Witham Town and Braintree Town will be honouring a man who meant a lot to both clubs tonight as they play each other in a pre-season game for the Tony Last Memorial Trophy at the Village Glass Stadium in Witham.

It will be Braintree's final pre-season run-out ahead of the Vanarama National League South season and while the game is listed as being a Braintree Town Academy side, first-team boss Brad Quinton said he expected to use it to have a look at a few more senior players as he makes his final preparations.

The game is due to kick-off at 7.45pm.

Witham, meanwhile, will be continuing their building for the start of the Bostik League division north season and manager Adam Flint said he would field a strong line-up.

But it is what the game means to both clubs that will matter on the night as it will honour Tony Last, who spent more than 30 years in various roles at Braintree, before moving to Witham, where he was manager and chairman, before his untimely death in 2014.

It will be the first playing of the fixture between the clubs since Tony's death and Flint said it would be a special occasion.

He said: "We're hoping that it will bring the clubs closer together and it should be a good game.

"I think Brad Quinton will be coming down and we're hoping that Tony's wife and family will come along as well.

"It's an important occasion for the club.

"I knew Tony well as I took over from him as caretaker manager when I came in my first spell with Danny (Greaves) and there will be players in the dressing room who knew him.

"Tommy Robinson played here and John Watson as well.

"They'll let everyone know what it means, but I think everyone will have heard of Tony as he was so well known in non-league football.

"There is a cup to play for and we'll be looking to keep preparing for the season.

"We will have a full team out with 18 to 20 boys involved and we'll be looking to work on our shape and things like that."