Name: James Gray
Date of Birth: 26/6/92
Position: Central Midfielder
Club: Middlesbrough
Previous clubs: None
International caps: Northern Ireland U-19
A product of the Middlesbrough youth academy, Gray is a hard-working
midfielder who is hoping to break into the first team under new boss
Tony Mowbray.
Gray is yet to make a first team appearance for Boro but has been
impressive in the reserves, in particular scoring a brace against
Grimsby Town in a recent fixture to earn Boro a 2-2 draw.
Gray is also a hot prospect at international level, representing
Northern Ireland at under-19 level in both friendly and competitive
fixtures. After first breaking into the side and impressing in a
series of friendly games, Northern Ireland coach Steve Beaglehole made
a phone-call to Middlesbrough academy manager Dave Parnaby about how
impressed he had been with the young midfielder.
Parnaby told the club’s official website "He was very pleased, not
only in James as a player, but that his whole demeanour and his
conduct both on and off the pitch were first class, It's always nice
to get a phone call like that from an international team manager."