Braintree with an upset 2-0 win over Forest Green Rovers (no Jamie Searle) & then a 1-2 loss to Wealdstone. Gray in goal for both games. See he has an oggie against his name in the Wealdstoneloss.
See that he is only 19 (20 next month). I thought he was older.
Will be a battle between him and AKH for the starter's role at this year's U20 WC. Gray probably edges it given he was part of the Olywhites last year. Both were at the 2023 U20 WC.
One upside of so many youngsters getting mins for the Nix this season. Should be a stronger U20s team in Chile this year, than the 2023 team in Argentina. That 2023 team not helped by Covid hindering their development.
Other recent results. A 3-3 draw at Maidenhead, 1-0 win over Eastleigh and 1-1 draw at Sutton United.
Gray would likely to be the no 1 GK at the U20 WC (Sept-Oct). Though a potential complication could be, what if Ipswich found him say a League Two club in July re his next loan deal season 25/26. And that L2 club wanted him for a full season.
Just something Greenacre may have to deal with. Plenty of young players don't get to a U20 World Cup, because their European clubs don't let them. And that's when U20 WCs were played more in the Euro off season (May-June). The last one in Argentina was 20th May – 11th June.
This year it's 27th September – 19th October, for some reason. So expect lots of the world's best young talent to not be there.
Braintree Town (17th) host York City (2nd). BT now 8 pts above the relegation zone with 8 games left, so looking safe now. Though some teams below with games in hand.
Gray in goal on the weekend as Braintree Town (17th) lost 3-1 at Altrincham (9th). BT still looking good to avoid relegation, 6 pts above the drop zone with 6 games left.
31 yr old former AWs keeper Matt Gould has sat on the pine for all of Yeovil Town's (13th) 40 league games this season. He seems to be very much a GK player coach these days. His dad Jonathan the GK coach at Auckland FC.
3 keepers in the English 5th tier. Though neither Gould or Jamie Searle (Forest Green - 3rd) have played a league game this season at their clubs.
Whoops right you are. Strange little coincedence that both NZ's young keepers at the last U20 WC, stood down in the last few days for concussion reasons.
Anyway we wait to see where Gray goes to next. Ipswich look doomed for relegation to The Championship, 9 pts below Wolves with 9 games left. But can see it more likely Gray goes out on loan again to a lower tier club.
Unusual that so early on, the 3 EPL clubs to be relegated already look locked in. Ipswich plus Leicester & Southampton.
Gray in goal as Braintree Town (16th) beat 1st placed Barnet 2-1, on the weekend.
Despite the loss, Barnet are strong odds for promotion to League Two. 8 pts clear of 2nd placed York City with only 5 matches left. Jamie Searle's Forest Green (3rd) likely to be in the promotion playoffs (teams 2nd-7th).
Who knows if Gray impressed on the weekend, Barnet might be keen on getting him in on a loan deal next season in L2.
They were struggling around the relegation spots when he arrived mid season, but well safe now. He's had 15 league games for them.
That’s just Henry Gray doing what he does. He’s kept another clean sheet since then too. 0-0 against Southend on the Friday and 0-0 against Dagenham & Redbridge on the Monday. With two games left, it’s almost guaranteed that Braintree Town will avoid relegation from the National League thanks in much part to their 20yo kiwi loanee goalkeeper who has kept seven clean sheets in 18 appearances, conceding only 20 times. That’s 1.11 goals allowed per game. In the 26 games they’ve played without him, Braintree have conceded 1.46 goals per game with only five cleanies. Stats don’t lie: Gray has made a marked improvement at another loan club... and with Ipswich Town getting relegated back to the Championship you never know what might happen at his parent club.
Gray in goal for a 2-0 win. Season over, so back to Ipswich to plan his next move.
Hopefully he's available for the U20 WC. Higher chance than say Bindon he will be, but still unlikely, especially if next it becomes a loan deal to a L1/L2 club.
Niche Cache. Sounds like another loan deal at some point
Same with Henry Gray who doesn’t appear to have been part of Ipswich’s training camp squad which went to Austria. He has gotten some minutes for the U21s but there’s not much of a path with the first team right now. Ante Muric will be back from injury soon to challenge Alex Palmer and Christian Walton, plus they’ve signed veteran David Button on a one-year deal. Scottish international Cieran Slicker has also skipped the Austria tour as he looks for loan options – Slicker is two years older than Gray.
Looks like he will be available for the U20 World Cup, which will be good news given AKH may not be fit.
Finally, Ipswich Town revealed their squad numbers for the coming Championship season and they included five goalkeepers, none of which were Henry Gray. It sounds like Aro Muric is probably going to leave the club (the fact that he’s switched from #1 to #49 is a further clue).
Might also see a loan for one of the others but it’d take more than that to bring Henry Gray into the immediate spotlight. That could still happen, though the better bet is that he takes another progressive loan move and furthers his career that way – Gray was with the (Ipswich) U21s rather than the first team during their preseason tour. That’s presumably the reason why Ed Sheeran got an Ipswich squad number and he didn’t. Well, half the reason.
That's Harry Gray, youngest of the Leeds Gray family dynasty
Well that’s embarrassing, should of given the other team a Quick Look over, I will leave it unedited so all can glory in my stupidity. What’s worse is now that I look at the pic I attached I can see him! The pic was really just for the score
2 month injury replacement loan. That should get him some competitive game time until the January transfer window opens & lets him look for a loan move to a higher level.
Harrogate are 23rd (2nd last) in L2, one spot above Tzanev’s dead last Newport
National League South (6th tier), National League (5th tier) and now League Two. Gray has helped Chelmsford City and Braintree Town survive relegation before in previous loan spells.
If he can do similar at Harrogate will put himself in the WC frame as 3rd keeper. Though Sims and even now Woud are likely ahead of him currently
Gray’s current contract with Ipswich runs for another year and a half... so if he nails it at Harrogate Town then don’t be surprised if there’s an extension brewing back home.
League Two is a pretty wild spot for goalkeepers... Salford City have a starter, Matt Young, who only recently turned 19yo while there are also two starting keepers in this division aged in their 40s (Joe Murphy of Tranmere is 44yo and has made 18 starts). Gray will be the third youngest goalie to start a game in League Two this season should it come to pass.
One of the other youngsters on loan in this division is Cieran Slicker at who has made 21 appearances for Barnet... on loan from Ipswich Town. So not only is HG catching up to All Whites rivals, he’s also catching up to the Ipswich depth.
Very impressive in the match highlights. Makes 4-5 quality saves.
He gets a palm to the ball for Shrewsbury goal, but unfortunately but can't keep it out.
Also indirectly involved when HT's player is shown a red (2nd yellow) as the guy collects a Gray throw, only to run it out and then throw the ball away. Enough for the ref to reach for his pocket.
