It doesn’t seem five minutes since the referee blew the final whistle at Sporting Bengal to draw the 24-25 season to a close and already it’s time to go again. Some of you will have been filling your Saturday afternoons very profitably over the past few weeks, I’m sure but now let’s get back together and support the Blues.

The men’s first team squad are already back in pre-season training and have been put through their paces both on the pitch and in the gym, despite the recent sweltering temperatures.
The pre-season fixture schedule kicks off with a trip to Rayleigh Town this Saturday, 5th July.

But while supporters have been enjoying their off-season, manager Darren Manning and his team have been busier than ever recruiting new members into the playing squad. As ever in non-league football, the end of last season saw the departure of a number of players for pastures new - mostly looking to play at a higher level, which we have to take as a measure of the quality of last year’s side (as well as the ‘retirement’ of keeper, Danny Sambridge).

Importantly, much of the core of last season’s Blues’ squad remain - including Tyler Brampton, Kye Jude, Aron Gordon, Sid Walker, Harry Hope, Luke Hirst and Sam Bantick. Joining them for the coming season are faces new and old.

Two familiar returning names are defenders Lewis Clark and Macaulay Joynes. Lewis brings a great reputation as a leader on and off the pitch and is a fine, dependable centre-back. Macca fills the berth at left back and has great experience at this level. Both have already chalked up more than a century of appearances in a Blue shirt and were firm club favourites during their previous spells with us. They both return to us having played for our landlords, Tilbury, last season. They still have so much to offer (especially when Macca scores his first goal for us !)

Another returnee is Joe Paxman, who supporters will remember patrolling our midfield back at the start of the decade, since when he has appeared for several clubs around the county. Joe is another real crowd-pleasing, tricky player who fans will readily warm to.

Joining Lewis Clark with us is his twin brother, Jordan. He was part of Hornchurch’s FA Trophy winning side in 2021 and also played for Tilbury last year. It will be great seeing both Clark brothers lining up in a Blue shirt.

Keeping the tradition of recruiting local goalkeepers, this season will see George Marsh between the sticks for Blues. This will be the third time that Darren has signed George and whilst he will have big gloves to fill after Danny Sambridge’s retirement, his experience will be an essential component of the squad this season.

Other new recruits include another of Darren’s familiar faces from his previous clubs, Callum Fitzer, as well as midfielder Oscar Shelvey and winger Jayden Silcott-Brown.

The squad looks to have a real mixture of youth and experience, flair and solidity. They should be a good watch.

Isthmian Division 1 North looks to be as competitive as ever. The three sides that lost out in the playoffs, Felixstowe & Walton, Brightlingsea Regent and Waltham Abbey will certainly all be competitive again, with others such as Maldon & Tiptree and Walthamstow expecting to be amongst the front runners. Likewise, Cambridge City, Tilbury Witham and last season’s surprise package, Gorleston, will all be expecting to build on their showings last year.

The two sides joining us from Isthmian Premier are our old friends, Bowers & Pitsea and Lowestoft. Both clubs have good experience of playing at a higher level and will be looking to bounce straight back.

The four clubs promoted from the Essex Senior League and the Thurlow Nunn Eastern League will all be playing their first ever seasons at Step 4. We welcome them all and hope they enjoy the experience of playing at this level and wish them well.

The two Essex sides, Stanway Rovers and Takeley, have both been Blues opponents some years ago in cup competitions. But we have never met either of the new East Anglian teams - Brantham Athletic and Downham Town. These four games will all undoubtedly provide interesting awaydays for the large contingent of travelling Blues fans.

It promises to be a really entertaining season, so let’s all get behind Darren and the boys.

Elsewhere around the club, we look forward with excitement to the relaunch of our women’s team, with the girls from the oldest age group team stepping up into adult football. We wish them every success. Our youth set up also continues to thrive and we are grateful to the cohort of managers and coaches who provide such fantastic opportunities for our younger players.

Equally, the board continue to do everything they can to keep the whole club thriving, giving Darren and his team, the best possible chance on the pitch; as well as planning for a bright future, as and when we get the go-ahead for the Ship Lane redevelopment. As soon as we know, you’ll know. In the meantime, we thank Danny Nash and his team at Chadfields for continuing with our ground-sharing agreement for another season.

And last but not least, a reminder to everyone reading this article - we are a supporter-owned community club and please ask yourself what you can do for your club. There are plenty of volunteer roles on matchdays - without volunteers, we (and you) don’t have a club to support.

Have you paid your £30 annual membership subscription - now offering you a range of matchday discounts, as well as having your own share in the club and a say in key decisions affecting the club ?

Have you bought your season ticket or joined the 250 club ? Are you in the 12th Man scheme and the Big Draw ? All of these initiatives make a real difference to how the club and the team perform. So it’s time to step up.
All the information you need can be found here https://www.graysathletic.co.uk/information

Your club needs you !

Come on you Blues !!!!!