GraysAthletic.co.uk
Title
Grays Athletic F.C.
Description
Grays Athletic had to wait 115 years to reach the top flight of non-league football, but when the Club did make the grade, it did so in style.
Grays clinched promotion to the Football Conference, becoming the first club to win the newly-inaugurated Conference South league, wrapping up the title by the end of March, scoring 118 goals in the process.
Then, having claimed the scalps of Conference sides Exeter City and Burton Albion on the way, Grays faced Conference North side Hucknall Town in the FA Trophy final at Villa Park. A closely-contested game watched by over 8,000 fans went to extra time and then penalties, where 'keeper Ashley Bayes was the hero saving from Russell Cooke to claim the biggest knockout prize in non-league football.
