Stuart Gray (footballer born 1960)
Encyclopedia
Stuart Gray is an English
former football
er and manager
, who is the former manager of Football League Two
side Northampton Town
. On 30th December 2010 he was appointed the caretaker manager of Burnley
following the sacking of Brian Laws, reverting to his role as first team coach when Eddie Howe was appointed on 16 January 2011. Gray left Burnley after the 2010-11 season finished, as part of a restructuring exercise. On July 11 2011 he was appointed first team coach at Portsmouth
and on 14 October 2011 he was appointed as their caretaker manager.
, East Riding of Yorkshire
, Gray began his professional career with Nottingham Forest
, emerging from the youth system with players such as Steve Hodge
and Colin Walsh
. He joined Barnsley
in 1984 and continued to build a reputation as a steady and versatile player, scoring 11 league goals in the 1986–87 season. He moved to Aston Villa in 1987 and would win promotion the following year and runners-up in the First Division in 1990.
Gray joined Southampton
in September 1991 for a fee of £200,000 as one of Ian Branfoot
's first signings. Initially, this appeared to be a useful signing for the club as he could play either at left-back as cover for Micky Adams
or in midfield, but a serious achillies tendon injury sustained in an FA cup match against former club Bolton Wanderers ended his playing career.
Earlier in that FA Cup run, Gray scored his only goal for Southampton, in a replay against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Micky Adams hit a probing left-foot pass which dropped between Peter Schmeichel
and Paul Parker. Gray nipped between the goalkeeper and defender to stroke the ball home from just outside the area. Southampton eventually went on to win the game in a penalty shoot-out
after scores were level 2–2 after extra time. This was the first ever such shoot-out involving First Division sides.
before moving to Wolverhampton Wanderers
in June 1994 as reserve team coach. His family were unable to settle in the West Midlands at this time, so he returned to Southampton, initially working in the community office, before becoming reserve team coach under Dave Jones in July 1997, moving up to first team coach in November 1998, a role he retained after the appointment of Glenn Hoddle
as manager in January 2000.
When Hoddle was lured away to Tottenham Hotspur
in March 2001, Gray initially took over as caretaker manager
, before taking on the role permanently in June, as Southamptom moved to their new St Mary's Stadium
. Early results were poor and chairman Rupert Lowe
panicked about the effect on the club's investment in the new stadium and Gray was sacked after little more than 3 months in charge, to be replaced by Gordon Strachan
. During his brief tenure as manager, he broke Southampton's transfer record, signing Rory Delap
for a fee of £4 million.
He has since coached successfully at a number of football clubs. These include Aston Villa
, where he and John Deehan
acted as joint caretaker managers after the departure of John Gregory. Stuart Gray moved briefly to Crystal Palace
to assist caretaker manager, Kit Symons
. He then joined Dave Jones at Wolverhampton Wanderers
in the capacity of assistant manager. The two had previously worked together at Southampton. After the dismissal of Jones from Wolverhampton, Gray remained as assistant manager to Glenn Hoddle
, once more acting as caretaker manager after Hoddle's departure.
On 2 January 2007, Gray was appointed as the manager of Northampton Town
after accepting a 2 and a half year contract; he replaced John Gorman
who had resigned on 20 December 2006.
Gray was sacked as Northampton Town Manager on 8 September 2009, following relegation from League 1 in the 2008–09 season and being 16th in League 2 after six games in the 2009–10 season.
On 19 January 2010 Gray became the first team coach for Burnley
. On 30 December he was appointed caretaker manager following the departure of Brian Laws
. Gray left Burnley on 13 May 2011 as part of a restructuring after the club failed to achieve even a play-off place in the season just ended.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
er and manager
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
, who is the former manager of Football League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
side Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
. On 30th December 2010 he was appointed the caretaker manager of Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
following the sacking of Brian Laws, reverting to his role as first team coach when Eddie Howe was appointed on 16 January 2011. Gray left Burnley after the 2010-11 season finished, as part of a restructuring exercise. On July 11 2011 he was appointed first team coach at Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
and on 14 October 2011 he was appointed as their caretaker manager.
Playing career
Born in WithernseaWithernsea
Withernsea is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, and forms the focal point for a wider community of small villages in Holderness. Its most famous landmark is the white inland lighthouse, rising around above Hull Road...
, East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
, Gray began his professional career with Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
, emerging from the youth system with players such as Steve Hodge
Steve Hodge
Stephen Brian Hodge is a retired English footballer who enjoyed a high-profile club and international career in the 1980s and 1990s.- Playing career :...
and Colin Walsh
Colin Walsh
Colin David Walsh is a former Scottish footballer.Born in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Walsh started his career under manager Brian Clough at . He made his league debut for Forest on 29 November 1980 as a substitute in a 1–1 draw at Coventry City aged 18. Walsh was picked for the Scottish national...
. He joined Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
in 1984 and continued to build a reputation as a steady and versatile player, scoring 11 league goals in the 1986–87 season. He moved to Aston Villa in 1987 and would win promotion the following year and runners-up in the First Division in 1990.
Gray joined Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in September 1991 for a fee of £200,000 as one of Ian Branfoot
Ian Branfoot
Ian Grant Branfoot is an English former footballer and manager.He played as a defender, and after starting at Gateshead joined Sheffield Wednesday, making his Football League debut in 1965. After 42 senior appearances for the club he left in 1969-70 for Doncaster Rovers...
's first signings. Initially, this appeared to be a useful signing for the club as he could play either at left-back as cover for Micky Adams
Micky Adams
Michael Richard "Micky" Adams is an English former professional footballer turned football manager who is in charge of League Two side Port Vale. As a player he was a full back, and made a total of 438 league appearances in a nineteen year professional career in the Football League, including five...
or in midfield, but a serious achillies tendon injury sustained in an FA cup match against former club Bolton Wanderers ended his playing career.
Earlier in that FA Cup run, Gray scored his only goal for Southampton, in a replay against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Micky Adams hit a probing left-foot pass which dropped between Peter Schmeichel
Peter Schmeichel
Peter Bolesław Schmeichel MBE is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and was voted the "World's Best Goalkeeper" in 1992 and 1993...
and Paul Parker. Gray nipped between the goalkeeper and defender to stroke the ball home from just outside the area. Southampton eventually went on to win the game in a penalty shoot-out
Penalty shootout (football)
A penalty shoot-out, referred to as kicks from the penalty mark in the Laws of the Game, is the FIFA official term for a method used in association football to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament following a tied game...
after scores were level 2–2 after extra time. This was the first ever such shoot-out involving First Division sides.
Management career
After his playing career was finished, Gray joined the coaching staff at The DellThe Dell (Southampton F.C.)
The Dell in Milton Road, Southampton, England was the home ground of Southampton Football Club, between 1898 and 2001.-New stadium:Since 1896, Southampton had been tenants of Hampshire County Cricket Club at the County Ground, having vacated the Antelope Ground in the summer of 1896...
before moving to Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
in June 1994 as reserve team coach. His family were unable to settle in the West Midlands at this time, so he returned to Southampton, initially working in the community office, before becoming reserve team coach under Dave Jones in July 1997, moving up to first team coach in November 1998, a role he retained after the appointment of Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle is an English former footballer and manager who played as an attacking midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur, AS Monaco, Chelsea and Swindon Town and at international level for England....
as manager in January 2000.
When Hoddle was lured away to Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
in March 2001, Gray initially took over as caretaker manager
Caretaker manager
In association football, a caretaker manager is someone who takes temporary charge of the management of a football club, usually when the regular manager is dismissed or leaves for a different club. However, a caretaker may also be appointed if the regular manager is ill or unable to attend to his...
, before taking on the role permanently in June, as Southamptom moved to their new St Mary's Stadium
St Mary's Stadium
St Mary's Stadium is the home of Southampton F.C., in the city of Southampton. It is a UEFA 4-star rated stadium and with a capacity of 32,689 is the largest football stadium in the south of England, outside of London.-History:...
. Early results were poor and chairman Rupert Lowe
Rupert Lowe
Rupert James Graham Lowe is a British businessman, who was the chairman of Southampton Football Club from 1996 to 2006. He regained his power in May 2008, teaming up with Michael Wilde, who had previously forced Lowe out, becoming chairman of the club's parent company, Southampton Leisure Holdings...
panicked about the effect on the club's investment in the new stadium and Gray was sacked after little more than 3 months in charge, to be replaced by Gordon Strachan
Gordon Strachan
Gordon David Strachan OBE is a Scottish football manager and former player. He is currently without a club, having last managed Middlesbrough. Strachan played for Dundee, Aberdeen, Manchester United, Leeds United and Coventry City, as well as the Scotland national team. Prior to Middlesbrough,...
. During his brief tenure as manager, he broke Southampton's transfer record, signing Rory Delap
Rory Delap
Rory John Delap is an English born Irish footballer who plays for Stoke City. He has played eleven times for the Republic of Ireland national football team....
for a fee of £4 million.
He has since coached successfully at a number of football clubs. These include Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
, where he and John Deehan
John Deehan
John Matthew Deehan is an English former footballer who in recent years has had several spells in coaching and management. He is currently unemployed having previously held the position of Director of football at Grimsby Town....
acted as joint caretaker managers after the departure of John Gregory. Stuart Gray moved briefly to Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
to assist caretaker manager, Kit Symons
Kit Symons
Christopher "Kit" Symons is a former Welsh international footballer.-Club career:A defender, Symons began his career at Portsmouth, spending seven years at the south coast club, making 160 appearances...
. He then joined Dave Jones at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
in the capacity of assistant manager. The two had previously worked together at Southampton. After the dismissal of Jones from Wolverhampton, Gray remained as assistant manager to Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle is an English former footballer and manager who played as an attacking midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur, AS Monaco, Chelsea and Swindon Town and at international level for England....
, once more acting as caretaker manager after Hoddle's departure.
On 2 January 2007, Gray was appointed as the manager of Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
after accepting a 2 and a half year contract; he replaced John Gorman
John Gorman (footballer)
John Gorman is a Scottish former football player and coach. He is currently Assistant Manager at MK Dons in the English League One....
who had resigned on 20 December 2006.
Gray was sacked as Northampton Town Manager on 8 September 2009, following relegation from League 1 in the 2008–09 season and being 16th in League 2 after six games in the 2009–10 season.
On 19 January 2010 Gray became the first team coach for Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
. On 30 December he was appointed caretaker manager following the departure of Brian Laws
Brian Laws
Brian Laws is an English former footballer and manager, most recently of Burnley.Playing as a defender, Laws made over 100 appearances for each of Burnley, Middlesbrough, and Nottingham Forest. In 1994, Laws became player-manager of Grimsby Town before taking a similar position with Scunthorpe...
. Gray left Burnley on 13 May 2011 as part of a restructuring after the club failed to achieve even a play-off place in the season just ended.
Managerial statistics
- As of 15 January 2011.
| Team | Nation | From | Southampton Southampton F.C. Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club... | 30 March 2001 | 21 October 2001 | 19 | 6 | 2 | 11 | 31.6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aston Villa Aston Villa F.C. Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder... (caretaker) |
24 January 2002 | 5 February 2002 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 00.0 | ||||
| Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at... (caretaker) |
1 November 2004 | 2 December 2004 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 50.0 | ||||
| Northampton Town Northampton Town F.C. Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season... |
2 January 2007 | 8 September 2009 | 135 | 44 | 39 | 52 | 32.6 | ||||
| Burnley Burnley F.C. Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888... (caretaker) |
30 December 2010 | 15 January 2011 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 50.0 |