London’s oldest association football club could finally have a new home. 

Cray Wanderers, which formed in 1860, has signed a conditional contract to purchase Flamingo Park Sports Centre on the A20 Sidcup bypass.

The Wands announced the move, which is subject to planning permission, today (Oct 6). 

It gives the club an 18-month period to get permission from Bromley Council for a new sporting community hub. 

It would see the team play at a new ‘multi sport’ stadium with a capacity of 2,200 and if the plan goes ahead they will kick-off the 2017-18 season at the ground.

Club chairman Gary Hillman said: "I am very excited about Flamingo Park. The club had to fight off several big national house builders who were very keen to build 100s of houses on this green-belt land. 

"Football hasn’t been played here for over four years so it will be good to bring this sporting facility back to life." 

The semi-professional club is one of the oldest in the world, having been established in 1860, and currently plays at Bromley’s Hayes Lane ground, which it shares with Bromley FC.

The Isthmian League Division One North outfit now also has ambitions to set up a women’s football team and a side for people with disabilities. 

The club also runs the Cray Community Scheme and says the new ground would bring better health and fitness facilities to the area. 

Vice-chairman and former Wands player David Francis said: "Since returning to the club over a year ago I’ve been working to improve and expand the successful Cray Community Scheme and to find them and the club a permanent home. Flamingo Park ticks all the boxes." 

Two previous attempts to build a new stadium – at Sandy Lane, St. Paul’s Cray, and Manorfields in Orpington – were rejected by London Borough of Bromley.