Stuart Gray (footballer, born 1973)

Stuart Edward Gray (born 18 December 1973) is a football player and actor.

For other people with the same name, see Stuart Gray (disambiguation).

Stuart Gray
Personal information
Full name Stuart Edward Gray[1]
Date of birth (1973-12-18) 18 December 1973
Place of birth Harrogate, England
Position(s) Full-back
Youth career
1991–1992 Giffnock North
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1998 Celtic 28 (1)
1994 → AFC Bournemouth (loan) 0 (0)
1997–1998 → Greenock Morton (loan) 14 (1)
1998–2001 Reading 52 (2)
2001–2005 Rushden & Diamonds 127 (12)
2005–2006 Oxford United 10 (0)
2006–? Guiseley
Fleetwood Town
International career
1995–1996 Scotland U21[2] 7 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Gray represented Celtic and Reading as a full-back and won seven Scotland under-21 international caps.

He comes from a footballing family; his father Eddie, uncle Frank and cousin Andy have all represented Scotland.

In the 2009 film The Damned United, Gray portrayed his father Eddie Gray.[3]

Career

Gray was signed to Celtic as a schoolboy S-former in 1989 and followed the route of many on to the groundstaff at 16 in 1990. He played youth and reserve team football, and was released to play for Giffnock Park North AFC. He ended the 91–92 season close to a first team call up and won a new two-year contract. The next season marked his debut with one appearance against Aberdeen 92–93 but a groin strain in October curtailed his 92–93 season. In the 93–94 season he lost his edge playing with the Premier reserves and asked for a loan move south of the border. He spent some time on loan with AFC Bournemouth in February before returning to more reserve team action. At the end of the season he went to Canada on the post-season tournament with the senior team.

Out of contract at the start of the 94–95 season, he was wanted by Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers and signing month-to-month deals. He eventually signed a new deal on 27 January 1995 with the stated intention of leaving if he did not get more first team football. He had a reasonable run of games and was on the verge of the full-time first team inclusion.

In the 95–96 season he won starting appearances in the latter part of the season but an ankle ligament injury proved troubling and curtailed full involvement. The 96–97 season was troubled by a knee injury, and he ended playing most of the season with the reserves. Out of contract again, his future looked uncertain. A deal to take him to Lille fell through in the close season and he began the 97–98 season on month-to-month deals. In October he was loaned to Greenock Morton until January 1998, being recalled from Greenock to play against them in the Scottish Cup tie on 24 January. He played a few more reserve games before being sold to Tommy Burns at Reading on 26 March 1998.

He was loaned to Rushden & Diamonds and joined them full-time in January 2001 and released at the end of the 04–05 season. He joined Oxford United making 10 appearances with them. He has since been associated with non-league side Guiseley and he coaches the reserve team there along with Vince Brockie.

Honours

Rushden & Diamonds

References
  1. "Stuart Gray". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  2. "Scotland U21 Player Stuart Gray Details".
  3. Ritchie, Gayle (15 March 2009). "Pundit Gordon McQueen comes face to face with old self in football film". Sunday Mail. Glasgow: Daily Record. Archived from the original on 17 March 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  4. "RDFC Legend – Stuart Gray". AFC Diamonds. 15 June 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
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