The half hour with Sir Alex Ferguson that David Gray will never forget as Hibs boss built career on Man Utd values

Daily Record

15 hours ago

Gray will never forget the moment Sir Alex took him and his parents into his office to sign him for Man Utd
Sir Alex Ferguson was in his office with less than an hour to go before a Premier League clash against Everton kicked off at Old Trafford.
He had named his Manchester United starting XI and left the home dressing-room to return to his personal space at a time when managers would normally be consumed by last-minute thoughts.
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But another important job was occupying the legendary boss.
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Namely convincing 16-year-old David Gray – and more to the point his parents Elaine and Peter – to sign up for his Red Devils.
Gray will never forget the moment. How could the boyhood United fan?
As a top-level manager himself now, 21 years later, he still can't believe it ever happened.
But those were the lengths that arguably the greatest ever manager to have lived would go to make sure he signed the best young talent.
From there on, it was on the talented teens to match Fergie's standards, professionalism and work ethic to give themselves the best chance in the game.
Gray would only ever make one top-team appearance for United, starting a 2-1 League Cup win at Crewe in 2006.
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After that he headed out on loan to Royal Antwerp and Plymouth and forged an impressive career that culminated in him being crowned a Hibs legend.
But he maintains the standards that coursed through Old Trafford two decades ago helped drive his entire playing career.
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And in a rare look back at his time at the club, Gray admits those values remain crucial now as a young manager on his own path at Easter Road.
'Definitely,' he said. 'Those years helped set a standard I've kept for my whole career.
'Sir Alex is incredible. His level of detail and knowledge was incredible. From day one, when you arrive, he knows everything... about every player.
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'You'd pass him at the training ground and he'd be asking: 'How's your mum and dad? Peter all right?'
'Sir Alex came up to Scotland and had conversations with mum and dad before I signed then we all went down to watch a game.
'It was Everton at Old Trafford in the Premier League, I was only 16.
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'We were sitting in his office after naming his team.
'It was my mum, my dad and me, sitting there with Sir Alex ahead of a Premier League game – and we're talking about me!
'He took half-an-hour off before kick-off to make sure I signed for United. It was incredible.
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'When I think back now, as a manager, to give up half-an-hour at that point on matchday to try to get a 16-year-old to come to the club, it just shows the dedication and the quality of the man.
'He put everything into it. To be honest, being Scottish he had a wee soft spot for me. But I learned so much from those years at United.
'It wasn't just about being a player. It was about being a professional and how to conduct yourself on and off the pitch.'
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That's a key element Gray and this backroom team are striving to instil in every player each day at Hibs.
From internationals in the top team right down through the academy where the Under-18 side have just been crowned Scottish champions again.
Gray's vision is to give academy products a real pathway into his top-team plans, helping improve the damning stats that show a lack of Premiership minutes for homegrown players at our top clubs.
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As Sir Matt Busby famously said in a mantra Sir Alex followed: 'If you're good enough, you're old enough.'
That journey begins in the pre-academy stage, headed up by Kevin Bracks, before they progress through the key years with ex-Hibs stars Darren McGregor, Guillaume Beuzelin and Gareth Evans in the Under-18s.
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Funnily enough, for a man who would become a bona fide Hibs legend, Gray had spent that key stage between 12 to 16 at Hearts.
His age group included Lee Wallace, Calum Elliott and Andrew Driver, among others.
They all went on to become first-team Jambos players as teenagers but Gray opted for a different route at his boyhood heroes.
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He went south, moved into digs that had been home to fellow Midlothian lad Darren Fletcher and was taken under the future Scotland captain's wing.
He said: 'Fletch used to take me to the cinema to make sure I was all right. Because he was from Mayfield he looked after me.
'He'd take me out for something to eat every now and again because he was playing in the first team regularly but still living in digs.
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'My first year, our age group had Gerard Pique, Giuseppe Rossi, Jonny Evans, Ryan Shawcross, Fraizer Campbell, Darren Gibson, Lee Martin and Danny Simpson.
'It was a right good crop of players. And Sir Alex definitely thought if you were good enough then it didn't matter what age you were.
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'I got one competitive appearance for United, which was brilliant, but I had injuries along the way.
'I was lucky to have the best facilities, the best coaching and to be playing every day with some of the best players at my age group.
'That can only improve you. Those years are so important. Young players need to try to grab their chance with the help of coaches.
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'The coaches in the academy here at Hibs are fantastic. The level of coaching is incredible.
'When I watch Bracksy in the academy and the pre-academy stuff, it's brilliant. The facilities are superb and we're trying to get satellite centres all over the place.
'Producing our own players is a massive part of what Hibs have done throughout the years.
'It shows, when young players come to the club, that there is a pathway – that there's a reason why you come to Hibs.
'It's to try to get into the first team and if you're good enough it doesn't matter how old you are.'