By Pete Oliver

Grays have not been short of surprises this season, working their way through three managers already.

But the latest occupant of the Bridge Road dug-out, Justin Edinburgh, plans to be in it for the long haul.

The former Tottenham and Portsmouth defender has signed a contract with the Conference club until June 2009.

And while that is no guarantee of survival in the dicey world of management, at least Edinburgh's apprenticeship means he is going in with his eyes wide open.

After injury led to his early retirement from playing, the 37-year-old managed both Billericay Town and Fisher Athletic before taking charge at Grays at the start of January.

"I had always thought about management but retirement came a bit quickly to me," Edinburgh told BBC Sport.

"I had done one of my coaching badges and then when I had to retire I continued with those.

"I worked in the academy at Tottenham and then got involved in the smaller side of football at Billericay and progressed through the leagues that way to get this fantastic opportunity."

He added: "Anyone who has prepared in non-League knows it's a tough task. As a manager you are doing the whole spectrum and running the whole club.

"There's no masseur, kit man, chief executive. The manager has to be everything and that will stand me in good stead.

"It's a different animal at non-League and I know about this level. I would have liked to have got a job in the top flight but I have got to be realistic.

"But I have got ambitions to work up the ladder and ambitions to do that with Grays."

This time last year that looked a good bet with Grays challenging for a second successive promotion and the possibility of making their debut in the Football League.

I will certainly be doing everything in my power to be successful at Grays Justin Edinburgh

But those hopes ended in the play-offs and, with the departure of manager Mark Stimson to Stevenage Borough, the momentum was lost.

Frank Gray, chairman Mick Woodward and Andy King all tried to fill the breach but they did not last long and after coming in as King's number-two, Edinburgh earned a rapid promotion.

He inherited a side which had lost two more of its best players to the Football League with Aaron McClean and Michael Kightly following the path recently trod by Freddy Eastwood, Mitchell Cole and Gary Hooper.

Undeterred, Edinburgh, who started his career just up the road at Southend, regards his appointment as a wonderful chance, rather than a poisoned chalice.

"We have a great group of players who have just lost a bit of guidance and continuity along the way, which is understandable with the amount of managers they have had," he said.

"But it's a fantastic opportunity at an ambitious club, which has come a long way in a short space of time.

Edinburgh was an FA Cup winner with Tottenham in 1991

"There has been a bit of instability this year and I have to get things back on track and pushing in the right direction to get the club back where it deserves to be.

"I will certainly be doing everything in my power to be successful at Grays."

On Saturday, Edinburgh takes the FA Trophy holders to Conference South side Weston-Super-Mare to continue the defence of a cup they have won for the last two years.

Victory at Weymouth in the last round was the only win King enjoyed during his brief reign.

But so shocking has been Grays' tumble towards the relegation places - following a run of one win in 14 Conference games - that even a historic hat-trick bid cannot take top billing.

"We will give it everything we have got at Weston-Super-Mare and we want to keep our hands on the Trophy.

"But the league has to be our priority and we have got to get a couple of wins on the board," conceded Edinburgh.