Ex-Hearts kid Gray still dreams of Old Trafford return

Gray left Hearts in 2005 aged 16 , lured south by a £50,000 transfer to the world's most illustrious club. He has now embarked upon a six-month loan period at Paul Sturrock's Plymouth Argyle in the hope of convincing Old Trafford superiors that he can cut it at first-team level.

Several colleagues from his adolescence have already achieved such notoriety in Edinburgh and are tipped for lucrative transfers as their development continues apace.

Watching former team-mates like Driver and Wallace thrive at first-team level to become the focus of many a scouting mission has left Gray rather envious. Not to the point where he regrets accepting United's overtures – calling Cristiano Ronaldo and Dimitar Berbatov team-mates is dream material for any youngster – but the craving for top-team exposure is beginning to take hold.

Gray was converted from winger to full-back by United and is a regular captain and mainstay of their reserve side. However, the transition to Premier League football has been hindered by injury, most notably a torn cruciate ligament sustained on a previous loan jaunt at Royal Antwerp in Belgium. Now 20, he is determined not to miss the first-team boat and sees Plymouth as a reliable gangway.

"I've played in the reserves for long enough now so the next step is first-team football," he told the Evening News. "It's a massive step between Man United reserves and Man United first team. The only way to get that experience is to go out on loan and play first-team football.

"Playing in the reserves it's more about performance, but at first-team level points matter and it's more real. The club you are playing for have their livelihood on the line so I'd call it more like real football. The experience of playing in important games with Plymouth can only be better for me.

"You never really know what the gaffer's thinking. He hasn't said whether he's giving me a new contract or not, we have to see where this loan period goes first. It's a big step for me. I have to go out and make an impression and hopefully do enough to earn a new contract with Man United. If not, maybe there will be interest from other clubs.

"My goal in life at the minute is to do as well as I can for Plymouth and come back and play for Man United's first team. I made my debut for United two years ago in the Carling Cup. I've had a few injuries since then and I need top-team experience to move forward now. I don't see why I can't challenge when I get back. I think it will be a case of seeing where we are at the end of the season."

All the while things are going swimmingly for the youth team boys Gray grew up with in Edinburgh. "I never really thought about it until recently," he continued. "Being in Man United's reserves is a great achievement but it was hard when I was playing reserve football and seeing the likes of Calum Elliot and Driver, my team-mates when I was younger, breaking through and playing first-team football. That's what I want to achieve.

"It's not that I regret moving, it's just difficult because I want to play all the time. This loan will help me do that. Man United is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity but it was a big thing leaving Hearts because I supported them as a boy. I'd love to go back and play for them one day."

Gray is mindful not to think too far ahead, for the next six months could underpin his entire footballing future. Club captain Gary Neville and the marauding Brazilian Rafael are ahead of him in the right-back queue at Old Trafford, so his challenge is a daunting one.

"If I play 20 games for Plymouth between now and the end of the season and do really well, I don't see why I shouldn't get a good shot at going for the first team," he continued. "Obviously there are other players ahead of me, like Gary Neville, who has achieved everything in football. They've also brought in Rafael. He is actually younger than me and he's a very good player, as is his twin brother (Fábio] who plays left-back.

"Because of the way Man United play, they encourage full-backs to get forward so I'm still running like I did as a winger, just from deeper. I'd say I'm a better full-back than winger now."

Gray hails from Roslin and joined Loanhead Boys' Club at the age of seven, where he first encountered Thomson. The pair progressed to Hearts Boys' Club and through the SPL's Initiative League before United came calling.

"I'd heard rumours about Man United's interest. I supported Hearts and Man United as a boy so I was keen to go when I was told they wanted to sign me," he recalled. "I went down for training, met the gaffer, watched a first-team match and stuff like that. I knew straight away that was where I wanted to go. I thought they would give me the best chance of making it as a professional.

"When I was 15 I played an under-19s match for Hearts, which was a big thing for me back then. We had a good youth team when I was there, Calum, Lee Wallace, Jason Thomson and Driver were all in the same team as me. We all played together for quite a while and they've all gone on to play first team for Hearts.

"You could always see they had ability, especially Driver, and I'm pleased I came through at Hearts with a good bunch of others. Even though I've moved away, a good number of them have made an impression. I think it helped me get a move to Man United playing in such a good youth team.

"My dad used to take me to Tynecastle from as young as I can remember. We had a season ticket for years in the old School End and when the Gorgie Stand was built we moved in there. I watched the likes of Gilles Rousset and Gary Locke as a kid but John Robertson was my hero."

From Robbo to Ronaldo, Gray isn't short of inspiration for his tilt at winning a new contract. Sharing training fields and canteens with some of the world's most revered players at Carrington would overwhelm many. Yet Gray isn't perturbed.

"Training with the first team you would think 'how can I do it?' But they make it so easy for you. You always have options every time you get the ball. Your mind is made up for you nine times out of ten because they have so many good players. As a full-back, if Ronaldo is playing in front of you then all you do is give him the ball. It's just that simple.

"It's kind of different when he's running at you right enough, I just shut my eyes and hope for the best. But when he's in the same team as you it makes your life easy. He's a special player and you can only learn from him."

Regular trips home make for good therapy, for he can return to being one of the lads rather than the Manchester United youth player of whom so much is expected. "I still keep in contact with all my mates," he said. "I grew up with five or six guys and we were together every day playing football. I meet up with them when I'm back home and I'm always getting slated for my performances because they've been watching the reserve games on MUTV.

"Nothing has changed just because I play for Man United. They still see me as the wee eejit from across the street."

Gray doesn't take umbrage, he prefers it that way. And for the next six months he is on the offensive himself to safeguard his Manchester United future.

Taken from the Scotsman