Jamie Shackleton insists there are “exciting things to come” from Leeds United midfielder Archie Gray. The 16-year-old has made an immediate impression in the embryonic stages of his career and is teetering on the brink of his senior competitive debut at Elland Road.
Gray has captained England U16s, has two caps for the U17s and is already playing for the U23s with Leeds. He made the bench six times for the first team last season and also played against Tranmere Rovers for the U21s at the age of 15 in September 2021.
The early signs are promising and Gray further illustrated his potential during pre-season. He played 72 minutes in Leeds’s 4-0 victory over Blackpool in July and received raving reviews for his composure and maturity in the heart of midfield.
He travelled with the first team on their pre-season tour Down Under – emerging from the bench against Brisbane Roar and Aston Villa respectively. It was against the latter that he was the victim of a cynical challenge from John McGinn which left him in a heap on the floor.
READ MORE: Leeds United advantage could be difference for Jesse Marsch as home form builds
Gray left the pitch in tears as supporters feared the worst but a quick return saw him make the bench less than a week later against Crystal Palace in Perth. Jesse Marsch named him on the bench once again in Leeds’s opening day win over Wolves and Shackleton, who is on loan at Millwall this term, is confident that Gray will build on his early momentum.
“I’ve seen a fair bit of Archie,” Shackleton reveals. “I trained with him last year and this year I played in the game against Blackpool just before I moved down here [to Millwall] which he started in.
“He pretty much ran the show. We were playing against Championship midfielders that day and at 16 he was giving them the run around and getting stuck in as well. He can hold his own and I haven’t seen that many players who are able to do that at such a young age. There’s a lot more exciting things to come from him, simply because he’s so good at his age and because of how many years he’s got to improve.”
The teenager comes from a long line of Leeds legends. His grandfather Frank played 396 times for Leeds across two spells during the 1970s and 1980s respectively. Frank, who also played at left-back for Scotland at the 1982 World Cup, finished runners-up in the FA Cup, European Cup Winners’ Cup, FA Charity Shield and European Cup at Elland Road.
Frank also won the First Division title during the legendary Don Revie’s final season at the helm in 1974, while playing as understudy to the late former England international Trevor Cherry. He had a spell under Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest between his two stints at Leeds and lifted the European Cup during his two years at the City Ground.
Frank’s brother Eddie is deemed one of the greatest players ever to play for Leeds. Eddie spent almost two decades at Elland Road (19-and-a-half years to be precise) and played 577 times for the club to sit seventh in the all-time appearance list for the Whites. He collected seven trophies with Leeds, including two First Division titles and the FA Cup and went onto manage the Whites on two separate occasions.
Archie’s father Andy also came through the academy to play for Leeds in the 1990s and also returned for a brief spell shortly before his retirement in 2014. 56 years on from Eddie's debut in 1966, Archie looks to become the third generation from the Gray family to grace the hallowed turf at Elland Road.
READ NEXT:
Raphinha, Phillips, Casilla - How Leeds United's summer exits have fared so far this season
Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch already proven right about Brenden Aaronson after pre-season claim
Leeds United star ranked fifth in list of most 'impactful' goalkeepers
Five transfer deals Leeds United and Jesse Marsch can revisit in January
Manchester United vs Leeds United postponed, as Premier League say they had 'no other option'
