Departing Brown sends thanks for support

Former Grays Athletic manager Jody Brown has thanked the Ryman Premier club's fans, players and officials for their support after leaving on Saturday to become Welling United's new manager.

Brown stepped down after the 1-0 defeat at Wingate & Finchley to replace former Arsenal star Jamie Day who left the Conference Premier's Wings a week ago to manage Ebbsfleet United.

Brown, who resigned as Heybridge Swifts manager in June to join Grays Athletic, will meet Welling's players for the first time on Tuesday before taking charge at Dover on Boxing Day.

In the statement on their website announcing Brown's departure, Grays say Andy Swallow will take temporary charge of the club over the festive period and will look to appoint a new manager in January.

Thanking the club for their support, Brown said: "The opportunity to step up to management in the Conference Premier was one I could not ignore. I am grateful to Andy Swallow and the board for giving me the opportunity to manage a club the size and with the history of Grays Athletic.

"Without doubt, in Andy, Joel, and the Packer family, I found the most supportive board and owners I've ever experienced, and I'm very grateful for that. I feel the club is moving in a good direction, and has a squad with huge potential and playing a brand of football that will benefit them long term.

"I found it extremely hard to tell the players and staff that I was leaving after the game, because they've all given me a lot, despite the short time we had been together. I'll miss the club, the people, the staff, the training ground, and the players.

"Football is my profession, I'm ambitious, and when the opportunity to speak with a club with such strong recent form, league position, and ambition as Welling United, I could not refuse. I hope to always be a friend of Grays Athletic Football Club, and I sincerely hope to see them climb the ladder and return to the force they once were."

He added: "Good luck to everyone associated with the club, thank you for the support the fans gave us in my time in charge."

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