Cray Wanderers' management team work to bring in funds for their playing budget

Wednesday 28th July 2010

CRAY WANDERERS’ long-serving boss Ian Jenkins says he is getting on the telephone to raise funds for his very own playing budget, writes Stephen McCartney.

Jenkins, Joe Francis (assistant manager) and director of football Paul Blade, are all making telephone calls to raise funds for their playing budget.

With 13 players already signed up, Jenkins wants enough money for at least another six players, as he prepares for the club’s second Ryman Premier League campaign.

“We’re trying to extend our budget ourselves,” Jenkins, who if you cut him open bleeds amber and black, told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“We’re trying to get a few fundraising events lined up, discos, auctions.

“Me, Joe and Blado are looking at trying to raise a bit of money ourselves. I done it myself last year and got a few sponsorship deals with people I knew, getting on the phone and putting the hours in, so we’re doing the same thing this year.

“We’ve been promised what we do generate through the club, Gary (Hillman, our chairman) said we can have the lot for the budget.

“A lot of players in our squad work for big companies who have got a bit of money and we’ve asked them to get sponsorships from their companies.

“£500-£1,000 gives them a programme advert and a season ticket, golf days and functions the club hold, so we’re looking around to get a bit more money come in for a bigger budget for the football team.”

Jenkins added: “We’ve signed 13 players but at the moment we’ve got a squad of 21 training so we’re looking to lose two out of that 21 and then hopefully the Academy side is pretty strong so we’ve got two or three of them training with us at the moment, so they will be signed as well.

“We’re looking at a squad of 19-21 with those sort of players.”

Jenkins says he is pleased with the way pre-season has gone so far.

The Wands kicked-off with a comfortable 3-0 win over Crockenhill at St Mary Cray Recreation Ground on 3 July, before losing 2-0 to Npower League One outfit Leyton Orient at Hayes Lane eleven days later.

Two goals from trialist Alex Bentley saw off Kent League side Sevenoaks Town at Greatness Park last weekend.

When asked his thought’s on progress so far, Jenkins replied, “Not too bad mate! Obviously results have been a bit indifferent, playing a pro side in Orient and getting beaten and playing two lower sides and beating them, but the fitness levels are really good and the new players that I’ve brought in have fitted in well, so I’m quite happy at the minute.”

Jenkins’s best summer signing so far is talented midfielder Danny Phillips, who has impressed since signing from rivals Sutton United.

“Even in training he’s different class,” praised Jenkins. “He brings more than his footballing ability, he’s a good lad to have around as well. His all round football ability is different class. He’s going to be a good asset to the side.”

Cray Wanderers travel up to Sheffield at the weekend to face Sheffield and Hallam to contestthe Heritage Tournament - and with so many new players Jenkins sees their trip up north as a good team bonding exercise.

He said: “If you look at our squad from last year there’s probably only four or five left that’s still left in it and the rest are all new players, so it will be good to get everyone together.

“The chairman has thought of that as well and he’s got a hotel booked up for Saturday night so we’re all going to go out and have a good night on Saturday so it will be nice to win the tournament as well.

“It will be nice to play in a pre-season game with something at stake with a trophy, I suppose, so it will be a good weekend.”

When asked how he’s going to treat the two matches, against Sheffield and Hallem, as the three oldest football clubs in the world lock horns for the very first time, Jenkins replied, “Very similar to the last two games we’ve had. I’m going to take a squad off about 17-18 as there’s a couple that can’t travel.

“I want to go full strength as I’ve got a couple of players that I want to have a look closely at, so we’ll be pretty strong.

“Tyrone Sterling (left-back) is one that can’t make it and (trailist goalkeeper) John Whitehouse is touch and go, 50/50 and so is (striker) Leigh Bremner, due to work commitments, so we have to wait and see on their work commitments, but Tyrone definitely can’t make it.”

Jenkins hopes Whitehouse - who played for Welling United in their impressive 4-1 home win over a young Arsenal side at Park View Road last weekend - will put pen to paper.

“Jack Smelt’s in training with the club, I’m not sure what to do with Jack yet,” explained Jenkins.

“I was looking at Simon Overland (who played in the Blue Square Premier for Hayes & Yeading last season), last Saturday at Sevenoaks as he wanted to train with us last week and he turned up and he endued up playing for Sevenoaks against us!

“I spoke to their manager (Keith Levett) after but Simon’s happy at Sevenoaks and wants to stay at Sevenoaks. The kid is different class to be honest with you. He shouldn’t be playing at that level!

“I spoke to him myself and he said he’s happy there so I’m very surprised with that one so we’re just waiting on John (Whitehouse) really. I don’t think he’s going to play at Welling, he’s just doing Welling a favour as their keeper is away on holiday so we’ll know more at the weekend.”

After their trip to Sheffield, Cray Wanderers will travel to transitional Kent League side VCD Athletic (3 August), Dover Athletic (6 August), before playing Guayna All Stars at Dulwich Hamlet’s Champion Hill Stadium two days later, before completing their pre-season programme with a trip to Mark Tompkins’ Chipstead on 14 August.

The Wands kick-off their Ryman Premier League campaign with a trip to AFC Hornchurch on 14 August, before facing two home games in two days when Carshalton Athletic (25 August) and Tooting & Mitcham United (27 August) arrive at Hayes Lane.

“We’ve got (the trip to) Sheffield this weekend and we’ve got four games in 10 days after that so it will be good getting a few more friendlies in and getting the team together,” said Jenkins.

“We’ve still got a lot of training sessions. We’re halfway through our pre-season schedule at the moment.

“Things are looking good fitness wise, we’ll get a few games under our belt and we’ll see how we get on.”

Visit Cray Wanderers’ website: www.craywands.co.uk

Visit Sheffield’s website: www.sheffieldfc.com

Heritage Tournament

Saturday 31st July 2010

At Sheffield FC, The BT Local Business Stadium, Sheffield Road, Dronfield S18 2GD

Sheffield v Hallam (Kick Off 1pm)

Hallam v Cray Wanderers (Kick Off 2:30pm)

Sheffield v Cray Wanderers (Kick Off 4:00pm)

Games are 30 minutes each way - if scores are level at the end then the result will be decided by a penalty shoot-out. Teams will be awarded 3 points for a win and 2 points for a win on penalties.