The FA Cup Second Round Proper
Mansfield Town v Grays Athletic
Field Mill, 7.45pm
Friday 2 December 2005
Winning clubs receive £24,000
Listen Live with at TheFA.com

Grays manager Mark Stimson believes his team’s FA Cup clash against Mansfield on Friday is the biggest fixture in the club’s history.

Stimson has galvanised the Essex-based club, guiding them to an FA Trophy and promotion double last season and to the top of the Conference this year.

In fact, Grays have been described as the Chelsea of non-league following a string of outstanding performances. And they remained unbeaten in the league until mid-November – equaling the Conference record for the best-ever start to a season.

Now their highly-rated young manager Stimson, who played as a left-sided midfielder for Tottenham, Newcastle, Portsmouth, Southend and Leyton Orient, is looking for yet more glory at Mansfield in The FA Cup.

He said: "I know we had the FA Trophy final last year but this is the biggest game this club has ever been involved in.

“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, which is just crazy. But Exeter got drawn at Old Trafford last year so we know it can happen."

Grays are confident they can cause an upset. After all Mansfield of League 2 sit just five places above them in the football ladder.

But the Stags have been on the up since appointing former Sheffield Wednesday player Peter Shirtliff as manager and it looks like being a fascinating battle of two young bosses.

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."