Gray Thomas Image 1 Clapton Orient 1920

Description

Portsmouth, Hampshire born goalkeeper Thomas “Dolly” Gray began his senior football career with hometown Southern League club Portsmouth, for whom he signed in September 1914, serving as understudy to regular goalkeeper Neil and making his Southern League debut at Gillingham in February 1915. He played 3 more matches before the end of the season at Neil’s deputy, but when the onset of the First World War forced the suspension of peacetime football, his career was severely interrupted.

During the War Gray made a handful of wartime appearances for Pompey through to 1917, but after the War on resumption of peacetime football he signed for Second Division club Clapton Orient in the 1919 close season, where he was understudy to Jimmy Hugall, making his Football League debut against Huddersfield Town in September 1919 in their third match of the season, going on to make a further 5 appearances for The O’s.

At the start of 1921 he again came into the team, making 7 further appearances including being in goal for their narrow FA Cup exit at Bradford Park Avenue, but at the end of the season he was released and joined non league club Guildford United, his last known club before his eventual retirement.