8:27pm Saturday 28th April 2007
After a nerve-wracking afternoon Grays manager Justin Edinburgh looked like a very relieved young manager but he says he is already planning for next season's Conference campaign.
After watching his side lose 1-0 at Morecambe but avoid relegation thanks to results elsewhere, Edinburgh said: "I'm delighted for everybody.
"It's been a long hard fight but we have much to be proud of and much to build on.
"The chairman has got this team into the Conference. He has his critics but he has backed us all every step of the way.
"Work now starts on Monday. I have an idea of who will be staying, who will be going. But there is much to decide.
"I'm sure we can get in some players that will see us mount a play-off challenge next season.
"I am looking forward to the challenge. It will be my first full season and it will be my team next year.
"I couldn't have asked for any more from the players or fans but it has been a difficult season."
It is unsure yet if his influential skipper Stuart Thurgood will be staying. Speculation throughout the season has linked him with a move to former Blues boss at Stevenage but for the moment he was putting all thoughts of the future aside, saying: "It's not been easy and today was hard but I always felt we had done enough to survive."
Meanwhile fans who travelled for the nail-biting finale said they believed Edinburgh was the man to put Grays back on the upward path.
Dean Graham of Grays and Matt Richardson from Chafford Hundred said: "This has been a hard season but we will survive. Next year, with Justin being given a good run we can go all the way."
John Taylor, a Blues fan from Westcliff on Sea said: "It is fantastic. We've worked too hard to go down. Justin is a great boss and I am sure he will do well next season."
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