#ShipLaneForGraysAth

Thank you for continuing to follow the fortunes of Grays Athletic. Our football club is at an important stage of our long history and we really need your help.

Grays Athletic has been homeless for 13 years after losing its spiritual home The New Recreational Ground in its hometown of Grays in 2010. The New Rec was sold for housing and the club did not receive one penny from the sale of the land to assist us to relocate elsewhere in Thurrock. The club has led a nomadic life ever since.

Thurrock Council are due to decide on the planning application to redevelop land next to the former Thurrock Football Club in Ship Lane after a site visit for the Council's Planning Committee members, which is currently being organised.

The planning application is to develop currently unused and uncared for land behind the football stadium and transform it into a car preparation plant.

As part of this application, the current unused and derelict football ground will be gifted to Grays Athletic for community use. As part of the agreement, the club will sign a legally binding contract ensuring that the ground can never be sold for redevelopment and will remain in constant football use. As part of the agreement, Grays Athletic will offer 50% community use alongside its own teams. 

Grays Athletic Community Football Club is 100% supporter owned and run and has been part of Thurrock's community for 133 years. The club. can boast 20 boy and girl youth teams from ages 5-23, a thriving women's football team, the men's senior 1st team, walking football teams for over 50s, a Sunday league team and vets team. The club is building its standing in the local area and is a true community football club serving all peoples of Thurrock.

Having a stadium to call our own again after 13 years would be huge for the club and secure our long-term future. Without a ground to call our own the club's very existence is at risk, ending 133 years of footballing history in the borough of Thurrock.

PLEASE SIGN AND SHARE THIS PETITION AND HELP US BRING SHIP LANE BACK TO LIFE!