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Eddie Gray was a truly great winger and his longevity is a tribute
to his own tenacity and the confidence of Jimmy Armfield, who
did much to keep him in the game when injury looked set to
drive him into retirement.
Gray made a scoring debut just before his 18th birthday in 1966
and went on to torment the best defenders in England and throughout
Europe for many years. In the 1970 Cup Final, he left David Webb
chasing air - but in the replay found himself the regular target of
violent assaults that would bring about instant red cards in these
days.
Gray continued playing into his mid-30s, dropping back to play at
left-back towards the end of his career. He went on to manage a young
Leeds side that didn't get out of Division 2 soon enough for the
board's liking and he spent some time away from the club that had been
his life for 20 years. In recent times he has returned to the club and
worked with the young players, seeing talents like Harry Kewell and
Alan Smith come through the ranks and break into the first team just
as he had done himself 35 years ago.
Cheers to Rochdale's programme editor Mark Wilbraham for one of the photos.
Buy this excellent autobiography of Eddie
Gray at Amazon now!
Jit Lye says: I'm old enough to remember a game Leeds played
against Burnley, where on a muddy pitch, Eddie Gray dribbled past 6 or
7 players before strolling the ball in the net. Anyone remembering
this can flesh out the details!
Ian Johnson says: Yes, Jit - I was there. We played with a second
string that day as we had the cup final a week later (Chelsea?).It is
a goal which I shall always remember. Seeing a couple of Burnley
defenders on their backsides was quite something! It is on a TV
recording for potserity. But Eddie also put one in the net from 40
yards in the first half I think. A fantastic lob. We won the game
despite the "injuries" to the rest of the first team.
Iain Wilson says: Anyone got a video clip of Eddie's dribble goal
against Burnley?
Donna says: I remember that goal against Burnley - they showed it
on Scottish TV last week when he came to launch his new book. He was
an all round good guy, and brilliant to watch - lots of great
memories.
malcolm bowden says: Can anybody confirm if eddie gray scored a
header at molineaux against wolves in a fa cup quarter final
Alan Johannes says: As an art student at Leeds in the late
60's/early 70's I was lucky enough to watch Eddie play many times;
whenever he had the ball the expectation level was so high you could
almost hear that proverbial pin drop ! He was a wonderfully gifted
player and his performance in the Wembley Cup Final against Chelsea
will always stay with me - it was fantastic !!
Lee Meade says: It's impossible for anyone who saw this man play to
not rank him among the finest wingers ever to play in the English
leagues. His brilliance on the ball was on par with anyone who ever
played the game.
Pete Downs says: Eddie's dribble goal is on a video called The Don
Revie Story that was originally made by Granada.It may not be
available anymore in the shops but you could try Ebay or somewhere
like that
Terry Wilson says: Going back to the Burnley game,did EG score 2
goals in that game ? If i remember correctly he scored from just
inside his own half, for pure vision alone i think this goal was
equally as good as the other.
Colin Green says: i saw eddie gray play for the ex leeds united
stars team and he was brill dribbling around the young lads as if they
did not exhist eddie is still my hero and if brian kidd left leeds
then we could get back to being a a skilled team like before kiddo
joined you ask alex fergie if kiddo is so good why does fergie not
want him back
Pagey says: I was dead level with Eddie when he chipped the Burnley
goalkeeper. BRILLIANT GOAL and one which I remember Eddie quoting as
better than the dribble at the other end. My abiding memory of that
match was the reaction of the seated fans behind me.[I was in the old
Lowfields Road stand] They were all stood up applauding Eddie's second
goal well after Burnley had kicked off again.Always my favourite
player Eddie Gray to me is the consumate professional . Whilst other
geats like Bremner,Clarke,Lorimer and Giles were desevedly
lauded.Eddie just got on with it.As for that famous Burnley match it
was covered by YTV with commentary by Stuart watsisname.
Mark Weir says: we'll all miss Eddie Gray now that Mr. Reid has had
his wicked way! Leeds fans would have together come up with the money
to keep this man at the club. I can see Eddie coming back to manage us
when reid gets the sack after 6 games!
Sandra says: When i was round about 16 i met him at a youth
club. He was going out with my friend called Linda.
Carol says: I met my hero EDDIE GRAY at a book signing in
Huddersfield. Good book, great guy, magical footballer. Eddie, LUFC
will not be the same without you.
Nick Jenkinson says: Wonderful, wonderful man. I played in the same
junior side (Kirk Deighton Rangers) as Eddie's son Stuart. Knowing
Eddie for those 4/5 years it's easy to see why he was so successful at
bringing through the youngsters. My Mam & Dad got married the same day
as the Burnley game (they didn't want to miss the cup final). However,
my grandparents were both season ticket holders, and they never
forgave my parents for making them miss Eddie's goals!
Andy Conner says: Re Burnley video clip: I do have it on video but
not yet digitally. He also scored a 30 yard chip in the same game. Two
outstanding goals
Chris says: Was at the Burnley game - not only did he dribble round
the Burnley defence but also round Albert Johannson, who was lying
flat on the floor in the Burnley box. The less publicised chip shot
was just as good. The man was a genius with the football, in my eyes
as good, if not better, than George Best, and a better ambassador for
the sport. Remember also the Eddiie Gray cup final against Chelsea
where he put on another show of pure genius. Malcolm, I think he
scored the header at Molineux in a 1-0 quarter final victory Let's
hope he can bring back some of the hope and glory of the days when he
was a player (Mark Weir - very prophetic, if only it had been 6 games
and not 20+)
Jane says: Are Eddie and Andy Gray related? Jabba says: if you
mean the Sky Sports/Villa Andy Gray then no. If you mean the
Leeds/Forest/Bradford/Scotland young(ish) winger Andy Gray then yes -
he's Frank's son so that makes him Eddie's nephew.
Ron Mather says: I saw Eddie Gray play for his school team Our Lady
and St Margaret's in 1960. Although his team lost 10-1 to Penilee he
was absolutely outstanding-- so much so that I remembered his name as
one to follow for the future. He had the best left foot I ever saw in
school's football. Ron Mather (Penilee School, Glasgow 1960-69)
Michael Aston says: I was a tortured Spurs fan... I remember Spurs
beating Leeds at the height of the their powers (1-0) at Elland Road,
it was on match of the day) It's a measure of how GREAT that Leeds
team was that I still recall the boyish joy (I was only 12 or 13 years
old, I'm now 47)... I remeber seeing many Leeds games as they were so
gifted in those days,,, Eddie Gray was a master and equivelant to
Best... I remeber being mesmerised by the complete and utter
domination of that team over so many teams... The crowd would OLE evry
pass as Giles, Bremner, Gray etcetera would tease and taunt the
opposition with countles passes and sublime arrogance... Clarke
(SAniffr?) seemed to me to be the as good as our Grievesie... I'm
getting nostalgic... The real tragedy is that era of players was the
greatest team I ever witnessed yet they never won all they
deserved... Yes, Eddire Grat was very special in an extraordibary
team... God bless you Eddie, you lit up so many lives... What an
ubderated talent,,
peter anthony heslop-smith says: mr. eddie gray.top man and a real
hero for leeds for years.he is a man who loves leeds united,and has
served the club with full respect.when people say leeds united they
say eddie gray.my brother and myself had a photo took with him in
doncaster at a pro am golf tourniment at wheatley golf club,and it one
of my prize processions(the same day we had a photo with billy
bremner)thank you eddie for all your work at leeds.god bless you sir(a
knighthood i am sure will be yours)
Corinne says: My grandpa John Barr was the football scout who
spotted eddie, billy bremner and many other greats. I am proud of him
and of eddie for living up to his expectations!
Javaid Mehar says: My favourite LUFC player of all time. I remember
asking Eddie for his autograph in the early 80s and he said
something. Truth be told I didn't understand his Glaswegian - I
thought he had cracked a joke - so I started laughing. I felt such an
idiot when I realised that he had said that my pen wasn't working!
Still Jimmy Lumsden who was with him had a good laugh! What a player
though! A true genius and gentleman on and off the pitch .Everybody
goes on about St Linekar never getting booked - what about Eddie? I
can't believe that Eddie is not managing in the Premiership. Edwin
Gray we salute you!
Roger Graham says: I wrote a newspaper article about my best ever
Scotland team. Eddie Gray was in it. For the record, the team was
(4-3-3): Andy Goram (Rangers); Danny McGrain (Celtic), Alex McLeish
and Willie Miller (Aberdeen) and Eric Caldow (Rangers); Billy Bremner
(Leeds United), Dave MacKay (Spurs) and Jim Baxter (Rangers); Kenny
Dalglish (Liverpool), Denis Law (Man United) and Eddie Gray (Leeds
United)
Mike Popplewell says: In 1983 I was an unemployed ex-psychiatric
nurse who had just failed to successfully complete the first year of a
Diploma in Higher Education ( as a mature student). Obviously the
ideal qualifications to become a sports writer. Well, it didn't stop
me trying and having successfully persuaded Match Weekly to take an
article on Bobby Campbell (no one there could understand him when they
tried to interview him) I then asked if they'd like a piece on Eddie
Gray - who had just been appointed player manager at Leeds United.
Having been duly assigned I made my way down to Elland Road, on the
bus of course, from Bradford. Eddie had agreed to speak to me and I
arrived pretty pleased with myself but, having nipped upstairs from
reception to use the toilet, I began to lose my nerve when I was
confronted by the huge display cabinet and pictures all around the
walls of Eddie and his contemporaries. What the *#!@, am I doing here,
I asked myself. I'm an out of work psychiatric nurse and I'm about to
INTERVIEW one of soccer's legends. Don't ask me I replied, and was
prepared to do a runner when the secretary told me Eddie would now see
me. Eddie Gray will always be up there with the best as a player and
a person as far as I'm concerned. I'm just really *&%!@# off that I
never thought to raise the subject of a ghost written autobigraphy
with him myself!
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