Gray is setting emotion aside as he aims to haunt his former team
BARRY Gray admits that sentiment will be in short supply when he goes back to his former club for the first time today.
When the Cliftonville boss returns to Milltown to take on Warrenpoint Town, the only thing he will be concerned about is adding three points to his team’s Danske Bank Premiership kitty.
Following a dodgy start to the campaign, the north Belfast boys are now firing on all cylinders. And, in Joe Gormley, Rory Donnelly, Jay Donnelly and Daniel Hughes, they have one of the most potent strike forces in the country.
“I’m looking forward to going back to Warrenpoint. A lot has been made of it, but to me it’s just another game,” said Gray. “It will be different standing in the opposing dugout, but I don’t want any side issues to potentially derail what we are going to Warrenpoint for — and that’s three points. I’ll be totally focused on the game.”
Cliftonville are on a roll at the minute. They have lost only one of their last 10 games — that was at home to Coleraine — and have won the other nine. They are still only eight points adrift of the Bannsiders, but Gray admits things could change.
“The festive period is always an important time,” he said. “The big teams tend to come on strong, so we’ll see where we are then.”
With the transfer window opening next month, Gray won’t be rushing for the cheque book.
“I’m not a fan of the January window,” he added. “Sometimes it can be more disruptive than anything else. If we were to pinpoint a certain player, then it would be different. We told the players in the summer they would be given the chance and so far they haven’t done too badly, so we are under no pressure to sign anyone just for the sake of it.”