Jake Gray (footballer)
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 Gray playing for Hampton & Richmond Borough in September 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jake Stephen Gray[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 25 December 1995[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Aylesbury, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Hemel Hempstead Town | ||
| Number | 8 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2012 | Wycombe Wanderers | ||
| 2012–2013 | Crystal Palace | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2013–2016 | Crystal Palace | 0 | (0) |
| 2015 | → Cheltenham Town (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | → Hartlepool United (loan) | 29 | (5) |
| 2016–2017 | Luton Town | 19 | (1) |
| 2017–2019 | Yeovil Town | 56 | (5) |
| 2019–2020 | Woking | 5 | (0) |
| 2019 | → Hampton & Richmond Borough (loan) | 7 | (2) |
| 2020 | → Hampton & Richmond Borough (loan) | 9 | (2) |
| 2020–2025 | Hampton & Richmond Borough | 157 | (20) |
| 2025– | Hemel Hempstead Town | 9 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 14:47, 13 October 2025 (UTC) | |||
Jake Stephen Gray (born 25 December 1995) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Hemel Hempstead Town of the National League South.
Gray was born in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire and attended Grange School.[1][3][4] He began his career at Wycombe Wanderers before joining Crystal Palace when he was fifteen, after Wycombe Wanderers closed their academy at the start of 2012–13.[5] He progressed through the youth system and development squads,[5] before signing his first professional contract, effective from 1 January 2013 until the end of 2014–15.[6] Gray made his professional debut as a 62nd-minute substitute for Dwight Gayle in a 3–0 win away to Walsall in the League Cup second round on 26 August 2014.[5][7] He also featured in the third round as a 90th-minute substitute for Paddy McCarthy which resulted in a 3–2 defeat to Newcastle United after extra time.[8] Following the expiry of his previous contract, Gray signed a new two-year contract with the club on 2 July 2015.[9]
On 16 January 2015, Gray joined League Two club Cheltenham Town on a one-month loan.[10] He made both his Football League and Cheltenham debut in a 1–1 draw with Luton Town on 24 January.[11] Gray made three further appearances before returning to Crystal Palace, despite being keen on an extension.[12][13]
On 5 November 2015, Gray joined League Two club Hartlepool United on a one-month youth loan.[14] Two days later, he made his Hartlepool debut in a 1–0 win over former loan club Cheltenham Town in the FA Cup first round.[15] Gray followed up with a brace, his first professional goals in a 3–1 win at home to Leyton Orient eight days later.[16][17] After making three appearances for Hartlepool, Gray's loan was extended until 2 January 2016.[18] On 5 January, his loan spell at Hartlepool was extended until the end of the season, by now having made eight appearances for the club.[19] Gray's next appearance saw him score the opening goal with a volley during a 2–1 defeat at home to Derby County in the FA Cup third round, before his opponents came from behind to win the match.[20] Gray went on to complete his loan spell, making 33 appearances and scoring six goals for the club in 2015–16.[21]
On 1 August 2016, Gray signed a two-year contract with League Two club Luton Town on a free transfer.[22] Under the terms of the transfer, Crystal Palace would be due a contingency sum in any event of a future sale.[22] He made his Luton debut as a substitute on the opening day of 2016–17 in a 3–0 win away to Plymouth Argyle.[23] Gray scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 win at home to newly relegated Championship club Aston Villa in the EFL Cup first round on 10 August.[24] After the end of the season, Gray was transfer-listed by Luton,[25] having made 28 appearances and scored four goals in 2016–17.[23]
On 26 June 2017, Gray signed for fellow League Two club Yeovil Town on a two-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[26] At the end of the 2018–19 season, Gray was released by Yeovil following the club's relegation from the English Football League.[27]
Gray signed for National League club Woking on 25 August 2019.[28] In September 2019, he joined Hampton & Richmond Borough of the National League South on a one-month loan.[29] While on loan, this was extended for a further month. Gray returned to Woking in November but was unable to hold a regular starting place in the team. On the 10 January it was announced that he would be returning to Hampton & Richmond for a further five weeks.[30]
On 2 August 2020, it was announced that Gray would return to Hampton & Richmond Borough on a permanent basis ahead of the 2020–21 campaign.[31] He was awarded the National League South Player of the Month award for March 2023.[32]