Address:

Thurrock Hotel

Ship Lane

Telephone:

01708 - 868901

By Car:
FROM the North - M25 to junction 30 (last exit before tolls) second exit, over first roundabout fifth exit at next roundabout (Ship Lane) ground on the right about 200 yards down (Next to the Thurrock Hotel) 

From the South - M25 to junction 30 (exit after tolls - Left hand lane at tunnel) third exit at next roundabout (Ship Lane) ground on the right about 200 yards down (Next to the Thurrock Hotel)

By Rail:
THE ground is approximately two miles from Purfleet station. 

THE obvious attraction in Thurrock is the Lakeside Shopping centre, which is in West Way, Thurrock, and has over 300 stores in this world-renowned shopping centre and retail park.

Admission is free and the shopping centre is open: -

Mon-Fri - 10.00-22.00.

Sat - 09.00-19.30.

Sun - 11.00-17.00.

Thurrock also boasts a wide range of restaurants and pubs to suit any taste and the Lakeside Shopping Centre and retail park also has plenty of restaurants including a famous fish and chip restaurant that has opera and jazz nights. The Tourist Information Centre can provide a list of pubs and restaurants.

The Orsett Show, which originated in 1841, is a traditional agricultural show. It takes place on the first Saturday in September.

Meanwhile, if you're looking to do some drinking, the Circus Tavern in Purfleet has regular shows with popular entertainers and a nightclub. Tel 01708 863838

Another place worth a visit is the Civic Hall in Grays, which caters for a variety of events. Tickets and information from the box office on 01375 401234.

Arena Essex is the venue for motorsports in the area. There is regular banger racing, hot rods and stock cars at the track in West Thurrock. Tel 01708 867728/890719. Also on the site is Lakeside Karting where you can "arrive and drive" Tel 01708 863070.

Tresor Kandol.

STRIKER Tresor Kandol is one of a select few who have played for both Luton Town and Thurrock.

Having been a regular goal scorer in both the youth and reserve teams with the Hatters, he was given his first-team debut during the 1998-99 campaign at home to Walsall in the Auto Windscreens Shield. Despite a disappointing 0-3 defeat, Kandol had seemingly proved that he was more than capable of remaining in the first-team squad.

He played in four further matches during that season, two of which were very eventful for the youngster. After coming on as a substitute at home to York City with the score level at 1-1, he flicked on a long Kelvin Davis goal kick for Stuart Douglas to net an 87th minute winner. Kandol also experienced some embarrassment when he unfortunately headed a corner past his own goalkeeper in a 0-2 defeat at Manchester City. However, when all is said and done, 5 appearances was an excellent achievement for such a young player.

So he entered the 1999-00 season with some first-team experience under his belt and he added to those appearances as the season progressed. He scored his first ever goal in the first-team when he netted in a 2-2 draw at Bristol Rovers in the League Cup. Unfortunately the goal wasn't enough to save the Hatters from going out of the competition in the First Round. He was in the starting line-up for the match at Brentford in September 1999 when injuries to the senior strikers meant that Lennie Lawrence was forced to play him alongside Stuart Douglas. It said much for the manager's belief in Kandol though that he opted to play him instead of loaning a more experienced player.

All in all, Kandol made five first-team appearances starting twice in the aforementioned matches. His three substitute appearances came in the wins over Wrexham and Burnley and the defeat at Oldham. He was also a regular member of the reserve side and scored a creditable 10 goals in 19 matches, which included 4 goals in a 5-2 home win over Wycombe. During this very hectic season, he still managed 10 youth team appearances, scoring 5 goals.

Unfortunately, Kandol was involved in some off-field problems during the campaign when he faced prosecution for alleged train ticket fraud. With his contract up at the end of the campaign, he faced an anxious wait to see whether he would be offered a new deal. Manager Lennie Lawrence finally decided to give him a three-month contract in June which expired in September 2000.

Kandol made his first appearance of the 2000-01 season at Wycombe Wanderers on August 28th 2000. Coming on as a 77th minute substitute, he scored an equaliser after 81 minutes to earn Luton a 1-1 draw at Adams Park. He failed to score in his next 7 appearances, before he netted a last-minute consolation in a 1-2 League Cup Second Round Second Leg defeat to Sunderland. Two further goals followed in the next match, a 3-3 draw at Bristol Rovers. He played in a further 3 games under Ricky Hill, failing to score in any of them, before Hill was sacked as manager. He returned to the squad under Hill's successor Lil Fuccillo on Boxing Day, coming on as a 77th minute substitute as Luton won 3-2 against Peterborough United. However, he showed a distinct lack of effort and he was booed by frustrated Luton supporters who simply could not believe his lack of desire. He came on as a substitute in a 1-2 defeat to Wycombe Wanderers in front of the live TV cameras and his final first-team appearance came in Joe Kinnear's second match as manager, a 3-1 win at Notts County. Kandol came on as a 60th minute substitute, but Kinnear obviously was not impressed as he withdrew Kandol just 19 minutes later.

Kandol (right) with former Hatter Akurang.

He also scored 7 goals in 15 reserve team appearances prior to being released by Kinnear at the end of the season, and he left Kenilworth Road for Colchester United, having an unsuccessful trial with the U's before joining Second Division Cambridge United on a month's contract in August 2001. He quickly moved on to AFC Bournemouth, but he was released by the Cherries after their relegation to Division Three.

On leaving Bournemouth, Kandol joined his ex-Luton colleagues Scott Ward, Andre Scarlett, Dwayne Clarke and Steven Dogbe at Non-League Chesham United prior to the start of the 2002-03 season and shortly afterwards he was on the move once more, linking up with Ryman Premier League side Thurrock where he formed a formidable striking partnership with former Hatters youth team player Clifford Akurang and had bagged 24 goals in 35 appearances in his Thurrock career up to the beginning of November 2003.