Regretful Gray has to toe the party line
ANDRE GRAY has apologised after Watford’s party-goers were axed for breaching lockdown rules.
But he insisted it was “only a gathering of friends which turned into a sort of football tournament on my birthday”.
Gray, who turned 29 on Friday, vowed to “do what it takes to make it right” – although his promise cut little ice with fans of the Hornets and club legend Luther Blissett.
Striker Gray, young midfielder Domingos Quina and one-cap England international Nathaniel Chalobah were dropped for Sunday’s 3-1 home defeat against Southampton “to ensure the health and safety of all staff, players and officials”.
Gray had uploaded footage on social media from an outdoor party at the Surrey home he shares with Little Mix pop-star fiancee Leigh-Anne Pinnock.
And it appeared to show the gathering contravened lockdown rules.
The culpable players apologised to their seething manager Nigel Pearson and team-mates at the training ground.
Later, on his Instagram page, Gray said: “I wanted to wait to make a public apology, as my first apology needed to be to my team-mates and staff first for not being able to be involved in yesterday’s game, and the risk I may have caused.
“It was not a late-night party like what is being portrayed. I understand my responsibilities and will do what it takes to make it right, apologies again.”
Blissett said: “I cannot understand, for the life of me, why footballers would hold a party, or attend a party, that goes against the laws of the land, against football’s current protocols and defies common sense.”