Julian Gray

Julian Raymond Marvin Gray (born 21 September 1979) is an English former professional footballer who last played for Walsall.

Julian Gray
Gray in 2011
Personal information
Full name Julian Raymond Marvin Gray[1]
Date of birth (1979-09-21) 21 September 1979[2]
Place of birth Lewisham, England
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[2]
Position(s) Left winger
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–2000 Arsenal 1 (0)
2000–2004 Crystal Palace 125 (11)
2003 → Cardiff City (loan) 9 (0)
2004–2007 Birmingham City 60 (3)
2007–2009 Coventry City 29 (4)
2008–2009 → Fulham (loan) 0 (0)
2009 Fulham 1 (0)
2009 Barnsley 5 (0)
2010–2011 Walsall 61 (14)
2011–2013 Nea Salamis Famagusta 55 (8)
2013–2014 Walsall 12 (1)
Total 358 (41)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He previously played in the Football League and Premier League for Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Cardiff City, Birmingham City, Coventry City, Fulham, Barnsley and Walsall,[3] and in Cyprus for Nea Salamis Famagusta.

Club career

Gray was born in Lewisham, in south London.[2] He began his association with Arsenal as a seven-year-old,[4] and made one substitute for the first team before making a switch across London in July 2000 to join Crystal Palace for a £500,000 fee.[5][6] He is an attacking left winger[4] who can also play as an auxiliary striker, and has learnt full-back duties so he can help out in defence.[7] Gray played a key part in helping them achieve promotion in the 2003–04 season,[8] despite missing the play-off final through suspension.[9] In addition to his successes during that season he spent a two-month spell on loan with Cardiff City.[10] One of Gray's most memorable games for Palace was when he scored in a man-of-the-match performance as Palace surprisingly knocked Liverpool out of the 2002–03 FA Cup at Anfield.[11][4]

Gray with Birmingham City in 2004

Gray's contract expired in June 2004, allowing him to sign for Birmingham City on a free transfer.[8][12] He made 32 Premier League appearances in his first season in the Midlands,[6] and remained a key part of manager Steve Bruce's plans during the 2005–06 season,[12] although an ankle injury kept him out for several weeks towards the end of the campaign,[13] but started only twice as the team returned to the Premier League in 2007 and was released at the end of that season.[14]

He joined Coventry City on 10 July 2007.[15] He signed for Fulham on a season-long loan on 1 September 2008,[16] and despite not playing a single league game for the club, the move was made permanent for an undisclosed fee on 2 February 2009.[17] He made only one substitute appearance for Fulham, and was released at the end of the season.[18]

In July 2009 Gray went on Sheffield United's pre-season tour of Malta as part of a trial with the club,[19] and the following month he had a trial with former club Cardiff City.[20] Gray signed for Barnsley on 15 September, initially on a monthly contract.[21] He was released after two months, during which he made seven appearances in all competitions and started only one Championship game.[22] Gray joined Walsall in February 2010,[23] and was offered a new deal by the club at the end of the season.[24] He scored his first goal of the 2010–11 season in the 2–1 victory over Brentford with a volley from a Darren Byfield cross.[25]

After leaving Walsall when his contract expired, Gray spent two seasons in Cyprus with Nea Salamis Famagusta. He returned to England in 2013, and trained with Walsall before signing a contract with them on 27 September, to run until January of the following year.[26] Gray made his second debut for the club on 12 October, as a 71st-minute substitute for James Baxendale in a 1–1 draw away at Colchester United.[27] He was released when his contract expired.[28]

Honours

References
  1. "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/09/2013 and 30/09/2013". The Football Association. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  2. Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2010). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 175. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0.
  3. "Julian Gray: All time playing career". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Archived from the original on 15 September 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
  4. Edworthy, Sarah (14 February 2003). "FA Cup on the spot: Julian Gray & Hayden Mullins". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  5. "Julian Gray". Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  6. "Games played by Julian Gray in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  7. Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2007). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2007–08. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 167. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0.
  8. "Birmingham eye Gray move". BBC Sport. 28 May 2004. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  9. Taylor, Daniel (31 May 2004). "Dowie has drive to prosper". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  10. "Gray returns to Palace". BBC Sport. 8 December 2003. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  11. "Palace stun Liverpool". BBC Sport. 13 February 2003. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  12. Tattum, Colin (27 April 2006). "Bruce singles out Gray for praise". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  13. "Gold fires broadside at Savage after snub". Birmingham Post. 21 April 2006. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  14. Moore, Glenn (4 September 2007). "Footballers going cheap: Picking up the pieces of broken dreams". The Independent. London. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  15. "Coventry sign Birmingham's Gray". BBC Sport. 10 July 2007. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
  16. "Winger Gray joins Fulham on loan". BBC Sport. 1 September 2008. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  17. "Fulham wrap up Dacourt loan deal". BBC Sport. 2 February 2009. Retrieved 8 July 2009.
  18. "Summer Departures". Fulham F.C. 3 July 2009. Archived from the original on 3 July 2009.
  19. "Early chance for triallists". Sheffield United F.C. 6 July 2009. Archived from the original on 18 February 2012.
  20. Phillips, Terry (26 August 2009). "Julian Gray on trial with the Bluebirds". South Wales Echo. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  21. "Another Gray day for Reds". Barnsley F.C. 16 September 2009. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012.
  22. "Tykes let Gray go". Sky Sports. 17 November 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  23. "Walsall sign former Barnsley winger Julian Gray". BBC Sport. 12 February 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  24. "Walsall release seven including Dwayne Mattis". BBC Sport. 10 May 2010. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
  25. "Brentford 1 Walsall 2". Express & Star. Wolverhampton. 14 August 2010. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
  26. "Walsall: Julian Gray rejoins Saddlers on short-term contract". BBC Sport. 27 September 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  27. "Colchester United 1–1 Walsall". BBC Sport. 12 October 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  28. "Julian Gray: Walsall release veteran winger". BBC Sport. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  29. "Young Player of the Year: A History". Crystal Palace F.C. 10 May 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
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