450 not out for Nick Gray at Morpeth

Under Gray, the club have achieved three promotions, an FA Vase triumph at Wembley, a Cleator Cup victory and the Northumberland Senior Cup.

Gray has been with the Craik Park side since 2011, and has led them from Division Two to their highest ever league in the BetVictor Northern Premier Division.

“It’s a good achievement, thanks for reminding us,” said Gray, reflecting on his 450 games in charge. “It’ll be nine years now.

“In that time, we’ve had three promotions, won at Wembley and won a couple of cups.

“Each year there has been progress, which is probably why I’m still in the job. There hasn’t been a year where we’ve gone backwards. Every year we've had progress and we’re in a good place at the moment.”

“The very first promotion from the second division going into the first division was a big one.

“Another big one was at Wembley against Hereford, which was a Phoenix Club. That was a game where we could have been outside in the first 20 minutes, but we came through and eventually won it and deserved winners in the end.

“Promotion from the Northern League was a bonus, and last year going into an unknown league which we didn't know anything about. We won it quite convincing last year, I think by about 12 or 13 points last year, which is a great achievement as well.”

Gray, who was joint-manager with Dave Malone for several seasons, was set for a coaching role in China three years and had told the club he would be leaving, before making a u-turn which saw him remain in England.

“I actually told the club I was leaving to go to China,” said Gray.

“I told my family that I was going, and then all of a sudden the contract wasn’t what was said in the interview. So I had a U-turn and sometimes that can be a little embarrassing by telling the club and your family that you’re leaving and then it’s not what it is.

“I decided to stay where I was. It would have been on my own an initial one year contract, but it could have been rolling. It was a big decision, but as I say what was said in face-to-face meetings was not what was there in the contract.”

The club currently sit 15th in the league table, and have played the least amount of games just hitting the 20 mark.

They have recorded nine wins in the league, and have progressed to the third round of the Integro League Challenge Cup, and Gray believes a play-off spot isn’t impossible.

“But I’m a realist, I realise that where we are now, the club has never been there before. As long as we’re learning from defeats, then the club will continue to move forward.
When asked about goals for the season, he added: “Learn from it. We came to learn that’s for sure.

“It's a difficult league. We set our target as progress to make sure that we stay in the league, which I’m confident we will do.

“I think we’re in a position where we can get into the play-offs, we need to go on a run but I think we’re capable of doing that. We’re playing teams that tell us that we’ve got nothing to play for, that just gives you more incentive to do well and stride forwards. We, and about another ten teams, have the chance to get into the play offs and that is our target.

“Whether we achieve it or not, we’ll find out at the end of the season. But, one thing is whatever we do this season we’re definitely learning and growing and improving going forward next season as a club.”

Morpeth host Radcliffe tomorrow in the BetVictor Northern Premier Division.