Andy Gray (footballer born 1977)

Andy Gray

Andy Gray playing for Barnsley.
Personal information
Full name	Andrew David Gray
Date of birth	15 November 1977 (1977-11-15)
Place of birth	Harrogate, England
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Barnsley
Number	27
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1995–1998	Leeds United	22	(0)
1997–1998	→ Bury (loan)	6	(1)
1998–2002	Nottingham Forest	64	(1)
1999	→ Preston North End (loan)	5	(0)
1999	→ Oldham Athletic (loan)	4	(0)
2002–2004	Bradford City	77	(20)
2004–2005	Sheffield United	58	(25)
2005–2006	Sunderland	21	(1)
2006	→ Burnley (loan)	9	(3)
2006–2008	Burnley	60	(25)
2008	→ Charlton Athletic (loan)	1	(0)
2008–2009	Charlton Athletic	45	(9)
2009–	Barnsley	87	(20)
National team‡
2003	Scotland	2	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:06, 28 February 2012 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19:12, 8 March 2008 (UTC)

Andrew David 'Andy' Gray (born 15 November 1977 in Harrogate, North Yorkshire) is a professional footballer who plays for Barnsley.

He is the son of the former Scotland defender Frank Gray and nephew of Leeds United legend Eddie Gray. He started his career as a midfield player but later moved into a forward position. Gray began his career with Leeds United and has also played for Nottingham Forest, Bury, Preston North End, Oldham Athletic, Bradford City, Sheffield United, Sunderland and Burnley. He has also won two caps for Scotland against Lithuania on 2 April 2003 and New Zealand on 27 May 2003.

Career

Early career

One of Gray's first senior appearances came for Leeds United in the 1996 League Cup final, when he was 18 years old. Leeds lost 3–0 to Aston Villa, but Gray's play suggested that he would go on to succeed at the highest level.^{[citation needed]} After leaving Leeds he joined Nottingham Forest, but scored only once, in a game against Wolverhampton Wanderers, in 64 appearances. After more successful^{[citation needed]} spells at Bradford City and Sheffield United, Gray joined Sunderland in the Premier League.

Sunderland

In August 2005, Gray returned to the Premier League after he signed for Sunderland. He had a goal-scoring record of 28 goals in 65 games at Sheffield United, prompting the £1.1 million transfer to the Black Cats. However, his second stint in the Premier League was unprofitable as he scored only once in 22 appearances; that goal coming on his debut against Charlton Athletic.

Burnley

On 17 March 2006, after prolonged interest from a number of clubs, he signed on loan for Burnley until the end of the season, after he was placed on the transfer list by manager Niall Quinn. His former club Leeds United were 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.

Charlton Athletic

Gray left Burnley on 18 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 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 29 January 2008 in a 1–0 victory over Stoke City. His first goal for Charlton came in his 13th game, when he scored an equaliser in a 1–1 draw with Southampton on 12 April 2008. Gray followed this up with goals in successive home games with the second goal against Coventry City in a 4–1 win, a goal against Swindon in a 1–1 draw and a penalty in the impressive 4–2 defeat of newly relegated Reading.

Barnsley

Gray signed for Championship side Barnsley on 21 August 2009 for an undisclosed fee and made his debut the following day at Leicester City. Gray scored his first goal in 3–1 loss to Reading on 28 August 2009.

External links

• Andy Gray player profile at cafc.co.uk
• Andy Gray player profile at burnleyfootballclub.com
• Andy Gray player profile at bradfordcityfc.co.uk
• Andy Gray career stats at Soccerbase
• Andy Gray's international career