Gray: Andrew David (Andy)

1994-1998 (Player Details)

Winger/Forward

Born: Harrogate: 15-11-1977

Debut v Notts County (h) (substitute): 19-09-1995

6’1” 12st (2005)

He is the son of ex-Leeds and Scotland ace Frank Gray and nephew of Leeds United legend Eddie Gray. He started his career as a midfield player and winger in his Uncle Eddie’s mould, but later moved further forward to a more attacking role as striker. Andy joined Leeds as a Youth Trainee and signed professional forms in the summer of 1995, after starring for John Fisher, Harrogate and North Yorkshire Schools and being on associate schoolboy forms with United from April 1993. He began his career with Leeds United, making his full debut in a 2-0 home win over West Ham United. Remarkably his fourth game for Leeds was as an eighteen year-old in the 1996 Coca-Cola Cup Final against Aston Villa at Wembley, where he was United’s star performer. But after failing to push on and falling out of the first team picture he spent two months with Bury in 1997/98. He played twenty-two league games for United before a £200,000 move to Nottingham Forest in September 1998, after it became clear he would not make it at Elland Road. But again he found it hard to impress. He started the 2000/01 season battling for a place in the Forest first team having been on the fringes of the side for some time. Gray had been on loan to Preston North End and Oldham Athletic during a disappointing first two seasons at the City Ground. In March 2001 he was to be loaned out to Second Division strugglers Swindon Town, but the Swindon board vetoed the move and the deal was dead. He eventually left Forest on a free before the start of the 2002/03 season, joining Bradford City. It was at Valley Parade that he finally began to find his form, scoring fifteen goals in his first season and making his full Scotland debut in a 1-1 draw with New Zealand at the end of the campaign. After a season and a half with the Bantams he joined Sheffield United for an undisclosed fee, making his debut in a 2-1 defeat at Reading, opening the scoring after just ten minutes. He made a fine start to life with the Blades, netting in his first three games. Gray was a vital player for Neil Warnock's side in 2004/05, scoring eighteen goals in all competitions as they just missed out on a place in the end of season play-offs. In August 2005 Gray returned to the Premiership after he signed for Sunderland. He had a fabulous goal scoring record of twenty-eight goals in sixty-five outings at Sheffield United, prompting the £1.1 million transfer to Sunderland. However, his second stint in the Premiership was a nightmare as he found the net only once in twenty-two appearances, the goal coming on his debut. On 17th March 2006, after prolonged interest from a number of clubs, he signed on loan for Burnley until the end of the season. Leeds had been 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 18th January 2008, when he sealed an emergency loan deal with Charlton Athletic prior to a permanent move the following week. He made his debut when he came on as a second half substitute the following day in Charlton's 1–1 draw away at Watford. His £1.5 million move to Charlton was finalised the following week and he made his first start for his new club on 29th January 2008 in a 1–0 victory over Stoke City. He has received two full caps for Scotland, together with representing Scotland at Youth level and three times at “B” level.