Cray Wanderers FA Cup first round — Cray Wanderers, the oldest football club in London, have qualified for the FA Cup first round for the first time in their 166-year history. The Wands secured their place with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Bedford Town in a fourth qualifying round replay at Flamingo Park on 20 October.
The club, formed in 1860, had tried and failed in 77 previous FA Cup campaigns. Their 78th attempt finally ended the wait, and they will now host League One side Stockport County in the first round on Sunday, 8 November (14:15 GMT), live on BBC Two.
How the historic breakthrough happened
After a 0-0 draw at Bedford on 17 October, the replay at Flamingo Park finished 1-1 after 90 minutes. Bedford took the lead in the 101st minute, but Cray striker Ade Yusuff equalised to make it 2-2 and force a penalty shootout. Goalkeeper JJ Briggs, on loan from Cambridge United, saved two penalties, and teenager Jakob Lowe converted the decisive kick to seal a 4-3 win.
Club captain Frankie Raymond described the achievement as meaning a great deal to everyone at the club, noting that the players and staff were the first to take Cray to the first round.
A club with deep roots
Cray Wanderers have a long history in south-east London. The club helped form the Kent League in 1894 and served as a nursery club to Woolwich Arsenal—now Arsenal—between 1895 and 1907. More recently, the youth setup is where Manchester City and England defender Marc Guehi began his career at the age of six.
Currently, Cray are 18th in the Isthmian League Premier Division, the seventh tier of English football, and are outside the relegation zone only on goal difference, though they have at least four games in hand on nearby teams.
Their route to the first round was far from straightforward. Three replays were required across the four qualifying rounds, meaning the team played seven matches—660 minutes of football—to reach this point.
Stockport challenge awaits
The reward for Cray is one of the toughest draws possible: a home tie against Stockport County, who sit second in League One. Stockport are 112 league positions higher than Cray, but striker Ade Yusuff, who has scored in all four qualifying rounds and has 11 goals in all competitions this season, remains confident. He believes the team’s form and chance creation give him reason to back himself against any opponent.
Yusuff, who works as a teacher, said his pupils have been excited and proud about the upcoming game. He also pointed to momentum from earlier wins over higher-ranked teams, including National League South side Maidstone United and National League North team Bedford, as reason for belief.
Fan Mark Hunt, who has followed the club since 2010, refused to rule out an upset. He cited last season’s example of Macclesfield beating Crystal Palace and noted that the single-match, penalty-shootout format—with no replay or VAR and an artificial pitch—could work in Cray’s favour.
Attendances at Flamingo Park typically range from 130 to 900, but tickets for the Stockport tie sold out in five minutes, with 2,500 fans expected. For Hunt, the occasion has been a long time coming and means the world to supporters.
