On the coach journey back from Wednesday night’s Robert Dyas Cup defeat at the hands of Hendon FC, most of the conversation was how well the team has performed under Mark Bentley’s tutelage and what a fantastic journey we have all been on over the past couple
of months.
I thought their goalkeeper was man of the match, despite his time wasting antics as soon as they were in front, and on another night we could have come away as victors.
It was an excellent game of football played on a very good surface and played in a very good spirit and the comments in the boardroom
after the game reflected on two footballing teams playing the game the way it should be played.

For us to receive the praise we did after the game goes to show how well the team has progressed and leads me to believe that we have a bright future to look forward to. Mark has brought the team together and the sense of camaraderie is there for all to see.

Saturday was our final home game of the season and it would be very remiss of me not to thank the people that keep this great club of ours running week after week.
We are all aware of the great job that Andy Swallow and Joel Nathan have done over the past few years, but our Chairman Keith Burns also deserves his accolades for everything he does on matchdays and behind the scenes. Keith endeavours to keep the club on the straight and narrow and deals with all the issues the league and the FA can throw at us.

My wife Janet, as club secretary and boardroom host, has had plenty of problems with both the first team and Under 21 fixtures this
season but has ensured that all our players have been registered and all the fines we have incurred have been paid on time.
Steve
Boughen, our stadium safety officer has looked after the changing rooms (and you should see the state of them after some of the muddy home games!), and retrieved many a football at Aveley this season, saving us the cost of replacement footballs.

Rob Seaman has done a fantastic job with the club website and Dave Seaman, aka The Mariner, has written some excellent matchday
reports for the fans that can’t get to the games.

Michael Parker has given us varying degrees of insanity in Parker’s Piece and Dave Raven has been rambling on for the whole of this season when not scouting for the first team.

Our programme editors Glyn Balmer and Glyn Jarvis have produced one of the best programmes in the league and continue to find ways to improve it. Glyn Jarvis also sells programmes on matchdays
in tandem with our 50/50 ticket sellers Kim & Bill. Kim has also joined forces with Becky to work on the turnstiles and I’m sure you will all
agree that their welcoming faces are much better than mine.

David Barnes is there to help at every home game wherever help is required and his assistance is most gratefully appreciated together
with our Trust Chairman Fred Wakeling who looks after the players and officials’ entrance gate.

Colin Tillett has provided us with away coach travel and has repaired gates and fences at Mill Field as and when required as well as working with the sponsors for our programme and advertising boards around the ground.

Paul aka Santa and Bluebeard the Pirate has made all our home announcements, when the PA works, ably assisted by Steve Allen aka Muttley.

Ant Auger sells our community chest tickets and Audrey has done a superb job with the raffles that we have run over the year.

Alison Popham has also helped out in the boardroom when Janet has not been available. Chris Jones and Andrew Packer have also provided vital information for the FWP (football web pages)
which is a league requirement which many a team has fallen foul of this year and received the appropriate fines. We have received no such fines.

ALL of the above do what they do for no reward and for the love of the club. I hope I haven't missed anybody out and apologies if I have.

The Grays Athletic Supporters Trust has done a great job this year and is an integral part of the club and a special word of thanks to Steve Skinner for all the good work he has done.

My last word of thanks is to all the supporters of Grays Athletic FC who have come to Mill Field this season through the wind and rain and especially on the cold evenings and to those of you who have posted the thousands of leaflets the Trust produced as well as spreading the GAFC word throughout Grays town centre and
Lakeside.

This year has been very trying at times but also very rewarding and your support ensures that I will continue in my numerous roles within the club.
I was looking to take a back step next season but with so much going on that’s not going to be the case especially now we have the “Cheeky Girls” on the turnstiles.

And finally… The Board continues to strive to find us a home ground in Thurrock and thanks to many of you who have assisted and
are assisting in the quest to “get us back home”.
Come on you Blues…!!

Footnote from the editor
We really cannot let this moment pass without the thanks of everyone else at the club going to Tony for his Herculean efforts over
the last seven years. He may regret the weekend he ‘slept’ with Glyn Jarvis at an away Cup tie and was persuaded to get involved with
helping the club in the major aspect of accounting and finance, but his contribution has been essential. I know we are all VERY pleased he will continue to guide us through a key stage in
the club’s development.