Frank Terry - Wands full-back and Kent Cap
Printed in the Cray Wanderers matchday programme on Sunday 3 March 2013 v Leiston
Frank Terry played for Cray Wanderers between the First and Second World Wars. He was believed to have been one of Cray's best players during that time, slotting in at either the right or left back positions as requirements dictated, and would generally partner Cray's other regular full-back, George Miles, who generally played on the right side of defence. This allegiance was considered to be a very formidable one by the reportedly impressed Cray Wanderers supporters of the 1920s and 1930s.
Originally from the East Ham area of London, Frank played for East Ham Schoolboys before being spotted by Clapton (now Leyton) Orient. He played two games for Orient Reserves in the 1922-23 season. From 1925 until 1932, Frank played regularly for Cray Wanderers in their London League years.
At the commencement of the 1932-33 season, Frank left Cray and joined Swanley Athletic, but he soon returned to Fordcroft when a spate of injuries hit the Wanderers during the course of that campaign. As we already know from various other articles written about Cray's years between the two Wars, the club re-established itself as one of the top amateur sides in Kent, and was also much respected outside of its home county.
During the years that Frank Terry played for Cray, the highest placing they achieved in the London League was third. After he finally said farewell to the club, he'd served for seven or eight years - and the Wanderers subsequently moved from the London League to the Kent League.
Cray's most notable achievement between the Wars was their appearance in four Kent Amateur Cup finals in five years. In particular, Cray won the Cup in 1930-31, for the first time in their history. Frank Terry was an ever-present for Cray in each of those four finals, collecting one winner's medal and three runners-up medals. The results were as follows:
In the photograph above, Frank Terry can be seen at the top right, in the back row. On his shirt, he is proudly wearing a Kent Invicta badge, in recognition of his four caps earned through playing for the Kent County team. (Click on the photo to enlarge it).
Trevor Mulligan