Russell (pictured) says he will not be joining a new club immediately and will be taking a short break before returning to the game.

The pair took Cray back into the Isthmian Premier in 2019 by winning the South East Division after suffering two play-off defeats having taken over four years earlier.

The club sat second when the 2019/20 season was made null and void and had won five out of the seven league games this term before the curtailment.

Russell, who played for the Wands from 2004 to 2006, arrived as manager from VCD Athletic in the summer of 2015 and had steered Erith Town to the Kent Senior Trophy in 2010/11 and guided VCD to the Kent League championship in 2012/13 and the Isthmian North title in 2013/14.

Russell helped Cray reach the Isthmian North play-offs in his first season in 2015/16 and when switched to the Isthmian South also reached the play-offs in 2017/18 in a side which scored 112 leagues goals. 

The Wands became the first ever Isthmian South-East champions in 2018/19 (a title the club still technically holds), won the Isthmian South manager of the year award and returned to the Isthmian Premier after a five-season absence where the club were on a twelve-game unbeaten run in 2020 when the pandemic struck the world with such devastation.

Russell was also a big voice in improving the way the club moved forward off the pitch with a big emphasis on future planning with the youth team set-up and instilled a playing style which although was easy on the eye worked extremely hard and the Wands became a tough side to beat during his time in charge.

Vines has had an extensive playing career with Cray over different spells, having played for the club in the Kent League, Isthmian Premier, North, South and South-East. 

He became Russell’s right hand man in the summer of 2017 and over four seasons had created a successful duo, full of ideas and both made Cray a great watch and a team within touching distance of the National South for the first time in the club’s history and has a bright future in the game.

Cray Wanderers are now looking to appoint a new manager in good time to prepare for the 2021/22 season.  Anyone interested in this role, please email: sam.wright@cray-wanderers.com with a brief history of your football management experience included.