GRAYS Athletic manager Jamie Stuart has admitted that he was delighted to welcome former fans’ favourites Jamie Slabber and Nicky Eyre back to the club.

During his first spell with Grays, Stuart played in the same side as Slabber and Eyre.

Former Tottenham Hotspur trainee striker Slabber returns to Grays following spells with the likes of Stevenage, Chelmsford City and Welling United.

Goalkeeper Eyre, who won the FA Trophy with Grays in 2006, has re-joined the club ten years after his departure.

The 31-year-old, who spent last season with Leiston, counts the likes of Dagenham & Redbridge and Chelmsford City among his former sides.

Stuart said: “I am very pleased to have been able to bring them back to Grays.

“They were two players that I talked to when I took over as manager of the club, but I couldn’t afford to bring them in.

“I know them well and am aware of what they can do.

“Having played with them in the past, I know that they will put a shift in.

“I had good conversations with both of them and they want to help us push on next season.

“They will bring experience, which is something I definitely wanted to add to the current squad.

“Both Jamie and Nicky have played loads of games in non-league football and so their game management will be good.

“They know how to control games and I am hoping that they will help some of our younger players because of their experience.”

Following their relegation from the Isthmian Premier League last season, Grays will be viewed as one of the favourites to win promotion at the first attempt.

And with the non-league revamp going ahead next term, Grays’ hopes of spending just one season in the Isthmian North may have been improved.

Three sides will win promotion from the Isthmian North into the Isthmian Premier League next term, rather than two.

The top two will go up automatically, while four teams will contest the play-offs for the final place in the Isthmian Premier League.

And although Stuart understands that his side will be seen by many to be one of the frontrunners for promotion, he maintains that Grays will take the upcoming season one game at a time.

Stuart admitted: “We are going to take each game as it comes.

“When I first came in, it didn’t work out as I wanted it to but I feel as though it is now.

“There are some big clubs in our league next season, so it will be very competitive.

“Some of those have bigger budgets as well but we will be up there challenging for promotion next season.”