New look Cray Valley ready to go for 2023/24
It’s a new Manager and new team for Cray Valley this season with changes made to see if they can make the leap to Step 3.
Steve McKimm will lead the side this season and he has acted quickly to build a strong squad…
Clement Asiedu, aged 20, a left sided defender who joins from Horsham YMCA where he made 52 appearances including 34 last season in the Southern Combination Premier Division at step 5. A product of the Volenti Academy he represented Crystal Palace as a youth player.
22 year old striker Freddie Parker who became Steve McKimm’s seventh new signing since taking over in June adding another piece in the jigsaw as he continues to build his Millers team.
Last season Freddie was at Sevenoaks Town who he joined at the end of February 2022 making a total of 46 appearances with 21 goals. Previous club were Lewes and Cray Wanderers along with Millwall U18.
Arthur Lee, 31, a central defender, has twice reached the Isthmian Premier League Playoff Final, firstly as captain of Hendon in 2017/18 when they lost on penalties to Dulwich Hamlet and then as part of the Tonbridge Angels side that won promotion under Steve McKimm in 2018/19. Has also played for Hornchurch and last season was captain, again under McKimm, at Carshalton Athletic.
Another new signing is experienced central midfielder Jensen Grant, who can also play in defence.
Jensen, 32, has spent the past four seasons at Isthmian South Central side Chipstead, where he made 95 appearances scoring 8 times. Prior to that he notched up 58 appearances for Three Bridges and 77 appearances for Whyteleafe, spending three seasons at each club.
23 year old centre back Teddy Perkins joins the Millers as manager Steve McKimm continues to put together his team.
Teddy was a product of the Leyton Orient Academy before joining Burnley U21 at Turf Moor in July 2018. After a loan period at Ramsbottom he joined Watford U23 in Jan 2020 later moving to Isthmian South Central Chipstead in 2021. Over the past couple of seasons he has gained National League South experience making 27 appearances in total for Tonbridge Angels, Welling United and Concord Rangers on short term moves. He joins from Chipstead where he made 29 appearances last season and 5 the season before.
Goalkeeper Sam Freeman was amongst Steve Mckimm’s first signings and will be Valley’s number one between the sticks for the coming 2023/24 season. Sam, aged 32, made 11 appearances for Whitehawk last season after joining from East Grinstead.at the beginning of February 2023. At the start of his career, Sam played for Horsham YMCA in the Isthmian South in season 2010/11. Among his former clubs he also counts South Park, Three Bridges and Haywards Heath Town.
Michael Ademiluyi, 27, joined Valley in July 2023 bringing with him a wealth of non league experience.
An attacking midfielder / winger, started last season at Cray Wanderers making 17 appearances with 2 goals before moving to Faversham Town where he made a further 18 appearances and added 2 more goals.
Season 2021/22 saw him represent Bowers & Pitsea and was a big part of the side that reached the first round of the FA Cup and fell to a narrow defeat at Lincoln City. He managed twelve goals from his forty five Bowers appearances.
He was previously with New Salamis, and- also at Coles Park- for Haringey Borough. He made twenty three appearances- with two goals- for Borough during the 2019-20 campaign, twenty two the season before that, and forty eight during 2017-18 as his side won North Division promotion, scoring nine goals- including one in their Playoff Final win over Canvey Island at Coles Park.
He also includes Crowborough Athletic, where he made 19 appearances with 5 goals as an eighteen year old, Erith & Belvedere and Thamesmead Town amongst his former clubs.
Winger Lyle Della-Verde joins Cray from Enfield Town.
An attacking player now 28 he made 102 appearance for the Towners scoring 29 goals.
He started out with Tottenham Hotspur as a youth before moving on to Southend United and Fulham, where he signed his first professional contract aged 17. After a loan spell at Bristol Rovers, he subsequently signed for Fleetwood Town and then Crawley Town before moving into non-league football with Welling United, Concord Rangers, Dartford, Braintree Town, Hayes & Yeading before joining Isthmian Premier side Enfield Town in December 2019.
Retained from 2022/23 are… Julien Anau, Sonny Black, Tom Chambers, Adam Coombes, Denzel Gayle, Hassan Ibrahiym, Kiki Oshilaja, Kershaney Samuels and Barney Williams.
Steve McKimm’s backroom team will include Barry Moore, Mark Watson, Joe Doherty and Sam Codling.
Ade Adeyemo who has joined EFL club Crawley Town on a two year professional contract and Cem Tumkaya has made a move to Dulwich Hamlet.
For more from Cray Valley please visit their website here.