1988 - THE DOYEN OF CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB, TOM GRAY HAS DIED

DEATH HITS CHELSEA
 
The doyen of Chelsea Football Club, Tommy Gray, has died.
The 260 game former full-back, who was also instrumental in setting up Chelsea’s junior football club died on Thursday. He was in his mid-fifties.
Chelsea secretary Ray Stuart, speaking at a reunion of past players and officials on Sunday, said the club was deeply saddened by Gray’s death. The reunion was brought forward in the hope that the ailing Gray, who died of cancer could attend.
“He was a very big man, not in stature, but in substance,” Stuart said.
Gray was an integral part of most of the high points in the history of the Chelsea Football Club. He played 260 senior games, mostly at full-back, three games in the Reserves and before that, two seasons in the Thirds. He retired in 1978.
Five of those senior games were in premiership teams: 1955, ‘62, ‘63, ‘66 and ‘67. Gray represented the Federal League from 1955 to ‘57 and the Mornington Peninsula Football League in 1963 and ‘66.
The mainstay of the Chelsea defence for more than two decades, Gray also became heavily involved in the emerging Chelsea Junior Football Club. He coached the Thirds in 1967 (to the preliminary final), 1968 (to the premiership) and 1969 (runners up). He spent seven years with the junior club working with age groups from under 15 down.
Tommy’s son Michael now plays in Chelsea’s senior teams.
Outside football he was also a keen member of Chelsea Yacht Club and Lifesaving Club.
The football club on Sunday presented his family with a portrait and record of his career at Chelsea, while 150 former players and officials paid tribute to his contribution.
 
MIKE ELLIS – “Sporting Globe” - July, 1988.

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