Jon Ashton is reported to have left Braintree Town to link up with his former club Grays Athletic.

The Ryman League premier division side say they have taken the Iron centre-half and that they have him on an initial one-month deal with an option to extend longer.

It has been a difficult time for Ashton at Braintree since being brought to the club last summer by former manager Jamie Day after leaving League Two side Crawley.

After being made club captain by Day, Ashton has gone on to make just 13 first-team appearances in a spell interrupted by a number of injuries and has more recently been playing for the Iron's reserve team in Thurlow Nunn League division one.

At Grays, the 34-year-old will be returning to a club where he is well known, having played there between 2007 and 2009 during which time he was voted players' and supporters' player of the year.