Grays Athletic

Club History

Who are Grays Athletic?

Grays. The only place in the land to take its name from the hues, colours and shades of its landscape; wedged on the Essex bank of the Thames between Tilbury and the side we looked at last time, Thurrock. Or Purfleet. The history of Grays Athletic starts in 1890, formed as Grays Juniors before merging with United to make the side we came to know. First joining the Athenian League (1912), the Blues had spells in the London, Kent and Corinthian Leagues between 1914 and 1958 before returning to the Athenian set-up in 1958.

It was, however, their move to the Isthmian League in 1983 that laid foundations for the story of us and them.

Why do we know the Blues?

After joining the Isthmian League, Grays Athletic spent a season in Division Two before it split out into North and South in ’84 (to cater for an influx of new teams, including Boro’). The Blues won the new Div Two South at the first crack, resulting in promotion to Division One. A year later, us Div Two Northerners joined them. Due to a quirk in scheduling during the 1986-7 Vauxhall Opel League Division One season, our first two meetings were just two weeks apart. The first on 30 March finished 2-2; the second in mid-April ending up 1-1 at their gaff.

How to get to Grays Athletic

By Car

By Road

Go around the M25 to Junction 30/31, which is in the clockwise direction and is for the A13. Take the second exit at the roundabout for the Thurrock-bound A13. At the next roundabout, go right round and take what we hope is the fourth exit – this is Ship Lane.

Keep going down Ship Lane for 1.2 miles into Aveley, before you need to turn left onto High Street and then right again onto Mill Road. You’ll come across the ground on the right-hand side, just before you reach St Paul’s Close.

By Rail

By Rail

The nearest station isn’t all that near – so the train is unlikely to be an option unless you’re willing to catch a bus or something.

Parking

Parking

The ground has a car park that can accommodate 200 vehicles.