Andy Gray (footballer born 1977)

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Andy Gray
Personal information
Full name Andrew David Gray
Date of birth 15 November 1977 (1977-11-15) (age 30)
Place of birth    Harrogate, England
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current club Charlton Athletic
Number 9
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1995–1998
1997–1998
1998–2002
1999
1999
2002–2004
2004–2005
2005–2006
2006
2006–2008
2008
2008–
Leeds United
Bury (loan)
Nottingham Forest
Preston North End (loan)
Oldham Athletic (loan)
Bradford City
Sheffield United
Sunderland
Burnley (loan)
Burnley
Charlton Athletic (loan)
Charlton Athletic
22 0(0)
06 0(1)
64 0(1)
05 0(0)
04 0(0)
77 (20)
58 (25)
21 0(1)
09 0(3)
60 (25)
01 0(0)
15 0(2)   
National team2
2003 Scotland 02 0(0)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 16:42,4 May 2008 (UTC).
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of 19:12, 8 March 2008 (UTC).
* Appearances (Goals)

Andrew David 'Andy' Gray (born 15 November 1977 in Harrogate, North Yorkshire) is an English-born Scottish footballer who plays for Charlton Athletic.

He is the son of the former Scotland defender Frank Gray and nephew of Leeds United legend Eddie Gray. He started his career as a midfield player but later moved into a forward position. Gray began his career with Leeds United and has also played for Nottingham Forest, Bury, Preston North End, Oldham Athletic, Bradford City, Sheffield United, Sunderland and Burnley. He has also won two caps for Scotland against Lithuania on 2 April 2003 and New Zealand on 27 May 2003.

[edit] Career

One of Gray's first senior appearances came for Leeds United in the 1996 League Cup final, when he was 18 years old. Leeds lost 3–0 to Aston Villa, but Gray's play suggested that he would go on to succeed at the highest level. However he has yet to match these expectations, playing his career mostly for teams in the second division of English football, or those struggling in the top flight.

In August 2005, Gray returned to the Premiership after he signed for Sunderland. He had a goal-scoring record of 28 goals in 65 games at Sheffield United, prompting the £1.1 million transfer to the Black Cats. However, his second stint in the Premiership was unprofitable as he scored only once in 22 appearances; that goal coming on his debut.

On 17 March 2006, after prolonged interest from a number of clubs, he signed on loan for Burnley until the end of the season. His former club Leeds United were favourites to sign him but his switch to Burnley became permanent when the transfer window reopened in the summer of 2006 for around £750,000. His early form at Burnley at the end of the 2005–06 season and the start of the next suggested that he would again prove an effective goalscorer in the Championship. His 2006–07 season was disrupted by a broken metatarsal, incurred against Leeds United, but both before and after the injury he scored regularly. Burnley's long winless run that season coincided with Gray's absence through injury, demonstrating his importance to the team as a source of goals. He returned towards the end of the 2006–07 season, scoring four goals in three games as Burnley won five of their six last games. This goal-scoring form continued into the 2007–08 season.

Gray left Burnley on 18 January 2008, when he sealed an emergency loan deal with Charlton Athletic prior to a permanent move the following week.[1][2] He made his debut when came on as a second half substitute the following day in Charlton's 1–1 draw away at Watford.[3] His £1.5 million move to Charlton was finalised the following week[4] and he made his first start for his new club on 29 January 2008 in a 1–0 victory over Stoke City.[5] His first goal for Charlton came in his 13th game, when he scored an equaliser in a 1–1 draw with Southampton on 12 April 2008.[6] Gray followed this up with a second goal in successive home games with the second goal against Coventry City in a 4–1 win at The Valley.[7]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Gray 'loan' deal done", Burnley Official Website, 18 January 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-18. 
  2. ^ "Burnley accept Addicks' Gray bid", BBC Sport, 18 January 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-18. 
  3. ^ "Watford 1-1 Charlton", BBC Sport, 19 January 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-19. 
  4. ^ Geldard, Suzanne. "Flood stands by Gray departure", Lancashire Telegraph, 21 January 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-24. 
  5. ^ "Charlton 1-0 Stoke", BBC Sport, 29 January 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-31. 
  6. ^ "Charlton 1-1 Southampton.", BBC Sport, 2008-04-12. Retrieved on 2008-04-12. 
  7. ^ "Charlton 4-1 Coventry", BBC Sport, 2008-05-04. Retrieved on 2008-05-05. 

[edit] External links

Persondata
NAME Gray, Andrew David
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Gray, Andy
SHORT DESCRIPTION Football Striker
DATE OF BIRTH November 15, 1977
PLACE OF BIRTH Harrogate, North Yorkshire
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH
Languages