Bert Gray

Albert Gray (23 September 1900 – 16 December 1969) was a Welsh professional footballer who played as goalkeeper for various clubs in the 1920s and 30s, including Oldham Athletic, Manchester City, Tranmere Rovers and Chester. For his country, he made 24 appearances between 1924 and 1938, helping Wales win the British Home Championship three times.

Football career

Club career Gray was born in Tredegar, Monmouthshire and first came to the attention of scouts from the Football League when he stood in for the injured goalkeeper for a local colliery side. He spent two years with Ebbw Vale during which time the club won the Southern League Welsh Section in 1921–22, going one better the following year to win the Southern League championship.

Standing at 6 ft 3ins, Gray was one of the tallest players at the time and used his height to great effect; he was described as "a very capable goalkeeper, (who) was cool and safe and inspired confidence in his defenders". but winning the trophy the following year with a 1–0 victory over Chester.

In 1936, he applied for the manager's job at Tranmere but was turned down and moved to fellow Third Division North club, Chester. Gray retained his place for the next two matches with victories over England and Ireland, thus enabling Wales to take the British Home Championship trophy for the second time in five years. Gray only missed four Wales international matches between February 1924 and October 1929 In the second half, Roy Goodall had the chance to bring England back into the game but missed his penalty. When England finally scored, this was also an own goal as Fred Keenor deflected Louis Page's corner past Gray in the Wales goal. (Some sources claim that it was Gray himself who turned the ball into the net. )

In the summer of 1929, the Football Association of Wales sent a party of players to tour Canada, During the tour, Wales played 15 matches in five weeks, winning them all with 61 goals scored and only ten conceded.

During the two years between November 1929 and October 1931, Wales called upon several keepers, including Cardiff City's Len Evans and Wrexham's Dick Finnigan, who was called up for the match against Ireland in February 1930 because Manchester City refused to release Gray. (The Irish won this match 7–0, with six goals from Joe Bambrick. )

Gray returned to the side for three matches in October/November 1931, in the 1932 British Home Championship. Gray was appointed captain in Keenor's absence for the match against Scotland on 31 October; despite "(keeping) goal in fine style", Gray conceded three goals with the Welsh only managing two in reply from Ernie Curtis.

For five seasons, between October 1932 and March 1936, Roy John played in goal for Wales, before Gray received a recall for the match against England on 17 October 1936. The 2-1 victory for Wales meant Bert Gray became the first Welshman to be on the winning side against England four times. Gray retained his place for five matches and helped Wales take the British Home Championship once again. His final international appearance came against Ireland on 16 March 1938 when Gray was in his 38th year. He remained Wales's most capped goalkeeper for twenty years until Jack Kelsey won his 25th cap against Brazil in the 1958 World Cup quarter finals.

International appearances Gray made 24 appearances for Wales in official international matches, as follows:

Date Venue Opponent Result Goals Competition 16 February 1924 Ninian Park, Cardiff 2–0 0 1924 British Home Championship 3 March 1924 Ewood Park, Blackburn 2–1 0 1924 British Home Championship 15 March 1924 Windsor Park, Belfast 1–0 0 1924 British Home Championship 14 February 1925 Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh 1–3 0 1925 British Home Championship 28 February 1925 Vetch Field, Swansea 1–2 0 1925 British Home Championship 18 April 1925 Racecourse Ground, Wrexham 0–0 0 1925 British Home Championship 31 October 1925 Ninian Park, Cardiff 0 1926 British Home Championship 1 March 1926 Selhurst Park, London 3–10 1926 British Home Championship 30 October 1926 Ibrox Park, Glasgow 0–3 0 1927 British Home Championship 29 October 1927 Racecourse Ground, Wrexham 2–2 0 1928 British Home Championship 28 November 1927 Turf Moor, Burnley 2–1 0 1928 British Home Championship 27 October 1928 Ibrox Park, Glasgow 2–4 0 1929 British Home Championship 17 November 1928 Vetch Field, Swansea 2–3 0 1929 British Home Championship 2 February 1929 Racecourse Ground, Wrexham 2–2 0 1929 British Home Championship 26 October 1929 Ninian Park, Cardiff 2–4 0 1930 British Home Championship 31 October 1931 Racecourse Ground, Wrexham 2–3 0 (Captain) 1932 British Home Championship 18 November 1931 Anfield, Liverpool 1–3 0 1932 British Home Championship 5 December 1931 Windsor Park, Belfast 0–4 0 1932 British Home Championship 17 October 1936 Ninian Park, Cardiff 2–1 0 1937 British Home Championship 2 December 1936 Dens Park, Dundee 2–1 0 1937 British Home Championship 17 March 1937 Racecourse Ground, Wrexham 4–1 0 1937 British Home Championship 30 October 1937 Ninian Park, Cardiff 2–1 0 1938 British Home Championship 17 November 1937 Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough 1–2 0 1938 British Home Championship 16 March 1938 Windsor Park, Belfast 0–1 0 1938 British Home Championship WinDrawLoss

Later career Gray was a keen golfer and won the Merseyside Footballers' title in 1933, 1934 and 1936. After the war, Gray became a bookmaker at Cleveleys, near Blackpool. He died in Blackpool on 16 December 1969. Several of the items were acquired by the Welsh National Football Collection, including his League medal from 1923, a Wales Football Team Badge, two medals from the Canadian tour of 1929, one of Gray's international caps and Gray's shirt from his final international appearance.

Honours Ebbw Vale Southern League Welsh Section winners: 1921–22, 1922–23 Southern League champions: 1922–23 Manchester City Football League Second Division champions: 1927–28 Tranmere Rovers Welsh Cup winners: 1935 Welsh Cup finalists: 1934

Wales British Home Championship winners: 1923–24, 1927–28, 1936–37