By Andrew McDonnell (@AndrewSJourno)
Morpeth Town joint-manager Nick Gray spoke of how difficult it was to tell his players and staff that he would be leaving the club for a coaching role with the Chinese FA.
Gray informed the club after their game on Friday night that he would be departing in the next “two or three weeks” when his paperwork comes through.
He has been at Morpeth since 2011, and has led them from the depths of despair to their most successful season last season in the clubs 132-year history.
“It was tough to let the lads know after the West Allotment game,” he said. “It still feels a bit surreal, and it probably won’t feel real until I’m out there.
“Some people were surprised, some had half an idea that I might have been looking to go at the end of the season.
“But they were okay, I’m still around for the next two or three weeks until I go over there, the players wished me all the best.
“Although some players didn’t and don’t see eye-to-eye with me, I can honestly say to the players that it was never personal.
“I did what I thought was right for the team, every player was brought to the club by myself, John and Dave because we wanted them there.”
His role in China will involve working with 8-16 year olds to develop them into academy players and Gray will be on a 12-month contract initially.
And once he departs, Dave Malone will be joined by club captain Keith Graydon and vastly experienced defender Chris Swailes in the management set-up.
Gray believes the decision to bring two important figures at the club into the management set-up was so that “we kept continuity at the club.”
“We won’t be changing anything really, the players all know each other, Swaz (Swailes) and Rasher (Graydon) are both experienced footballers.
“They have a very good knowledge of football, and they will help Dave because it’s an impossible job to do on your own at that level.
“I think the club will be in good hands, and that was key, instead of bringing in other people from out of the set-up.”
Gray led Morpeth from the depths of despair when they were rock-bottom of Division Two, and he guided them to their highest ever league finish last season.
“Ken (Beattie) mentioned finishing on a Friday and then possibly getting a flight back at weekends, which was never going to happen.
“He has mentioned about Shanghai being a very busy city, and he understood my personal desire to go into coaching full-time.
“I speak to Ken every day, and that will continue until I go away, and he will also be a friend for life.
“He gave me the opportunity at Morpeth and I have to thank him massively because without that, I probably wouldn’t have this opportunity to go to China.”
Gray led Morpeth from the depths of despair when they were rock-bottom of Division Two, and he guided them to their highest ever league finish last season.
Morpeth won the FA Vase at Wembley last season, and Gray looked back back on his five-and-a-half-year spell at Craik Park, recalling his fondest memories.
“There is a few (memories) to be honest, winning at Brandon to get promoted, that was on a Thursday night where we had to win and Jarrow Roofing drew with Seaham.
“We got promoted that night, which didn’t look like it was going to happen at one point, the Senior Cup final was a great occasion.
“It was disappointing that we didn’t deliver on the night, we were well beaten, and obviously Wembley is something that I’ll never forget.
“It is something that they can never take away from you no matter what you do in football. I have managed a team at Wembley and won in a national competition against one of the biggest favourites to play at Wembley.
“And we beat them handsomely and convincingly in the end, it is on your CV and on your record and it is something that I’ll always treasure until the day I die.”
