Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
GRAY: MY MEDAL IS TOO LATE
LEEDS legend Eddie Gray has told the club he doesn’t want the title medal for which he is now eligible – 47 years after helping Don Revie’s side become English champions.
Gray, now 73, and his younger brother Frank, both failed to play the then-required 14 games when Leeds topped the old First Division in 1974.
But the EFL have changed the rule to five appearances, in line with the Premier League, and are prepared to recognise champion players retrospectively IF their clubs make an official request and pay the £300 it costs for each medal to be minted.
Former Scotland international Gray has told Leeds he does not feel it right to pick up a piece of silverware almost half a century after the event.
Gray, who made 577 Leeds appearances, already has a medal for the club’s 1968-69 title success – and helped them win the FA Cup, League Cup and two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups.
His brother Frank, 66, is also eligible for the 1973-74 season medal.
Elland Road striker Rod Belfitt is another player who could benefit from the EFL initiative, for his part in Leeds’ first title win five years earlier.
Sunday Mirror Sport revealed last October how football historian Ian Ross had discovered 26 players who should be granted their retrospective title medals.
Wolves have already presented 90-year-old Ron Stockin with a medal for their 1954 title.
Manchester City, Everton and Liverpool have all been in touch with players now eligible to be properly recognised for their achievements.
Manchester United are in the process of sourcing medals for players, including former keeper
David Gaskell, 80, who featured in the 1964-65 and 1966-67 title-winning campaigns.
City have the medals in their possession and are looking for a suitable date to officially recognise 1968 heroes Paul Hince, Bobby Kennedy, Stan Horne (above) and the late Harry Dowd.
Everton have done the same – Roger Kenyon and Frank D’Arcy played in the 1970 title-winning team, while Paul Wilkinson (1985) and Warren Aspinall (1987) also helped the Toffees become champions.
Liverpool have promised to pay for medals for their players – Colin Irwin, Alan Kennedy, Chris Lawler, Terry McDermott, Alec Lindsay, Sammy Lee, John Wark, Paul Walsh and Jan Molby.
Portsmouth’s Jamaica-born winger Lindy Delapenha could be awarded a medal posthumously after helping Pompey retain the title in 1950.