The 15 y/o starlet who could solve Scotland's striker ills - 'people are saying this kid is the real deal'
What would Scotland do for a striker reckoned to be one of the best in his age group in Europe? Well, according to Dominic Matteo, they have one in Leeds United’s Harry Gray – or at least they might be able to persuade him.
As it stands, Harry, 15, looks set to follow in the path of brother Archie, who is on course for full England honours having completed a £40 million move to Spurs from Leeds this summer. This prospect is especially galling for Scots, including international manager Steve Clarke, since both Gray brothers are scions of a famous footballing family packed full of Scottish international footballers. They include grandfather Frank, who won the European Cup with Nottingham Forest, and great uncle Eddie, regarded as one of Leeds' best-ever players. Their father Andy also played twice for Scotland.
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Hide AdMatteo is another former Scotland player. The six times-capped former defender hopes Harry can be persuaded to take this path rather than play for England, where he was born. Asked if grandpa' Frank, capped 32 times by Scotland, was already in the young striker’s ear, Matteo said: “I would have thought so”.


As well as once playing for Leeds United, for whom he scored a famous Champions League goal against AC Milan in 2000, Matteo now does work for the club’s TV channel. He has heard plenty about Harry, who made his first-team debut in a friendly against Harrogate Town earlier this summer. Archie made his competitive Leeds debut aged 17 at the start of last season.
“There’s another one coming through - have you seen Harry?!” asked Matteo, while promoting a gambling harm prevention initiative at Queen’s Park last week. “Have you seen him play? He is the next one. I am only going off what people are saying. I have not seen him live. I am going off what players are telling me. People are saying this kid is the real deal. I think he got injured pre-season, so you might not see him for a bit. But judging from some people who are saying he is one of the best young footballers in Europe at the age of 15, he is a goalscorer. And that’s one thing Leeds could do with – and Scotland!
“I am so close to Eddie,” he said, with reference to Harry’s great uncle, a bona fide Leeds United club legend after making nearly 600 appearances. “All Eddie says is that Harry is some player. He says the same about Archie as well. And knowing Eddie as well as I do, he knows a player.”
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