Julian Gray

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Julian Gray

| image = Gray, Julian.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Gray in 2011

| fullname = Julian Raymond Marvin Gray{{cite web |url=http://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/more/~/media/071EB339BC944DA7811D02EFD0C064F8.ashx |title=List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/09/2013 and 30/09/2013 |publisher=The Football Association |accessdate=4 September 2016}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|9|21|df=y}}{{cite book |editor-first=Barry J. |editor-last=Hugman |title=The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11 |year=2010 |publisher=Mainstream Publishing |location=Edinburgh |isbn=978-1-84596-601-0 |page=175}}

| birth_place = Lewisham, England

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=1}}

| position = Left winger

| currentclub = Birmingham City (academy coach)

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1= Arsenal

| youthclubs1=

| years1 = 1996–2000 | clubs1 = Arsenal | caps1 = 1 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2000–2004 | clubs2 = Crystal Palace | caps2 = 125 | goals2 = 11

| years3 = 2003 | clubs3 = → Cardiff City (loan) | caps3 = 9 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2004–2007 | clubs4 = Birmingham City | caps4 = 60 | goals4 = 3

| years5 = 2007–2009 | clubs5 = Coventry City | caps5 = 29 | goals5 = 4

| years6 = 2008–2009 | clubs6 = → Fulham (loan) | caps6 = 0 | goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2009 | clubs7 = Fulham | caps7 = 1 | goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2009 | clubs8 = Barnsley | caps8 = 5 | goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2010–2011 | clubs9 = Walsall | caps9 = 61 | goals9 = 14

| years10 = 2011–2013 | clubs10 = Nea Salamis Famagusta | caps10 = 55 | goals10 = 8

| years11 = 2013–2014 | clubs11 = Walsall | caps11 = 12 | goals11 = 1

| totalcaps = 358 | totalgoals = 41

}}

Julian Raymond Marvin Gray (born 21 September 1979) is an English football coach and former professional player.

He played in the Football League and Premier League for Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Cardiff City, Birmingham City, Coventry City, Fulham, Barnsley and Walsall,{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=20581 |title=Julian Gray: All time playing career |work=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |access-date=30 September 2010 |archive-date=15 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915121659/http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=20581 |url-status=live }} and in Cyprus for Nea Salamis Famagusta.

Club career

Gray was born in Lewisham, in south London. He began his association with Arsenal as a seven-year-old, and made one substitute for the first team before making a switch across London in July 2000 to join Crystal Palace for a £500,000 fee.{{cite web |url=https://www.arsenal.com/historic/players/julian-gray |title=Julian Gray |publisher=Arsenal F.C. |accessdate=29 January 2018}} He is an attacking left winger who can also play as an auxiliary striker,{{citation needed|date=January 2018}} and has learnt full-back duties so he can help out in defence.{{cite book |editor-first=Barry J. |editor-last=Hugman |title=The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2007–08 |year=2007 |publisher=Mainstream Publishing |location=Edinburgh |isbn=978-1-84596-601-0 |page=167}} Gray played a key part in helping them achieve promotion in the 2003–04 season,{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/birmingham_city/3757863.stm |title=Birmingham eye Gray move |publisher=BBC Sport |date=28 May 2004 |accessdate=29 January 2018}} despite missing the play-off final through suspension.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/may/31/match.sport |title=Dowie has drive to prosper |first=Daniel |last=Taylor |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=31 May 2004 |accessdate=29 January 2018}} In addition to his successes during that season he spent a two-month spell on loan with Cardiff City.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cardiff_city/3291591.stm |title=Gray returns to Palace |publisher=BBC Sport |date=8 December 2003 |accessdate=29 January 2018}} One of Gray's most memorable games for Palace was when he scored in a man-of-the-match performance as Palace surprisingly knocked Liverpool out of the 2002–03 FA Cup at Anfield.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/2708843.stm |title=Palace stun Liverpool |publisher=BBC Sport |date=13 February 2003 |accessdate=27 October 2009}}{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2396232/FA-Cup-On-The-Spot-Julian-Gray-and-Hayden-Mullins.html |title=FA Cup on the spot: Julian Gray & Hayden Mullins |first=Sarah |last=Edworthy |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=London |date=14 February 2003 |accessdate=29 January 2018}}

File:Julian Gray pre-season 2004.jpg

Gray's contract expired in June 2004, allowing him to sign for Birmingham City on a free transfer. He made 32 Premier League appearances in his first season in the Midlands,{{soccerbase season|20581|2004|accessdate=29 January 2018}} and remained a key part of manager Steve Bruce's plans during the 2005–06 season,{{cite news |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/bruce-singles-out-gray-for-praise-21997 |title=Bruce singles out Gray for praise |first=Colin |last=Tattum |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date=27 April 2006 |accessdate=29 January 2018}} although an ankle injury kept him out for several weeks towards the end of the campaign,{{cite news |url=https://www.birminghampost.co.uk/news/local-news/gold-fires-broadside-savage-after-3984795 |title=Gold fires broadside at Savage after snub |newspaper=Birmingham Post |date=21 April 2006 |accessdate=29 January 2018}} but started only twice as the team returned to the Premier League in 2007 and was released at the end of that season.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/footballers-going-cheap-picking-up-the-pieces-of-broken-dreams-401373.html |title=Footballers going cheap: Picking up the pieces of broken dreams |first=Glenn |last=Moore |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=4 September 2007 |accessdate=29 January 2018}}

He joined Coventry City on 10 July 2007.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/coventry_city/6288702.stm |title=Coventry sign Birmingham's Gray |date=10 July 2007 |publisher=BBC Sport |accessdate=30 September 2010}} He signed for Fulham on a season-long loan on 1 September 2008,{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/f/fulham/7593024.stm |title=Winger Gray joins Fulham on loan |publisher=BBC Sport |date=1 September 2008 |accessdate=27 September 2013}} and despite not playing a single league game for the club, the move was made permanent for an undisclosed fee on 2 February 2009.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/f/fulham/7865783.stm |title=Fulham wrap up Dacourt loan deal |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2 February 2009 |accessdate=8 July 2009}} He made only one substitute appearance for Fulham, and was released at the end of the season.{{cite web |url=http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2009/July/SummerDepartures.aspx |title=Summer Departures |date=3 July 2009 |publisher=Fulham F.C. |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090703234137/http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2009/July/SummerDepartures.aspx |archivedate=3 July 2009}}

In July 2009 Gray went on Sheffield United's pre-season tour of Malta as part of a trial with the club,{{cite web|url=http://www.sufc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10418~1714749,00.html |title=Early chance for triallists |publisher=Sheffield United F.C |date=6 July 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218040537/http://www.sufc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10418~1714749%2C00.html |archivedate=18 February 2012 |url-status=dead }} and the following month he had a trial with former club Cardiff City.{{cite news |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/julian-gray-trial-bluebirds-2090314 |title=Julian Gray on trial with the Bluebirds |first=Terry |last=Phillips |work=South Wales Echo |date=26 August 2009 |accessdate=27 September 2013}} Gray signed for Barnsley on 15 September, initially on a monthly contract.{{cite web |url=http://www.barnsleyfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10309~1797397,00.html |title=Another Gray day for Reds |publisher=Barnsley F.C. |date=16 September 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217030430/http://www.barnsleyfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10309~1797397%2C00.html |archivedate=17 February 2012 |url-status=dead }} He was released after two months, during which he made seven appearances in all competitions and started only one Championship game.{{cite news |url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11688/5700657/Tykes-let-Gray-go |title=Tykes let Gray go |publisher=Sky Sports |date=17 November 2009 |accessdate=27 September 2013}} Gray joined Walsall in February 2010,{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/walsall/8512580.stm |title=Walsall sign former Barnsley winger Julian Gray |publisher=BBC Sport |date=12 February 2010 |accessdate=27 September 2013}} and was offered a new deal by the club at the end of the season.{{cite news |title=Walsall release seven including Dwayne Mattis |publisher=BBC Sport |date=10 May 2010 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/walsall/8672808.stm |accessdate=30 September 2010}} He scored his first goal of the 2010–11 season in the 2–1 victory over Brentford with a volley from a Darren Byfield cross.{{cite news |title=Brentford 1 Walsall 2 |url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/2010/08/14/brentford-1-walsall-2/ |newspaper=Express & Star |location=Wolverhampton |date=14 August 2010 |accessdate=30 September 2010}}

After leaving Walsall when his contract expired, Gray spent two seasons in Cyprus with Nea Salamis Famagusta. He returned to England in 2013, and trained with Walsall before signing a contract with them on 27 September, to run until January of the following year.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24306829 |title=Walsall: Julian Gray rejoins Saddlers on short-term contract |publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 September 2013 |accessdate=27 September 2013}} Gray made his second debut for the club on 12 October, as a 71st-minute substitute for James Baxendale in a 1–1 draw away at Colchester United.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24409094 |title=Colchester United 1–1 Walsall |publisher=BBC Sport |date=12 October 2013 |accessdate=12 October 2013}} He was released when his contract expired.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25826903 |title=Julian Gray: Walsall release veteran winger |publisher=BBC Sport |date=21 January 2014 |accessdate=10 February 2014}}

Coaching career

Gray joined the staff of Arsenal's academy in 2019, and became under-18s assistant coach in 2021. He holds the UEFA A Licence. He was appointed as lead under-15s coach in Birmingham City's academy in August 2024.{{cite web |url=https://www.bcfc.com/news/all/julian-gray-appointed-to-blues-academy-role |title=Julian Gray appointed to Blues Academy role |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |date=20 August 2024 |access-date=20 August 2024}}

Honours

Crystal Palace Young Player of the Year: 2002{{cite web |url=https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/2016/may/young-player-of-the-year-a-history/ |title=Young Player of the Year: A History |publisher=Crystal Palace F.C. |date=10 May 2016 |accessdate=29 January 2018}}