| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | George James Pope Gray | ||
| Date of birth | (1925-07-07)7 July 1925 | ||
| Place of birth | Sunderland, England | ||
| Date of death | 1995 (aged 69) | ||
| Place of death | Kettering, England | ||
| Position(s) | Wing half | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1945–1947 | Derby County | 0 | (0) |
| 1947–1951 | Grimsby Town | 3 | (0) |
| 1951–1953 | Swindon Town | 45 | (0) |
| 1953–1954 | Darlington | 6 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
George James Pope Gray (7 July 1925 – 1995) was an English footballer who played in the Football League as a wing half for Grimsby Town, Swindon Town and Darlington.
Life and career
Gray was born in Sunderland, the son of George Gray and his wife Vera Lister. Gray senior played League football as a wing half for Swansea Town and Northampton Town in the 1920s, and went on to become trainer of Sunderland.
Gray began his senior career as an amateur with Derby County in 1945, but left the club two years later, without having represented them in the league, and joined First Division club Grimsby Town. He made his debut in October 1950, some three and a half years later, by which time they were playing the Second Division, and played twice more before moving on to Third Division South club Swindon Town at the end of the season.
He played intermittently at the start of the 1951–52 season, but established himself in the first team ahead of Ted Batchelor and appeared in most of Swindon's matches from mid-December onwards. He helped the team reach the fifth round (last 16) of the 1951–52 FA Cup, a run which included wins against Second Division runners-up Cardiff City and First Division Stoke City. He kept his place at the start of the next season, but Batchelor was preferred from October onwards, and Gray finished his Swindon career with 53 appearances in all competitions.
Gray returned to the north-east of England to sign for Darlington in July 1953. He made six league appearances in his only season with the club.
He died in Kettering, Northamptonshire, in 1995 at the age of 69.
Notes
- Gray's death was registered in April 1995, in the Kettering registration district.
References
- ^ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (1998). The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–1998. Queen Anne Press. p. 218. ISBN 978-1-85291-585-8.
- ^ "In Grimsby's first team". Hull Daily Mail. 14 October 1950. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "England & Wales births 1837–2006 Transcription". George J P Gray. Year: 1925. Quarter: 3. Mother's last name: Lister. District: Sunderland. County: Durham. Volume: 10A. Page: 1270. Retrieved 6 September 2014 – via Findmypast.
- "England & Wales marriages 1837–2008 Transcription". George R Gray. Year: 1923. Quarter: 2. District: Sunderland. County: Durham. Volume: 10A. Page: 1217. Retrieved 6 September 2014 – via Findmypast.
- Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 105. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
- ^ Argus (5 February 1952). "Wearsider had a hand in Cup success". Sunderland Echo. p. 9 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Rams sign on three young players". Derby Evening Telegraph. 3 July 1945. p. 2 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Playing record: George Gray: Season 1951–52". Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
- "Playing record: George Gray: Season 1952–53". Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
- "Playing record: Ted Batchelor: Season 1952–53". Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
- "Kelly may leave Barnsley". Yorkshire Post. 17 July 1953. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "England & Wales deaths 1837–2007 Transcription". George James P Gray. District: Kettering. County: Northamptonshire. District number: 6691A. Register number: A43D. Entry number: 211. Retrieved 5 September 2014 – via Findmypast.
- "Kettering registration district". UKBMD. Retrieved 5 September 2014.