Archie Gray was finally handed his first Tottenham start by Ange Postecoglou on Wednesday night, more than two months after swapping Spurs for Leeds but fans noticed something he did post-match.
Spurs were tasked with overcoming Championship side Coventry City, a side that reached the FA Cup semi-finals last season. A side that took five points off Leeds last season, beating Gray’s old side 2-1 away.
On Wednesday night, it looked like Gray was going to suffer another defeat at Coventry’s home ground after Brandon Thomas-Asante scored just after the hour mark but Djed Spence equalised for Tottenham.
That goal came on 88 minutes and in the 92nd minute, Brennan Johnson scored a winner. A huge goal after a disappointing start to the 2024-25 campaign for Gray’s new side after two league defeats in a row.
Gray shows Leeds still in his heart in interview, fans react
The 18-year-old midfielder came through the Thorp Arch academy, has close ties to Leeds through his family and then played for Leeds on 52 occasions last season. His departure to Spurs was heartbreaking.
But speaking after the match, he recalled how tough Coventry are to play against from his time at Leeds – Gray describing Elland Road as “our ground”. Indeed, Tottenham were put through their paces last night.
Plenty of Leeds fans noticed his error, with Gray forgetting for a brief second that Elland Road is not his home ground anymore. It delighted the majority of Leeds fans on social media, with Gray still Leeds.
Mark Jackson says when he first noticed Gray would be “special”
Jackson is obviously now in charge down under, with Australian side Central Coast Mariners. But he was Leeds’ U21 manager a few years ago and he recalls Gray playing against Tranmere as a 15-year-old.
Leeds suffered a 4-1 loss to Tranmere’s senior side in the EFL Trophy but Gray did something Jackson described as “special” when picking the ball up in the middle of the park, while wearing the no.63 shirt.
He turned an opposing midfielder with a lovely Cruyff turn before threading an eye-of-the-needle pass into Leeds man Amari Miller. Jackson said no other player on the pitch could have pulled off Gray’s pass.
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