Information on East Grinstead Town

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Their website can be found at http://www.egtfc.co.uk and they play in the Sussex County League, Division 2 for anyone interested. This is their first venture into the FA Cup for some time apparently. I found this on their site:

 

 

EAST Grinstead Town have been handed a tough assignment on their return to the world's most famous knockout competition.

 

Wasps are back in the FA Cup for only the second season since 1982 but they will do well to progress beyond the preliminary round after being drawn away to Slough Town on August 30.

 

Slough finished fourth in Ryman League Division One North last season, but Grinstead manager Bob Smith remains positive.

 

"Just to be back in the FA Cup shows the progress we have made as a club, both on and off the field, in the last few years," he said.

"They will obviously be difficult to beat at their place but you never know. They have lost the manager to got them to fourth place last season so they may not be as strong."

 

Winners of preliminary round ties receive £1,000 and the prizemoney increases with each round thereafter which is another incentive to make progress.

 

Wasps are back in the competition after completing more improvements to the facilities at East Court during the close season, the most impressive being a hard-standing walkway around the entire pitch perimeter with new access steps at the far end of the existing stand to the new pathway.

 

Grinstead will be heading back down the M4 the week after their Slough trip to face Wessex League outfit AFC Newbury in the preliminary round of the FA Vase on September 6.

 

Meanwhile, Smith and his new coaching team have been putting the squad through their paces for a week now at pre-season training.

 

The manager was happy to report that nearly all of last season's promotion-winning squad have already re-signed as Grinstead prepare for life back in Division One of the Sussex County League after an absence of ten years.

 

"A couple of lads have still to sign, but I envisage all of last year's squad will be with us again and I'm hoping to make one or two new signings before we kick off the league campaign on August 16," added Smith.

 

One familiar face back in training is defender Keith Bradshaw who hasn't played since breaking his leg in an FA Vase game against Thatcham in September 2001. Bradshaw has since joined the Met Police but there is no doubt he will provide extra competition for places at the back especially as Andy Rabbetts, who played an integral part in making sure Wasps went up, has decided to retire after making nearly 200 appearances for the club.

 

Smith added: "Andy was a great servant of the club and it's always sad when players retire, but having Keith back is almost like signing a new player. We all know what a good defender Keith was before his injury and he seems to have got his appetite back for football."

 

Grinstead step-up their pre-season preparations on Saturday when they entertain Haywards Heath in the first of six friendlies at Ardingly College (ko 3.00pm).

 

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Just to correct myself, they're actually in Division 1 of said league having got promotion last season <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />