GRAYS ATHLETIC FC - BRIEF HISTORY

Although the formation of Grays Athletic was officially 1890, its origins can be traced back to 1888, when the Grays Amateur Athletic Club, which was primarily a cricket and athletic club, formed an association football branch. The modern club can be traced back to the Grays Juniors side formed in 1902, which in 1904 changed their name to Grays Athletic and in 1906 took over the Grays Recreation Ground, the club's spiritual home for the next 104 years. Senior Status was granted in 1909, whilst in 1912 the club became a founding member of the Athenian League. Over the last hundred years, the club has experienced a roller-coaster ride. Plenty of highs, along with lows, which at times have threatened the clubs’ existence.

During the 1920’s the club experienced its first boom period, winning the London League three times (1922, 1927 and 1930), as well as two Essex Senior Cup triumphs (1921 and 1923), to add to their first in 1915. Towards the end of World War Two, the club experienced its next successful era, led by centre-forward, Harry Brand, who went on to become the club's record scorer with 269 goals scored between 1944 and 1952. Inspired by his goals, the Blues won the East Anglian Cup and another Essex Senior Cup in 1945. The club also won the inaugural, Corinthian League Championship, a league which as well as being founder members they were instrumental in forming.

The club re-joined the Athenian League in 1958, which gradually heralded a decline in fortunes. During the late 1960s and 1970s, the club was locked in a struggle with the trustees of the Recreation Ground to secure the venue’s future. This was finally sorted in 1981 when club patron Ron Billings was persuaded to buy the ground by then club director Bryan Coker and Jeff and Fred Saxton who were the club's joint managers at the time. With the future of the ground secured the club was about to enter another period of success. Businessman Jim Myers, owner of the Boys from Rathbone Street retail chain, was persuaded to come aboard as the new chairman. He set a target of Isthmian Premier Division football, within five years (it would take six). The first step in getting there was achieved in 1983, when the club finished as runners-up in the Athenian League, earning promotion to Division Two of the Isthmian League. Just when it seemed the club's troubles had gone, disaster struck when the 400-seater wooden stand was burned to the ground after gracing the Rec for over sixty years. This led Mr Billings to undertake ground improvements, which included new changing rooms, an indoor ball court and bar development.

The 1984-85 season saw the Blues secure the Isthmian League Division Two South title. Three years later promotion to the Isthmian Premier Division was achieved after finishing as runners-up to Marlow, despite gaining 100 points during the season. The club enjoyed a nine-season stay in the Premier Division, with two fifth places, in their first two seasons at that level being the highest. In 1992 the Isthmian League Cup was won, defeating league runners-up Enfield 3-1 in the final held at Dagenham’s, Victoria Road Ground. Sadly in 1997, the Blues were relegated back to Division One, with the final match of the season seeing long-standing managers Jeff and Fred Saxton step down from their roles and the playing retirement of the holder of the club appearances record, Phil Sammons (748 appearances) after fifteen seasons with the Blues.

The club's most successful period came in the early to mid-2000s, with the arrival of Mick Woodward as a director. When former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, Mark Stimson, stepped up as manager in 2002, it would herald a period of success, that no one at the club had dared to dream. The Blues were founder members of the new Conference South in the 2004-05 season and were its first champions, securing promotion to the top level of the non-league game, for the first time in its history. For good measure, the FA Trophy was also won, when Hucknall Town were defeated 6-5 on penalties, after extra-time had ended 1-1, in the final held at Villa Park.

With players such as Jamie Stuart, Stuart Thurgood, Aaron McLean and Michael Kightly the Blues finished their first top-flight season in third place. The end-of-season play-offs were reached, but unfortunately, a poor display in the first twenty minutes of the first (away) leg of the semi-final, saw the Blues' dream of EFL football ended by Halifax Town, 5-4 on aggregate. The FA Trophy was retained, with the Blues winning it the hard way, by going through the entire competition, only facing Conference National opponents. The final, which was held at West Ham’s, Boleyn Ground, saw nearly ten thousand Blues fans in the attendance of 14,000. First-half goals from Michael Kightly and Glenn Poole would send them home happy, with Grays defeating Woking by two goals to nil.

Shortly after the 2005-06 season had ended, Mark Stimson and his assistant manager, Scott Barrett, stepped down from their roles. They were replaced by former Leeds United player Frank Gray, although his reign was short, lasting only until October, when he was sacked shortly after a defeat by Bromley, in the FA Cup. It was a season where the star players of the previous few years moved on, with the club being involved in a fight against relegation from Christmas. By the season's end, former Tottenham defender, Justin Edinburgh was in charge and the Blues just avoided relegation on the final day of the season.

By the 2009-10 season, Mick Woodward had stepped down as Chairman, though still owned most of the shares. Former West Ham midfielder John Moncur became the new Chairman, joined by his friend and local businessman, Andy Swallow, who became vice-chairman. Woodward started the season as CEO, but ended his involvement in the club by November. Andy Swallow stepped in to keep the club running. By the end of the campaign, the club finished bottom. Faced with a substantial rent increase, the club vacated its home ground of the Recreation Ground after 104 years. Rather than dropping to the Conference South, the club sought to drop a further division to the Isthmian Premier Division. Being Grays Athletic though, nothing is ever smooth! When the league allocations were revealed, Grays were initially placed in the Essex Senior League. After an appeal to the FA held at Wembley Stadium, the Blues eventually were placed in the Isthmian North Division, a drop of three levels.

Since then, the club has led a nomadic existence, sharing first at East Thurrock United’s, Rookery View Ground (2010-2012). For a season the club held the lease at the former Ford United stadium at Rush Green, which was owned by West Ham, but this deal ended in acrimony after a single season. Somewhat against the odds, the club won the Isthmian League North Division and promotion back to the Premier Division in 2013. For the last ten seasons, Aveley F.C. hosted the club's matches. Firstly, at their old Millfield ground, then at their new Parkview Stadium. Since 2016 the club has been supporter-owned after Andy Swallow agreed to end his interest in the club and pass them to the fans to run the club. For the past seven seasons, long-time Grays supporter, Steve Skinner has been Chairman, with another long-standing supporter, Glyn Jarvis being vice-chairman. in 2022-23, under former captain Lewis Dark, Grays reached the Isthmian North Division play-off semi-final and were runners-up in the Essex Thameside Trophy.

The 2023-24 season saw us ground-sharing with our oldest rivals Tilbury, at Chadfields. Mark Stimson had returned as manager and Lee Vehit and Gavin Holland took over the roles of Chairman and Vice-Chairman. Mark's reign was unsuccessful and he was replaced by former Basildon United manager, Darren Manning in November 2023, to steer the club forward on the pitch.

In December 2023, the club received the news it had been awaiting for so many years. A joint planning application with a developer, to bring the former Thurrock F.C.’s ground at Ship Lane, West Thurrock, back into football use alongside a pre-delivery inspection car area, was approved by Thurrock Council. The final legal agreements were completed in July 2024 and Grays Athletic now has something it has never had before in its history - a ground which it owns. The work to bring the ground up to playing conditions again, after being vacant since 2018, is the next challenge for our club, but in the meantime, we will continue to share with Tilbury FC.

Our strong commitment to the local community will develop, as everyone at the club now intends for it to be around for many more years to come.