Andy Gray

[LeTallecWiz]

Gareth Bale pulled off a trophy double by winning both the PFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards. The Welsh wizard — who also landed the top award in 2011 — is the third man to win both gongs in the same year after Cristiano Ronaldo in 2007 and Andy Gray in 1977.

Is that the Andy Gray? I've never seen any clips of him playing but was he that good? Or just a great early start to his career that fizzled out?

 

[Richey]

It is the same Andy Gray. Not seen a huge amount of his playing career. Before my time and I've never felt the need to watch old clips of Everton or Villa, but I think he was pretty good

 

[Silver Sean]

Is that the Andy Gray? I've never seen any clips of him playing but was he that good? Or just a great early start to his career that fizzled out?

His career didn't fizzle out early.

 

[mark1975]

He was brilliant in the air, one of those typical diminutive players who's got a great leap and lethal head.

 

[LeTallecWiz]

His career didn't fizzle out early.

I don't know ... that's why I'm asking! 🙂

 

[Modo]

Is it just me or do you also expect "is dead" when the thread title consists of some old guy's name?

 

[Spionkop69]

Senior career*​

Years​

Team

Apps†​

(Gls)†​

1973–1975​

Dundee United

62​

(46)​

1975–1979​

Aston Villa

113​

(54)​

1979–1983​

Wolverhampton Wanderers

133​

(38)​

1983–1985​

Everton

49​

(14)​

1985–1987​

Aston Villa

54​

(5)​

1987​

→ Notts County (loan)

4​

(0)​

1987–1988​

West Bromwich Albion

35​

(10)​

1988–1989​

Rangers

14​

(5)​

1989–1990​

Cheltenham Town

20​

(7)​

Total​

513​

(185​

From Wiki

 

[gkmacca]

Unsurprisingly he was a dirty player - and scored a goal in the cup final simply by knocking the keeper into his own goal - but he was certainly effective, and absolutely slaughtered us once playing for Villa.

 

[Spionkop69]

Unsurprisingly he was a dirty player - and scored a goal in the cup final simply by knocking the keeper into his own goal - but he was certainly effective, and absolutely slaughtered us once playing for Villa.

Didn't he also score the goal in the 79 League Cup final for Wolves to help Emlyn Hughes complete his domestic medal set?

 

[gkmacca]

1980, I think, yes.

 

[Silver Sean]

I don't know ... that's why I'm asking! 🙂

Fair enough. He ws a beast of a player at Villa. Joined Wolves when they were an overspending joke. Left there when they got relegated and went to Everton where he one the league in one of the best teams of the 80s (sad to say) He was over 30 then. Went back to Villa and then tailed off at Rangers and others.

 

[localny]

Hugely energetic and influential at smaller clubs. I remember his time at Wolves @ then at Everton when they were winning things. I think I had him in my Panini stickerbook.

 

[Spionkop69]

1980, I think, yes.

Yeah 1980 sounds right.

 

[Spionkop69]

Hugely energetic and influential at smaller clubs. I remember his time at Wolves @ then at Everton when they were winning things. I think I had him in my Panini stickerbook.

Panini sticker books! They need a comeback - the only one i missed from Football 80 was the Arsenal team group 🙁

 

[localny]

Panini sticker books! They need a comeback - the only one i missed from Football 80 was the Arsenal team group 🙁

I know, a mate of mine had them for the World Cup in 2010. They still make them. I can still feel the joy I had when I got a new sticker! The bubble gum was good too!

Here it is: http://epltalk.com/2012/05/09/panini-launches-uefa-euro-2012-soccer-stickers-in-united-states/

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

I thought he played more games than that for The Bitters.

 

[Spionkop69]

I thought he played more games than that for The Bitters.

Everton "legend" though. I'm good enough to be an Everton "legend"!

 

[Red Astaire]

Panini sticker books! They need a comeback - the only one i missed from Football 80 was the Arsenal team group 🙁

I completed the 86 Panini album! I remember swapping the very rare Hearts Of Midlothian badge for about 30 plus normal stickers. I bet some of you chumps on here sent off for the last hard to get 5. Not me! Legend swap skills all the way. 😎

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Everton "legend" though. I'm good enough to be an Everton "legend"!

Don't get carried away John.

 

[Spionkop69]

Don't get carried away John.

Thuggish persona - check
Limited ability - check
Bizarrely inflated opinion of oneself - check
No money - check

I think I tick most of the boxes actually.

 

[Judge Jules]

He was brilliant in the air, one of those typical diminutive players who's got a great leap and lethal head.

He wasn't that small. Excellent in the air though, as you say.

 

[dee]

He was one of THE toughest strikers to play against. He battered defenders in the days when almost anything went contact-wise. Him and Joe Jordan were the stand out 'battering rams' of the era. He was reasonable on the ground but his real strength was in the air. I fucking hated him and when he was a Sky pundit that opinion was reinforced.

 

[gkmacca]

Quite right. Both Gray and Jordan were excellent headers of a ball but they seemed to prefer to let the keeper catch it and then just clatter him into the net, or knock him out and then head the ball into the net. A clean header was almost a disappointment to them.

 

[Judge Jules]

That was pretty much the entirety of Jordan's game. He's actually a bright guy, but was a nasty piece of work on the pitch (I had to laugh when Gattuso confronted him during a Spurs-Milan European tie a while ago when he was 'Arry's assistant, 'coz if anything had seriously kicked off Jordan would have torn Gattuso a new one). Gray was the more prolific scorer of the two by some distance.

 

[gkmacca]

Jordan was a terrifying sight - no front teeth, a permanent snarl, elbows aimed at the head and studs showing at about crotch height as he flew in at keepers.