George Gray (footballer, born 1925)

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.

George Gray
Personal information
Full name George James Pope Gray[1]
Date of birth (1925-07-07)7 July 1925[1]
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)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Life and career

Gray was born in Sunderland,[1] the son of George Gray and his wife Vera Lister.[2][3][4] Gray senior played League football as a wing half for Swansea Town and Northampton Town in the 1920s,[2][5] and went on to become trainer of Sunderland.[6]

Gray began his senior career as an amateur with Derby County in 1945,[7] but left the club two years later, without having represented them in the league, and joined First Division club Grimsby Town.[1] He made his debut in October 1950, some three-and-a-half years later, by which time they were playing the Second Division,[2] and played twice more before moving on to Third Division South club Swindon Town at the end of the season.[1]

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.[6][8] 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.[9][10]

Gray returned to the north-east of England to sign for Darlington in July 1953.[11] He made six league appearances in his only season with the club.[1]

He died in Kettering, Northamptonshire, in 1995 at the age of 69.[lower-alpha 1]

Notes
  1. Gray's death was registered in April 1995, in the Kettering registration district.[12][13]

References
  1. 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.
  2. "In Grimsby's first team". Hull Daily Mail. 14 October 1950. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. "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.
  4. "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.
  5. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 105. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  6. 'Argus' (5 February 1952). "Wearsider had a hand in Cup success". Sunderland Echo. p. 9 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "Rams sign on three young players". Derby Evening Telegraph. 3 July 1945. p. 2 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "Playing record: George Gray: Season 1951–52". Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  9. "Playing record: George Gray: Season 1952–53". Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  10. "Playing record: Ted Batchelor: Season 1952–53". Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  11. "Kelly may leave Barnsley". Yorkshire Post. 17 July 1953. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "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.
  13. "Kettering registration district". UKBMD. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
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