'It means more' - Sheffield Wednesday ace Harry Gray opens up on loan responsibilities and family history
Sheffield Wednesday loanee Harry Gray has opened up on being out on loan and his family’s football history.
Attacker Harry Gray has admitted that he enjoys the level of expectation that comes with heading out on loan following his arrival at Sheffield Wednesday during the summer transfer window.
Wednesday saw off stiff competition to sign the Leeds United youngster on a season-long loan deal in July, and he has already shown flashes of what he can bring to the table.
The 17-year-old, who has made six appearances for the Owls so far this season, spent the second half of last season on loan at nearby Rotherham United, gaining some much-needed first-team experience for the first time. He made 20 appearances for the Millers, scoring three goals.
His move to Hillsborough, though, was viewed as a step up for the teenager, who made his debut for England’s Under-19s against the Republic of Ireland at St George’s Park on Friday night after coming off the bench in the second half.
Although the versatile attacker, who will celebrate his 18th birthday next month, is still in the process of developing, he is benefiting from increased first-team exposure and admits that he enjoys the responsibility that comes with playing at senior level.
“I loved it last year at Rotherham,” Gray told England’s website. “It was tough but I was playing every game.
“It’s competitive, you’re playing for people’s jobs and it means more to people. There’s more expectation and I enjoy that.”
As the Owls loanee made his bow for England Under-19s on Friday evening, his older brother, Archie, just over 30 miles away, was adding another England Under-21 cap to his collection, helping the Three Lions youngsters beat Kazakhstan 4-2 in their latest European Championship qualifier.
The Gray family is steeped in football history, of course. Archie and Harry’s dad, Andy, played for the likes of Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United and Bradford City, while their grandad, Frank, played for Leeds and won the European Cup with Nottingham Forest.
Meanwhile, their great-uncle, Eddie, dedicated his entire playing career to Leeds, making an impressive 579 appearances for the club.
“Every time I see them, they’re telling me stories,” the Wednesday loanee continued. “I went to quite a few clubs before I was nine, then signed at Leeds at nine. I’ve since been on loan twice.
“It’s all I know. There wasn’t really any other choice! Every day is football, football, football. That’s what I love doing.”
Although the Owls loanee is three years Archie’s junior, they have played together once before.
“I played with Archie once in the under-13s [at Leeds] – that was quite cool,” Harry recalled. “He was under-16s and I was under-13s and we played against Leicester. That’s the only time.
“We got lucky because at the age groups at Leeds, you play the same teams at the same venue so my dad would drive us both there and watch the first half of either of our games and the second half of the other.”