Coup for Cray Wanderers who appoint ex-Championship player

Fair to say there is a coup for Cray Wanderers who this week appoint an ex-Championship player as their new assistant player/manager.

The announcement came on the same day as they also revealed the signing of Harvey Brand, with another player to be known to fans on Thursday.

Drury has plenty of experience of playing in the EFL, spending many years there, and as high as the second tier of English Football, before making his way down the pyramid over time. Nice to see rather than retiring early.

BREAKING NEWS! We’re proud to announce the appointment of Andy Drury as Assistant Player-Manager for the 21-22 season. Midfielder / Winger Andy will be assisting the Wands new first team manager Danny Kedwell – READ MORE – https://t.co/KOGMUBaDYh pic.twitter.com/e8xIHazKsc

— Cray Wanderers FC (@OfficialWands) May 12, 2021

CLUB STATEMENT:

Cray Wanderers can today confirm the appointment of Andy Drury as Assistant Player-Manager for the 2021-22 season. Midfielder/winger Andy who was at Sittingbourne last season will be assisting the Wands new first team manager Danny Kedwell and also expected to play a part for the club on the pitch.

Andy has a wealth of experience in both the Football League and non-league football and began his career with his home town club Sittingbourne in 2001 and remained there for two years making 107 appearances before signing for then Gravesend & Northfleet for three seasons. After a spell at Lewes he moved on to Stevenage Borough and helped the club win the Conference Premier and FA Trophy in 2008-09.

He had a short spell at Luton Town when they were in the Conference between 2010-11 and then was signed by Ipswich Town in the Championship in January 2011 where he made 64 appearances in two seasons scoring twice and then went on to Crawley Town and returned to Luton Town now in the Football League in the summer of 2014. Andy returned to the non-league game with Conference side Eastleigh in 2015-16 and then on to Ebbsfleet where he was a team-mate of Danny Kedwell and later joined Danny at Havant & Waterlooville without making an appearance and then back to Sittingbourne in 2020.

We welcome Andy to Cray Wanderers and hope he enjoys his time with the club and working alongside Danny Kedwell.

DRURY’S CAREER STATS:

2001–2003 – Sittingbourne – 98 games (26 goals)
2003–2006 – Gravesend & Northfleet – 101 games (19 goals)
2006–2008 – Lewes – 72 games (16 goals)
2008–2010 – Stevenage – 57 games (7 goals)
2010–2011 – Luton Town – 23 games (6 goals)
2011–2013 – Ipswich Town – 62 games (2 goals)
2011 → Crawley Town (loan) – 13 games (3 goals)
2013–2014 – Crawley Town – 41 games (5 goals)
2014–2015 – Luton Town – 35 games (2 goals)
2015–2016 – Eastleigh – 53 games (12 goals)
2016–2019 – Ebbsfleet United – 64 games (11 goals)
2019–2020 – Havant & Waterlooville
2020–2021 – Sittingbourne

The appointment of Drury comes just a month after Cray Wanderers brought in ex-Gillingham, AFC Wimbledon, Ebbsfleet United player Danny Kedwell as their new first team manager.

The well-travelled League Two winner will take charge of the Isthmian League Premier Division side for the start of the 2021/22 season, and will also play for them when needed.

Kedwell takes up his first managerial role, coming in to replace Tony Russell, who quit Cray after six years as boss last month due to personal reasons.

BREAKING NEWS! Cray Wanderers are delighted to announce that Danny Kedwell has been appointed as new first team manager for the 2021-22 season. MORE INFO HERE – https://t.co/EtwoQc4FUt pic.twitter.com/ZsiurfjjqI

— Cray Wanderers FC (@OfficialWands) April 10, 2021

CLUB STATEMENT:

Cray Wanderers are delighted to announce that Danny Kedwell has been appointed as new first team manager for the 2021-22 season.

Danny has an extensive playing career and will be registered as a player for the new season but also has a UEFA A Level coaching qualification and great credentials for the exciting post of Cray Wanderers manager.

Danny who was last playing for Havant & Waterlooville is a prolific forward with 249 career goals and played for a few clubs in Kent before signing for Maidstone United then on to Herne Bay where he scored 28 goals in 2004-05 and then on to Welling United where he scored 38 goals in two seasons before a year at Grays Athletic.

He transferred to AFC Wimbledon in 2008 and over three seasons scored 67 goals and helped take the Dons into the Conference and in 2011 scored the winning penalty in the Conference playoff final vs Luton Town to earn promotion to the Football League.

This alerted his home town club Gillingham to sign him before the start of the 2011-12 season and spent four seasons with the Gills scoring 40 goals in 119 appearances.

He then went on to Ebbsfleet United in January 2015 and served the Fleet well with four seasons in the National League and then finally on to Havant & Waterlooville and a short spell at local club Hollands & Blair.

This promises to be an exciting era for Cray Wanderers and for Danny Kedwell and we welcome him to the club and his plans to take London’s Oldest Football Club forward.

Now you’ve seen the coup for Cray Wanderers who appoint an ex-Championship player in Andy Drury, what do you make of the signing? Let us know via our Facebook page HERE.