "I was there" story. Because I was there.

It is a pity that, this educational article will never get into a matchday programme where it belongs but, I have to abide by the wishes of Cray Wanderers FC who have decided they don't want any of my articles to be printed in their publication for the 2025-26 season. No reason was given for my exclusion but then not everything in football is black and white, apart from Newcastle United and Notts County football shirts. And maybe Grimsby Town and Juventus shirts as well.

In November 2005, Cray Wanderers played host to Staines Town in the FA Trophy. I know, because I was at that game. Cray won by a 4-3 scoreline, which underlined what an enjoyable and exciting game it was with Cray as the underdogs. Wands striker Jon Main certainly enjoyed himself, bagging a well-taken hat-trick. And Staines brought some support. Not a massive amount, but a few. They called themselves 'The Staines Massive'. Delving further into that monicker, we find that the name is not new even to Staines Town supporters. It was the name used for one of the two rival gangs in a Sacha Baron Cohen film entitled 'Ali G Indahouse'. The film was released in 2002, some three years before Staines Town came to visit us at Hayes Lane in Bromley, so it is obvious where the nickname derived from.

About a week or so after the Staines game, Cray were playing at Ashford Town (Kent) in the Isthmian League Division One South, before Ashford folded and grew wings and rose again from the ashes as Ashford United, when all I kept hearing was fellow Wands supporter Mark Simpson repeatedly talking about 'The Cray Massive'. At the time, there were only about three or four of us Wands supporters standing behind the Ashford goal; we were the only Cray supporters who had turned up on the night; par for the course for Cray Wanderers away support back then, really. The more Mark went on about 'The Cray Massive', the more ironic the statement became. It was as though he was trying to get the name instilled into Cray Wanderers' folklore. Little did we know it at the time but, I think he succeeded in his quest!

But the nickname apparently stuck... and now 20 years later (as I type this) it has been built up into something quite... massive within the club. What started out as a tongue-in-cheek comment has now snowballed. And so has the support around the name. The Wands appear to have a large away following nowadays, as well as enjoying reasonably large 'home' crowds, since the club has been firmly ensconced in Flamingo Park. Successful recruiting for support in the immediate Sidcup Bypass/Chislehurst/New Eltham areas? Hmmm. Maybe. There is even a reported Supporters Club again. I've not witnessed one of those since the football club's Grassmeade days. I wonder how much it is to 'get in' and how I can gain admission to it...?

As for Staines Town Football Club, founded in 1892, they unfortunately folded in 2022. Their website at www.stainestownfootballclub.co.uk is now 'the ultimate hub' for some sort of arcade game called 'World of Warcraft'. In fact, it looks more like a blog site than a website, per se. But, it is to the former Staines Town FC supporters that Cray Wanderers supporters of today — nay, The Cray Massive — must doff their baseball caps and beanies in heartfelt thanks, for introducing Mark Simpson to the most incredibly successful ironic nickname attribute involving Cray Wanderers of all time!