Matches

Season 2003-4 in focus

Grays announced during the close season that a large proportion of the playing and management staff were to become full-time professionals. The Club also focussed on younger players to fill out a squad that retained just 7 members of the previous season's squad.

The move paid off, as Blues notched up convincing victories, most memorably beating St. Albans 9-1 at home in October.

Blues went on to become the only Club at senior non-league level to remain unbeaten at home in the league season - a remarkable achievement with such a young squad. Grays finished sixth in the league with 81 points - the Club's highest points tally in the Premier - easily qualifying for the newly expanded Nationwide Conference South.

Unfortunately Grays couldn't replicate league form in many of the Cup competitions, bowing out of both the FA Trophy and the Bryco Cup with uncharacteristic defeats. Meanwhile Blues fell at the first in the Essex Senior Cup against Braintree, and conceded an abandoned Essex Thameside Trophy tie in order to avoid further punishment to the players on a sub-standard pitch.

Nevertheless Blues qualified for the First Round Proper of the FA Cup for the 5th time in the Club's history, making it into the hat for the third time in 5 years after a dramatic victory against Margate on penalties.

A home tie against last season's Ryman Premier champions Aldershot saw 1500 people at the Rec watch a competitive game in which the Conference side eventually found a way to unpick the Grays defence with a 2-1 victory.

Some of the real highlights of the season came through Grays' new signings. The ability of the Blues' management team to unearth young players with bags of talent and commitment began to show with signings such as Dean Bradshaw, Daniel Lunan and Ade Olayinka. New boy Stuart Thurgood won both the Supporters' and Players' Player of the Year for his terrier-like displays in midfield, while young hot shot striker Freddie Eastwood, who signed from West Ham during the summer, won Grays' Golden Boot after netting 37 league and cup goals.

The season finished with an announcement by the Board that Grays will be staying at the Recreation Ground for the foreseeable future.

With Council and grant funding approval required for the redevelopment of the ground, Season 2004-5 promises to be another of high drama and - we hope - a further step up the non-league ladder.