Mark Stimson

Mark Stimson has won several promotions in his managerial career and has also won The FA trophy on three occasions. Stimson's most notable success was guiding Gillingham back into League One in 2009. Plaistow-born Mark - a Tottenham apprentice at the start of his career - also boasts a unique record in the FA Trophy, winning it four times as player and manager. The feat included a back-to-back hat-trick of managerial successes. He took charge of Grays in 2002 following a period as coach. After a narrow escape from relegation in his first season, Stimson won promotion to the newly-formed Conference South. Grays then stormed the division the following year, coming top by a margin of 23 points to reach the summit of non-league football for the first time in the club's history. Stimson's side also won the FA Trophy in that same 2004-05 season, beating Hucknall Town in a penalty shoot-out. In 2006, Grays again lifted the FA Trophy with a 2-0 win over Woking. They finished third in the Conference, just missing promotion after losing to Halifax in the play-offs. Stevenage Borough then swooped for his services and was rewarded when - alongside finishing 8th in the Conference - Mark managed a side to the FA Trophy for the third year running after a 3-2 victory over Kidderminster Harriers at the new Wembley. Stimson was appointed by a struggling Gillingham on November 1st, 2007. They were relegated six months later but won promotion in his first full season, going up through the play-offs by seeing off Rochdale and then Shrewsbury at Wembley. Stimson parted company with Gillingham at the close of the 2009/10 season. He had a brief spell in charge of League Two side Barnet, before he joined Kettering. He has subsequently managed Thurrock and Waltham Abbey and is now in charge at Hornchurch. As a player, Mark had two loan spells with Gillingham. His league career peaked in four years at Newcastle. He also served Portsmouth, Southend and Leyton Orient before winning his first FA Trophy with Isthmian League Canvey Island. Stimson set up the only goal of the game in the final against Forest Green Rovers and also won the man of the match award.