Gray hoping Archie will light up Bridge
LEEDS legend Eddie Gray hopes his grandnephew will cut through 54 years of stud, sweat and tears to carry the family torch in a classic FA Cup needle match tonight.
Archie Gray, 17, scored his first senior goal when Leeds toppled Championship leaders Leicester on Friday – and now he is gunning for wounded Chelsea.
In 1970, when Don Revie’s great side were going for the Treble, they lost out to Everton for the title and were beaten by Celtic in a European Cup semi-final.
They were also pipped by Chelsea in the FA Cup final, with the replay at Old Trafford notorious as one of the most brutal games ever.
Gray was reduced to a hobbling passenger after a dreadful early tackle from Ron Harris.
The winger, whose happy feet had tormented David Webb in the first match at Wembley, hopes his brother’s grandson will lead the Blues a merry dance again in the fifth-round encounter.
He said: “Archie is still young and has a lot to look forward to. Although he’s been playing at right-back, he will be a midfielder when he’s matured.
“His grandad Frank won the European Cup with Nottingham Forest, so I hope the genes serve him well.
“He has a good work ethic and that’s what Daniel Farke has installed in this Leeds side. They make it difficult for teams when they have the ball, and out of possession they work even harder to get it back.
“In all my years of going to Elland Road, the atmosphere this season has been as good as I’ve known.”
Gray, 76, still smiles about his close encounter with ‘Chopper’ Harris.
“Years later I was at Stamford Bridge for a game,” he said. “I felt a tap on the shoulder and a voice saying, ‘Eddie, can I have my studs back, please?’.
“I turned round, saw it was Ron and I just burst out laughing.”