| George Gray | |
| Fullname: | George Robert Gray |
| Birth Date: | 4 January 1894 |
| Birth Place: | South Hylton, England |
| Death Place: | Sunderland, England |
| Position: | Wing half |
| Clubs1: | New Riddick Colliery |
| Years2: | 191?–1914 |
| Clubs2: | Seaham Harbour |
| Years3: | 1914–1919 |
| Caps3: | 16 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Years4: | 1919–1920 |
| Caps4: | 26 |
| Goals4: | 1 |
| Years5: | 1920–1922 |
| Caps5: | 39 |
| Goals5: | 1 |
| Years6: | 1922–1923 |
| Caps6: | 0 |
| Goals6: | 0 |
| Years7: | 1923–1924 |
| Caps7: | 11 |
| Goals7: | 0 |
| Years8: | 1924 |
| Caps8: | 2 |
| Goals8: | 0 |
| Clubs9: | Clydebank |
| Clubs10: | Yoker Athletic |
| Clubs11: | Rushden Town |
George Robert Gray (4 January 1894 – 1972) was an English professional footballer during the early years of the twentieth century. He played in the Football League for Swansea Town, Northampton Town and Durham City. He spent a season in the Southern League with Gillingham, was on the books of Bury without playing for their first team, had a trial with Scottish League club Clydebank, and played North-Eastern League football for Seaham Harbour and Hartlepools United. After his playing career ended he had a lengthy career as a trainer.
Gray was born in South Hylton, County Durham, in January 1894, the son of Crosby Gray, a shipwright, and his wife, Isabella.[1] By 1911, his father had died and the 17-year-old Gray was working as a craneboy in the shipyards.[2] He married Vera Lister in 1923.[3] Their son, also a George Gray,[4] played League football as a half back for Grimsby Town, Swindon Town and Darlington in the 1950s.[5] Gray died in Sunderland in 1972.[6] [7]
Gray played local football for New Riddick Colliery and North-Eastern League football for Seaham Harbour before signing for Gillingham,[8] for which he made 16 Southern League appearances without scoring before competitive football was abandoned for the duration of the First World War.[9] He served in the Army during the war,[6] and when demobilised returned to County Durham in October 1919 and signed for Hartlepools United.[10] He went on to score once from 26 North-Eastern League matches and make one appearance in the FA Cup.[11]
In September 1920, Gray signed for Swansea Town of the Third Division South.[6] He made his Football League debut playing at right half away to Northampton Town on 25 September[8] one of five men tried in that position in the first few weeks of the season[12] but established himself in the team at left half and missed only three matches over the rest of the campaign.[8] In 1921–22, he did not appear until the new year, but did help the team reach the last 16 of the FA Cup.[8] He left Swansea at the end of the season for Second Division club Bury, where he spent a year without first-team football before returning to the Southern Section with Northampton Town.[6] He was unwell at the start of the 1923–24 season,[13] and although he played in the reserves,[14] he did not make his first-team debut until late December, standing in for the rested Frank Newton.[15] He kept his place for the next match, and made nine more appearances as injury cover before the half-back line was rearranged to accommodate the return of regular centre-half Edmund Wood.[8] [16] An unsuccessful trial with Durham City in October 1924, during which he played twice in the Third Division North as a centre forward, put an end to his Football League career.[6] He had a trial with Scottiah League club Clydebank, and played for Junior club Yoker Athletic before returning to England with Rushden Town.[6]
He then began a long career as a trainer, with clubs including Bury, Clydebank, Barrow,[17] and South Shields.[18] The 1939 Register records him living in Sunderland and working as a framesmith's striker.[19] [20] When the Sunderland club resumed playing wartime football at their Roker Park ground, Gray acted as trainer on a voluntary basis, and after the war he was appointed full-time.[21] In July 1950, he treated West Indian cricketer Sonny Ramadhin after he was injured during a tour match against Durham,[22] and acted as trainer to the England team when they played Wales at Sunderland's Roker Park ground in November.[23] [24] He remained in post until 1951, and then took full-time charge of the treatment room and did some scouting.[25]