CRAY Wanderers dream of coming home to the Crays has been put on hold – because they might be going to Orpington instead.

The team had hoped to be able to build a 5,153 seat stadium on a green belt site in Sandy Lane, St Paul’s Cray, along with a sports complex and 182 homes.

But after the planning application was refused by Bromley Council last September the club has been looking for alternatives.

And club chairman Gary Hillman has just announced he has made the council an offer on The Manorfields care home which he says they want to sell and also a school and its land in Avalon Road, Orpington.

If the council accepts the offer the Wands would redevelop the Manorfields site and build a football ground.

And if the council says no Mr Hillman says he will put in another planning application for the Sandy Lane site.

He added: “I have been telling the London borough of Bromley for the last ten 10 years how much bringing Cray Wanderers back home would benefit the community.

“Hopefully now they have seen the massive proven success of Dartford FC and Maidstone United FC new grounds in their home town centres, we can now make this happen for Cray Wanderers FC – the second oldest football club in the world.

“Our database to support our next planning application is constantly growing and we look forward to being included in the London borough of Bromley's new planning development framework we have made representations to and which will be issued soon."

Cray Wanderers was founded in 1860.

The team currently plays home matches at Bromley FC in Hayes Lane, Bromley.