This Saturday, Grays Athletic play their first home pre-season fixture of the campaign with the visit to Tilbury of Corinthian-Casuals FC.

The Corinthian-Casuals are one of the most recognisable names in non-league football, the product of a merger immediately before WWII of two long-standing amateur stalwart clubs - The Corinthians and The Casuals. Post war, the club was one of the most successful in the world of amateur football, with an FA Amateur Cup final appearance at Wembley to their name - only losing after a replay to the then mighty Bishop Auckland. Several decades were spent in the Isthmian League before before a drop back to the Spartan League, prompting the club’s first-ever league title.

A further long spell in the Isthmian League, including a spell in the Premier Division, was only ended last season after two relegations in two seasons. The highlight of these years has though been the building of a relationship with Brazilian League football, most notably the Corinthians of Sao Paolo, with the two teams playing each other twice, on club tours of Brazil.

Our two sides have never met in any league encounter (at least in recent decades). Two FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round encounters in 1976 and 1990 were won by the Blues, with the Casuals exacting revenge in a 2015 FA Trophy tie.

Pre-season games are more about learning and improving rather than the result of the game. However, Grays’ two games so far have been promising, with a 0-0 draw away last Saturday at high-flying Chatham Town and then a 2-1 win behind closed-doors against a Colchester Utd XI on Tuesday evening.

So this is the first chance some Grays fans have had to run the rule over manager Darren Manning’s summer signings.

And we very much look forward to welcoming the Corinthian-Casuals players and officials to Essex for what should be an enjoyable afternoon. Kick off is at 3.00pm at Tilbury's EMR Stadium, RM18 8NL.

Come on you Blues !