Wayne Gray (footballer)

Wayne Gray
Personal information
Full nameWayne William Gray
Date of birth7 November 1980
Place of birthCamberwell, London, England
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Playing positionForward
Youth career
Wimbledon
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1999–2004Wimbledon75(6)
2000→ Swindon Town (loan)12(2)
2000→ Port Vale (loan)3(0)
2001–2002→ Leyton Orient (loan)15(5)
2002→ Brighton & Hove Albion (loan)4(1)
2004–2006Southend United83(20)
2006–2007Yeovil Town46(11)
2007–2009Leyton Orient54(8)
2009–2010AFC Hornchurch9(4)
2010Grays Athletic8(1)
2010–2011Cambridge United23(7)
2011Chelmsford City23(12)
2011–2012Woking30(7)
2012Carshalton Athletic6(0)
2012–201?AFC Hornchurch27(6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 00:00, 28 April 2013 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).

Wayne William Gray (born 7 November 1980) is an English professional football forward.

He started his career with Wimbledon in 1999, leaving the club following its controversial move to Milton Keynes. He then had a two years spell with Southend United, one year with Yeovil Town and spent 2007 to 2009 with Leyton Orient. He made almost 300 appearances in the Football League. He then dropped into non-League football with AFC Hornchurch in 2009, before joining Grays Athletic in 2010. The following year he moved on to Chelmsford City via Cambridge United. He signed for Woking in summer 2011, and stayed at the club for one season. Following a brief stint at Carshalton Athletic, he returned to AFC Hornchurch in September 2012.

Playing career

Gray began his career at Wimbledon in 1999, where he stayed for five years. He made his debut on 8 January 2000, at Craven Cottage, in the 3–0 defeat to Fulham in the FA Cup. He was a 66th minute substitute for Damien Francis. His league debut came seven days later, where he was a late replacement for Francis in the 2–0 defeat at Coventry City. In March that year he joined First Division Swindon Town on and end-of-season loan. His first goal came in the 4–1 defeat at Portsmouth on 25 March. In October 2000, Gray dropped down to the Second Division, joining Brian Horton's Port Vale on loan, playing three games in his spell. He managed to break into the first team with the "Dons" by the end of the season. In 2001–02, he went to Third Division Leyton Orient on a four-month loan, starting in December. He scored six goals in seventeen appearances, in all competitions, before returning to Selhurst Park.[1] A short spell at Brighton & Hove Albion followed in April, where he scored on his debut; the 4–1 win over Colchester United.[2] A regular in the first eleven in 2002–03, he played a total of 33 games, scoring goals past Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest. He took to the field 35 times in 2003–04 – Wimbledon's final season. He scored four goals in three consecutive games, putting two past Preston North End and one each past Sheffield United and Bradford City.

In June 2004, he was transferred to Southend United.[3] Gray made 56 appearances for Southend in 2004–05. He played in the play-off Final victory over Lincoln City and Football League Trophy defeat to Wrexham. In 2005–06, his 42 appearances and nine goals helped his club to the League One title. In May 2006, he was wanted by Ronnie Moore of Oldham Athletic,[4] but the next month he signed with Yeovil Town.[5]

He finished as Yeovil's top scorer in the 2006–07 season, as they reached the League One play-off final. In the summer of 2007, he signed for Leyton Orient for an undisclosed five figure fee.[6] He played 43 games in 2007–08, scoring 10 goals. Three of these goals came against Bristol Rovers, one in each of their league and FA Cup clashes. He suffered an anterior cruciate knee ligament injury early in the 2008–09 season, but returned to the first team as a substitute during the home defeat to Peterborough United on 3 March 2009. After making a few appearances before the end of the season, he was released by Orient in May.[7]

In the summer of 2009 he had a trial with Rotherham United and claimed a goal on his debut against York City in the 3–1 win in pre-season. He then went on trial with Exeter City. In September 2009, he went back to Port Vale, joining Micky Adams' side on trial.[8] Despite scoring in a reserve outing, Adams only took a few days to lose interest in the striker.[9] He then went on to play for AFC Hornchurch of the Isthmian League. He got his first goal for the club in the 5–1 friendly win over Welling United.[10]

Gray signed for Conference National club Grays Athletic in January 2010.[11] Having been released by Grays at the end of the season, Gray signed for Cambridge United following a successful pre-season trial.[12] The move reunited him with manager Martin Ling, who he previously played under at Leyton Orient.[13] He scored his first goal for Cambridge three matches into his spell, in a 5–0 win over Gateshead. Due to the club's financial situation Gray was released from Cambridge in January 2011; though he signed for Conference South club Chelmsford City after just four days as a free agent.[14] He went on to score twelve goals in 23 games for Chelmsford before the season's end.

He signed for Chelmsford's Conference South rivals Woking in July 2011.[15] Garry Hill's "Cardinals" won promotion as champions in 2011–12, with Gray scoring seven goals in 30 league games. Gray joined Isthmian League side Carshalton Athletic at the start of the 2012–13 season, and made three full starts and three appearances from the bench, but failed to find the net before being released at the end of September. He re-signed for AFC Hornchurch of the Conference South, but could not helped them to avoid relegation at the end of the 2012–13 season.

Statistics

As of 28 April 2013.
Season Club Division League FA Cup League Cup Other[16] Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
1999–2000[17]WimbledonPremier League1010000020
1999–2000[17]Swindon Town (loan)First Division122000000122
2000–01[18]Port Vale (loan)Second Division3000000030
2000–01[18]WimbledonFirst Division120310000151
2001–02[19]Leyton Orient (loan)Third Division155210000176
2001–02[19]Brighton & Hove Albion (loan)Second Division4100000041
2002–03[20]WimbledonFirst Division302102000332
2003–04[21]324300000354
Total 756812000857
2004–05[22]Southend UnitedLeague Two441110101025613
2005–06[23]399101010429
Total 832020201129822
2006–07[24]Yeovil TownLeague One46111011405212
Total 46111011405212
2007–08[25]Leyton OrientLeague One3882220104310
2008–09[26]160000000160
Total 5482220105910
2009–10AFC HornchurchIsthmian League9400000094
Total 9400000094
2009–10[27]Grays AthleticConference National8100000081
Total 8100000081
2010–11[28]Cambridge UnitedConference National237200000257
Total 237200000257
2010–11[29]Chelmsford CityConference South23120000002312
Total 23120000002312
2011–12[30]WokingConference South3070000643611
Total 3070000643611
2012–13Carshalton AthleticIsthmian League6000000060
Total 6000000060
2012–13[29]AFC HornchurchConference South276000000276
Total 276000000276
Career total 4189017471226464101

Honours

with Southend United
with Yeovil Town
with Woking

References

  1. ↑ "Gray returns to Dons". BBC Sport. 5 March 2002. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
  2. ↑ "Colchester 1–4 Brighton". BBC. 30 March 2002. Retrieved 28 December 2009.
  3. ↑ "Southend seal Gray deal". BBC Sport. 3 June 2004. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
  4. ↑ "Oldham chasing Shrimpers striker". BBC Sport. 31 May 2006. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  5. ↑ "Yeovil sign Gray on two-year deal". BBC Sport. 20 June 2006. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  6. ↑ "Orient sign Yeovil striker Gray". BBC Sport. 16 July 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
  7. ↑ "Eight players released by Orient". BBC Sport. 6 May 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
  8. ↑ Shaw, Steve (15 September 2009). "Breaking News: Gray on trial at Port Vale". The Sentinel. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  9. ↑ "Trialist: Vale won't pursue interest in Gray". port-vale.co.uk. 16 Sep 2009. Retrieved 16 September 2009.
  10. ↑ Middleton, Tony (13 October 2009). "Friendly". afchornchurch.com. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  11. ↑ "Trio join Grays". Non-League Daily. 19 January 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
  12. ↑ "Martin Ling gives striker Wayne Gray trial at Cambridge". BBC Sport. 12 July 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  13. ↑ "Wayne Gray agrees terms with Cambridge United". BBC Sport. 10 August 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  14. ↑ "Striker Wayne Gray signs for Chelmsford City". BBC Sport. 1 February 2011. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  15. ↑ Moore, John (7 July 2011). "Wayne Gray Signs". wokingfc.co.uk. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  16. ↑ Includes other competitive competitions, including the Football League Trophy.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Games played by Wayne Gray in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Games played by Wayne Gray in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Games played by Wayne Gray in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  20. ↑ "Games played by Wayne Gray in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  21. ↑ "Games played by Wayne Gray in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  22. ↑ "Games played by Wayne Gray in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  23. ↑ "Games played by Wayne Gray in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  24. ↑ "Games played by Wayne Gray in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  25. ↑ "Games played by Wayne Gray in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  26. ↑ "Games played by Wayne Gray in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  27. ↑ "Games played by Wayne Gray in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  28. ↑ "Games played by Wayne Gray in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Soccerway
  30. ↑ Woking 2011-12 team stats

External links