Matt Gray (footballer, born 1981) explained

Matthew Gray (born 16 September 1981) is an English professional football manager and former player who was most recently the head coach of the EFL League Two club Sutton United.

Playing career

A youth product of Tottenham Hotspur and Cardiff City, Gray had an unassuming senior career in the National League. He began his senior career at Barnet, with stints at Hayes, and Havant & Waterlooville where he was appointed the captain. He ended his playing career at 25, due to various injuries.^{[2] [3]}

Coaching career

After retiring as a footballer, Gray began coaching. His first stints were as the assistant manager at Eastleigh. He was also the assistant with EFL League Two clubs Aldershot Town and Crawley Town.^[4] In December 2018, he was appointed as one of the coaches at Sutton United.^[5]

On 22 April 2019, the long-term Sutton United manager Paul Doswell stepped down. Matt Gray was appointed interim manager for the last matchday that season in the National League alongside Ian Baird, and Micky Stephens.^[6] On 1 May 2019, he was formally appointed as the manager for the team.^[5] In the 2020–21 season, his second with Sutton United, Gray led the team to promotion into the English Football League for the first time in their 123-year history.^[7] He was named the National League manager of the year for the 2020–21 season.^[8]

In their first League Two season, Sutton finished 8th, missing out on the play-offs by one point,^[9] but also reaching the 2022 EFL Trophy final at Wembley Stadium, losing 4–2 after extra time against Rotherham United.^[10] Sutton finished 14th at the end of the 2022–23 season.^[11] The following season, on 19 December 2023, Gray was sacked from his role, with the club six points from safety following an 8–0 defeat at Stockport County.^[12]

Managerial statistics

^[13]

Honours

Manager

Sutton United

• National League

2020–21

• EFL Trophy runner-up: 2021–22^[14]

Individual

• National League Manager of the Year

2020–21^[15]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Where are they now? - Former Spurs players. www.mehstg.com.
2. Web site: hawks.net : Matt Gray player profile. www.havantandwaterlooville.net.
3. Web site: hawks.net : Matt Gray player appearances. www.havantandwaterlooville.net.
4. Web site: Matt Gray Departs | Aldershot Town FC. May 18, 2015.
5. Web site: Matt Gray appointed manager. www.suttonunited.net.
6. Web site: Club announcement. www.suttonunited.net.
7. Web site: Continuity key for Sutton 'community' in EFL. www.bbc.com.
8. Web site: Sutton United boss Matt Gray named as National League Manager of the Year. June 11, 2021.
9. News: Scores, Results & Fixtures . 2022-05-07.
10. News: Rotherham United 4–2 Sutton United . BBC Sport . 3 April 2022 . 17 August 2022.
11. Web site: Sutton United on the Football Club History Database. 15 August 2010. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20070901012336/http://www.fchd.info/SUTTONU.HTM. 1 September 2007.
12. News: Sutton United: Manager Matt Gray sacked by League Two strugglers . 19 December 2023 . BBC Sport . 19 December 2023.
13. Web site: Managers: Matt Gray . Soccerbase . Centurycomm . 28 August 2021.
14. News: Rotherham beat Sutton after extra time to win EFL Trophy . Chris Peddy . BBC Sport . 3 April 2022 . 6 February 2023.
15. Web site: Osborn . Oliver . Amazing Gray! U's boss Wins Manager of the Year Award . The Vanarama National League . 2012-11-29 . 2021-08-09.