Footballer, enthusiastic sports commentator and analyst. Born in Drumchapel (Glasgow), the youngest of four boys, Gray began his professional football career with Dundee United in 1973, making his name as an effective striker. He joined the English team Aston Villa in 1975 and, in 1977, he became the only footballer to win the 'Professional Football Association Player of the Year' and 'Young Player of the Year' awards in the same season. Gray was passed over for Scotland's ill-fated World Cup appearance in Argentina in 1978, but despite this became the most expensive British footballer when he transferred to Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wolves) the following year for a record fee of £1,469,000. A further move to Everton in 1983 helped this team to a League title (1984-85), the FA Cup (1984) and European Cup Winners' Cup Finals (1985). He was also capped on 20 occasions for the Scottish team.
Gray returned to Scotland to end his playing career with his childhood heroes Rangers, helping them to the first of nine consecutive League Championships (1988-89). He went on to play a central role in the development of football coverage for the satellite channel Sky Sports, earning a variety of accolades including the Royal Television Society's Sports Presenter of the Year. However he was sacked from Sky Sports in 2011 after a media storm initiated by off-air comments alleged to be sexist.
His autobiography Gray Matters was published in 2004.
