Martin Gray

Born in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, Gray's main position was in midfield, but he played in all outfield positions during his career. He signed as a trainee to Sunderland in 1990 and stayed with them until 1996 when he made a £100,000 transfer to Oxford United. Darlington agreed to end his contract so that he could retire from his playing career, in order to focus on coaching with the club.

Beginnings

David Hodgson was suspended as Darlington manager on 30 September 2006 while an inquire was carried out into his contacts with another club, leaving Gray and Neil Maddison as joint caretaker managers. Hodgson was subsequently dismissed shortly after. Former Doncaster Rovers manager Dave Penney took over manager on 30 October 2006, with Gray as his assistant. Gray took over as caretaker manager again on 30 April 2009 after Penney took the managerial role at Oldham Athletic. With Darlington in administration, he was released on 7 May 2009, along with other members of the club's staff. He joined up with Penney again as his assistant at Oldham on 26 May 2009. Gray took over as caretaker manager for the final match of the 2009–10 season after Penney left the club on 6 May 2010. Gray left Oldham on 2 June 2010 after being unsuccessful in his application for the full-time manager's position.

Darlington

On 28 May 2012, Gray was appointed as the manager of Darlington on a two-year contract. In his first season in charge, Gray guided the club to win the Northern League Division One. In his next season, Darlington finished as Northern Premier League Division One North runners-up, but they lost in the play-off semi-final to Ramsbottom United. In the 2014–15 season, Gray guided the club to another second-place finish in the division, and they then secured promotion by winning the play-off final, beating Bamber Bridge 2–0. Darlington won the 2015–16 Northern…

As a manager

Darlington

Northern League Division One: 2012–13 Northern Premier League Division One North play-offs: 2014–15 Northern Premier League Premier Division: 2015–16