Demarai won't be put off by drop, insists ex-boss

DEMARAI Gray will not be put off by the prospect of dropping into the Championship for Birmingham City.

- By BRIAN DICK

That's according to Lee Clark, the man who gave Gray his Blues debut in October 2013 and the manager who oversaw the first year of the winger's transition from promising academy teen, to established first team star.

Clark was in charge at Blues for two years, at a time when the club was struggling financially and when it was reliant on home-grown youngsters not only to play but to be sold to help it survive.

In a squad built on free transfers and ageing players, Gray was a shining light.

With his return to St Andrew’s on the horizon, nearly a decade since he left, Clark has told the Mail the winger is ready to assume a leadership role in Chris Davies’ squad.

"I remember going to watch Richard Beale’s Under-21 side and he stood out straight away coming on as a substitute. He caught my eye straight away,” the 52-year-old said.

“The following week I asked Richard to start him in a game and I watched him again and I thought ‘I like what this kid is about’

“He had no fear, he had great pace, he was direct, he was positive, all that I liked about attacking players and especially wide players with a bit of pace, who could go past people.”

Clark introduced Gray in the final minute of a 4-0 win over Millwall. He then gave him an hour in a draw with Derby County but it was in the League Cup clash with Stoke City that he really showed that he was about.

Blues drew the game 4-4 but went out on penalties on a night when they lost a penny but found a pound.

“They were a Premier League team, Mark Hughes was manager and we had a terrific game.