Big night for Grays
GRAYS have had their fair share of massive games over the past year but according to their manager, Mark Stimson, Friday's FA Cup Second Round match at Mansfield is the "biggest match in the club's history."
Forget last season's FA Trophy final win at Villa Park and ignore the game at Southport, which saw them equal the Conference's best ever start to a season, Stimson says the trip to League Two Mansfield, is the highlight of the club's 115-year history.
"I know we had the FA Trophy final last year but this is the biggest game this club has ever been involved in," he said. "The financial implications alone are massive and to think if we get through to the next round we could be drawn with someone like Manchester United."
Blues could earn in excess of £100,000 from tonight's game, which is being shown live on Sky Sports, if you calculate the money made from TV, gate receipts and prize money.
Mansfield are struggling in League Two and sit just five places above Grays in the football ladder but their results have picked up since they installed ex-Sheffield Wednesday player Peter Shirtliff as manager last month.
Stimson said: "They are a league side and have been for years so they have some quality. They'll be fancying their chances as well because they'll be thinking exactly the same as us and looking at drawing a Premiership club in the next round.
"It's going to be a tough game and we are going to have to work very hard but it can be done."
Grays should be able to call on centre back, Stevland Angus, who has missed the last two league games but who has trained throughout the week and he should come in for loanee Nathan Koo-Boothe. Jamie Stuart is still suspended so Lee Matthews is likely to retain his place.
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Nottingham Evening Post
Stags in for Tough Game on TV
Mansfield Town manager Peter Shirtliff is more than aware of the danger that Grays Athletic will pose to his team tonight.
Rated as the underdogs by the bookies, Grays, at the top of the Conference, lie just five league places below the Stags, who are 20th in League Two.
"They've had strong financial backing that's helped them get to where they are and they look set for promotion," said Shirtliff.
"We know we'll be in for a difficult game.
The fact we're on Sky in front of a nationwide audience is encouraging and we hope it will be a good game," he said.
Shirtliff has no fresh injury worries ahead of tonight's clash, with striker Simon Brown facing a fitness test to see if he's recovered from the hamstring injury that kept him out for the win over Stockport. On-loan midfielder Jonathan D'Laryea is unavailable though, as parent club Manchester City don't want him cup-tied. Gareth Jellyman returns from his three-game ban, but Gus Uhlenbeek serves the last match of his.
Anyone still unaware of the startling progress made by Grays Athletic in the past few years need only look towards the Official Website of Mark Stimson's team. The Blues are advertising the position of full-time kit manager, a job that would hardly feature highly on many non-league clubs' wish-lists.
Grays only went professional two years ago, but having wrapped up the Conference South title by March last season - before going on to defeat Hucknall Town in the final of the FA Trophy - they are now setting their sights on achieving League status for the first time in the club's 115-year history.
Stimson says of his team, widely-stereotyped as the Chelsea of non-league:
"If we can be in the LDV Vans trophy next season it would be fantastic, if we win promotion it would be a miracle."
Stimson's team have lost only once all season, with the 37-year-old putting together a talented young squad that has seen higher-division scouts flocking to the Recreation Ground this season.
"When I took over we had a lot of journeymen who didn't want to run around and had a part-time attitude," said Stimson. "I made it a policy to get people in with enthusiasm.
"It's no good having ability if you're not prepared to run about.
"The group of players I've got is so young and enthusiastic and a lot of the time we have to drag them off the training pitch."
The Blues will be without injured former Notts County striker Tony Battersby for tonight's clash, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
But they have recently snapped up MK Dons defender Nathan Koo-Boothe on a month's loan.
Captain Stuart Thurgood and midfielder John Martin both have Football League experience, while top-scorer Jamie Slabber once appeared for Spurs in a Premiership match against Liverpool.