'My home' - Archie Gray's emotional verdict on Leeds United return with Harry Gray message
The Leeds United academy graduate will be back at Elland Road as a Spurs player this afternoon.
Former Leeds United starlet Archie Gray admits it will feel a little unusual to be back at Elland Road this afternoon as a Tottenham Hotspur player.
Gray left Leeds for Spurs in a £40million deal 15 months ago and will return to Elland Road for the first time - in a playing capacity at least - this lunchtime when new club face boyhood club. The 19-year-old’s links to West Yorkshire are well-known with grandfather Frank, great uncle Eddie and dad Andy all wearing the famous white shirt before him.
The Thorp Arch academy graduate is unlikely to start this afternoon and could feasibly spend the afternoon watching from the bench, having played just 72 minutes of Premier League football so far this season. But the excitement to reunite with some old friends is still obvious.
“I can’t wait,” Gray told Spurs’ website. “That’s my home, that’s where I’ve been raised and I’ve got so much love for Leeds but I’m playing for Tottenham now, we’ve obviously got a job to do at the weekend and we’re looking forward to that.
“Already it feels a little bit weird that we’re going to be playing against a team where I’ve spent virtually my whole life. I’m so grateful for everything that they’ve done for me and I’m so proud to be from Leeds and be one of their own. Of course, it’s going to be unusual going back there this weekend, but we’ve got a job to do.”
Unfortunately for the football romantics, a brotherly battle between Archie and Harry Gray is highly unlikely, with the latter a major doubt due to a hip flexor issue. A squad space might have been there for the 16-year-old striker too, with Dan James and Willy Gnonto both out injured.
Archie Gray’s verdict on Harry Gray and Leeds United reunion
Playing against boyhood club Leeds will no doubt feel strange but to directly come up against your own family is another level, with those back-of-the-garden battles translating on the biggest stage of them all. Unlikely though it may be, that battle would be some story.
“I think half of the family will be in the Spurs end and half of them in the Leeds end!” Archie added. “I’m joking of course, but hopefully he [Harry] is in the squad. Obviously he can’t control that but, you know, he’s just got to keep his head down and work hard in training because he’s got all the talent in the world.
“He's always been a striker, always been scoring goals, so hopefully he can keep doing that – just not against us! We always used to just kick lumps out of each other when we were in the garden. It would always end in tears but we loved every minute of it and it’s going to be weird, especially if he’s on the bench.
“He’s always been a little bit too young to play against me before but we’ve both always been at Leeds and both had the same journey growing up. Seeing my younger brother with them, both of us playing for different teams, it’s going to be a little bit strange, but I’m just going to be fully focused on the game and nothing else when it comes.”