Charlie Gray

[TonyColemansbagofapples]

Very happy for him. Has a great attitude and will make a good career for himself.

 

[flook]

looked very comfortable last night

 

[jamesha]

So why was he on the bench and got some minutes on the pitch? A carrot to persuade him to stay or a thanks and good luck before he departs?

 

[Centurions]

Thought he played pretty well, but based on the above it sounds like he’s leaving?

Perhaps last night was a sweetener to sign an extension and maybe go out on loan? Certainly looked comfortable playing with the 1st team, a neutral wouldn't have watched it and thought that he looked like a debutant.

 

[jollylescott]

I loved the smile he flashed at Pep before he ran onto the pitch.

He's been with us since the under 9's and he's only 19. I'm not sure what offers he might have received, but the fact that he played last night indicates Pep rates him.

I hope he stays another couple of years. Who knows what doors may open during that time, and I believe City is the best place for a young player to develop.

 

[mattcity5]

So why was he on the bench and got some minutes on the pitch? A carrot to persuade him to stay or a thanks and good luck before he departs?

Time will tell I guess. We always want to do well by our kids though, and this might just be a way of helping him get a move. It puts him in the shop window a bit more.

 

[oldius]

A cracking cameo. He fitted right in, though we were VERY dominant by that stage. It must be an absolute dream to make your debut having been at the club for nearly all of your life. Well done, Charlie.

 

[jamesha]

Time will tell I guess. We always want to do well by our kids though, and this might just be a way of helping him get a move. It puts him in the shop window a bit more.

I think that is probably the case. City have form for giving a senior appearance to kids before they are shipped out. If so that is a good thing but I would rather have seen Raigen Heskey get on the pitch.

 

[Kinkladze's crazy skills]

Thought he played pretty well, but based on the above it sounds like he’s leaving?

I think he'll be staying now surely he has to.

He's got the talent and I was going to comment last month on how much of a shame it is that he's leaving as he's always impressed me, by just quietly going about his business an all rounder high energy very composed and tactically intelligent.

Honestly though I now think that Charlie Gray will stay just based on Pep leaving out Sancho from our preseason tour years ago, that was over not signing a new contract he was offered and Pep didn't like it in the slightest so excluded him, with that in mind I think it's inevitable that there's an agreement behind the scenes it's just an educated guess though.

I know some will say Sancho was extremely unprofessional but it wasn't about that why he was left out it was all about the contract, on from that situation I still don't think Pep would play any youth player he thought would choose to leave us homegrown or not.
Remember he pretty much told Cole Palmer to stay and fight or just leave over him wanting a temporary loan move, he's not got any interest in players who aren't willing to stay and fight for us so I think Gray will be signing a new deal.

I just believe if he was leaving the club like was previously widely reported on social media, then surely somebody else would've got the nod ahead of him last night.

Playing him one time isn't making a massive world of difference to any fee we'll get, it's all about the selling on fees when it comes to most of our youth sales.

 

[CC1]

Perhaps last night was a sweetener to sign an extension and maybe go out on loan? Certainly looked comfortable playing with the 1st team, a neutral wouldn't have watched it and thought that he looked like a debutant.

I agree totally. I hadn’t seen this thread until now & in the match day thread was saying how confident he looked; wanted the ball & never lost it.

Very disappointed if he doesn’t get a contract renewal.

 

[Norman kneejerk]

I think if there's one thing that sets a City player apart it's their understanding, vision and how well they connect up with the team and Charlie does seem to have it upstairs as Pep mentioned last night .
So he could be one of those who shines with better players around him although not a superstar on first impressions.

 

[Centurions]

I think that is probably the case. City have form for giving a senior appearance to kids before they are shipped out. If so that is a good thing but I would rather have seen Raigen Heskey get on the pitch.

Do we? Based on what and who exactly?

 

[bell_mcfc]

Do we? Based on what and who exactly?

Hamilton played, and scored, in the CL and then left. Cant think of many more I wouldn't say it's a pattern really.

 

[jamesha]

Do we? Based on what and who exactly?

Emyr Hughes played against Blackburn in the FA Cup then left. Longer ago than I thought admittedly.
Jacob Wright played against Huddersfield in the FA Cup and left on loan about a year later.
Ben Knight got a place on the first team bench just before he left.

Those are the ones that I can think of.

 

[chesterbells]

Emyr Hughes played against Blackburn in the FA Cup then left. Longer ago than I thought admittedly.
Jacob Wright played against Huddersfield in the FA Cup and left on loan about a year later.
Ben Knight got a place on the first team bench just before he left.

Those are the ones that I can think of.

Decent reply.
Tbf, I think him getting minutes last night could be used to argue either way at this point.
We’ll see …

 

[Centurions]

Decent reply.
Tbf, I think him getting minutes last night could be used to argue either way at this point.
We’ll see …

Really?

Emyr Hughes left us 11 years ago, 7 months after his one and only(?) sub appearance.

Jacob Wright made 2 sub appearances in 23-24 and left a whole year later (was that due to injury as well? Maybe).

Ben Knight made a late sub appearance in the Community Shield final in 2021 and then left on loan to Crewe a few days later although injuries have hampered him since.

That is not my idea of having form for something ;)

 

[chesterbells]

Really?

Emyr Hughes left us 11 years ago, 7 months after his one and only(?) sub appearance.

Jacob Wright made 2 sub appearances in 23-24 and left a whole year later (was that due to injury as well? Maybe).

Ben Knight made a late sub appearance in the Community Shield final in 2021 and then left on loan to Crewe a few days later although injuries have hampered him since.

That is not my idea of having form for something ;)

Yep. You asked ask question and got a reply from another poster, off the top of his head probably. I haven’t got the inclination or care to get involved in researching it myself, but I thought fair play for replying to your question. You obviously didn’t rate it, fair enough.

My take is him getting minutes could be evidence either way - or neither way! ;-)