Archie Gray responds to prestigious award in London ceremony — YEP 14/4/24

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Leeds United star Archie Gray has been named Championship Young Player of the Year.

By Graham Smyth

Gray was at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London to receive the accolade at the EFL’s annual awards ceremony, from ex-Leeds man Chris Kamara. The Gray family’s latest Elland Road representative has enjoyed a breakout season in Daniel Farke’s first team, despite turning 18 just last month. With three games remaining in the campaign the teenager has played 3,395 Championship minutes, making the right-back slot his own and featuring in his more natural central midfield role at times.

Farke has repeatedly praised Gray’s maturity and believes he has the potential to represent the England national team in the future. Speaking in March he said: “He is, without any doubt, one of the biggest talents in his age group in this country. If you’re one of the biggest talents then you have the potential to reach everything. For Archie, yes, the sky is the limit. If he continues with this work ethic and professionalism, he has all the chance to reach everything that he wants. He has represented his country at youth level and he obviously has the potential to do it at a proper level with the mature Three Lions."

Gray’s fellow midfielder Glen Kamara told the YEP he has been impressed with the youngster’s attitude to his development. He said in January: “Great player, just signed a new contract for the club and happy days for the club for sure. Great talent and he's willing to learn you know, he's not someone who thinks he's got it all. You know, he's still willing to learn.”

Speaking to the YEP after picking up his prize, Gray credited his family and support network for helping him to pick up an award previously won by the likes of Jude Bellingham and his Leeds team-mate Patrick Bamford: “I think it’s an award that rewards all my family and the people around me, my team-mates and everyone that’s helped me along the way. So it’s really food. I was [nervous], my voice is still a bit shaky now.

“I think it’s been good [this season] and obviously in some perspectives it could be better, you know, scoring goals and stuff like that. But to play the amount of games I’ve played at this age, I’ve been really lucky. I’ve said this a million times but with the manager and team-mates that I’ve got, I’m so grateful. [Farke] just trusting in me and teaching me little things like positioning, especially in a new position at the start of the season, at right-back. I’m really grateful to him for trusting me basically.”

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