'Poetry in motion' - Leeds United fans memories of Eddie Gray

The Leeds United manager also once noted, that Gray's skill was not matched by his luck: “If Eddie had been blessed with any at all he would have been a bigger name than George Best," he claimed.

Gray joined Leeds United as a youth player and went on to make just under 600 appearances for the club in a near 20-year playing career.

He was a key figure in the club’s famed glory years in the late 60s and early 70s, helping United win two First Division titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup along with two Fairs Cup trophies and a Charity Shield.

Gray was voted as the third greatest Leeds United player of all time, surpassed only by his club captain, Billy Bremner (number 1) and John Charles.

Your YEP has asked the Elland Road faithful to share their memories of a player able to beat opposing full backs for skill, pace and thought at will.

Responses included:

Peter Young - "Poetry in motion - at his best he used to have that slightly hunched over look, would drag the ball back then simply glide effortlessly past the opposing full back and he could judge a cross to perfection. Class, pure class."

Sean Ullah - "'When he played in snow. Never left footprints' Classic explanation about how skillful he really was .So many great Leeds United legends, he's at the top up there. In my humble opinion world class."

Peter Collins - "Everything has already been said about Eddie Gray the world-class player in the world-class team of the 70's. But another thing needs saying. Eddie never got the credit he deserved as coach under O'Leary when Leeds became one of the best teams in England and Europe again, playing a scintillating brand of football in Eddie's own image."

Alan Drinkwater The great Eddie could walk on water. One fantastic player. I don't care what anyone says. Eddie Gray was just has good with a football at his feet has George Best. In my eyes better."

Haydon Cooper - "My greatest Leeds player of all time. A true great and a great man.The guy was absolute world class in my book. Saw him grace the pitch at Elland Road."

Jim Hemingway - "Always floated across the ground, better than Best. Even when he got older and he slowed down you saw a mere drop of the shoulder or faint from Eddie would still let him glide on his way. A true indication of his understanding of the magic art of the dribble."

Jeremy Smith - "The first game I ever went to was in 1978 aged 10. Within a few minutes I was singing along with the crowds "we ain't got a barrel of money but we've got Eddie Gray and Tony Currie, and we'll travel along singing this song side by side" I became part of this giant Leeds United family in that moment and will remember it always."

David Dalton - "Still showed he'd got the dribbling skills in the 1982 FA Cup win at Wolves. Brilliant performance that day."

Neil Barclay - "My all time hero, what a player. I'm still hopeful of meeting him one day."

Gary Holroyd - "My first ever Leeds game was vs Burnley when Eddie scored the goal that has gone down in club history."

David Gillespie - "Even though we got beat by Chelsea in Cup final, Eddie Gray was outstanding."

Geoffrey Stewart - "I loved watching Eddie Gray and his brother Frank. One of the best games I witnessed was when he beat seven Burnley players at Elland Road and scored. Luckily the BBC's match of the day was filming, couldn't wait to get home that night and watch the highlights again. A funny side note Eddie Gray was out of the game for nearly two years when he came back into the team, he played left back and brother Frank played on the left wing. At around that time the club was trying to persuade the cop not to swear while singing. The game I witnessed that day the Gray brothers were playing. As the game was played the cop started singing 'He's here ,he's there, were not allowed to swear Eddie Gray, Eddie Gray.' That continued for most of the game as he went up and down the left wing with Frank. Happy days."

Mark Hutton - "What can I say about this legend? My all time favourite Leeds United player! And to get the privilege of sitting with him for half an hour talking Leeds at my friend's sportsmans dinner night was a memory I'll never forget."

Gary Sanders - "My favourite player - maybe because I played left wing as a kid. Best said he was the best."

Paul Milburn - "Goal of the century, THAT Burnley goal, non better."

John Kidd - "My favourite player of all time. His performance against Chelsea in the 1970 cup final at Wembley on a muddy pitch was awesome. Don Revie said if it wasn’t for injuries he would have been better than George Best. What a player"

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Laura Collins