Three Dawson brothers have worn the Forest shirt but in the case of Andy Dawson nowhere near enough times as he should have. Andy was the oldest of the footballing trio and laid the path for his younger brothers Kevin and Michael and signed for Forest in 1996. There is a rumour that Forest signed all three brothers because of the potential of Michael but if that was the case it would be a bit harsh especially on Andy.

 

Andy was regarded as one of the better products of the mid to late eighties youth team as either a left-back or left midfielder and it seemed only a matter of time before his chance would come in the first team. Then at the start of the 1998/99 season it looked like it was about to happen for Andy and on the biggest stage possible. With Forest back in the Premiership and short of players with the suicidal sales of Colin Cooper and Kevin Campbell as well as the self imposed exile of Pierre Van Hooijdonk Dawson found himself in the squad for the opening fixture at reigning champions Arsenal and expected to play on the left wing.

 

Perhaps manager Dave Bassett was concerned at his lack of experience and decided to sign veteran Glyn Hodges in the week before the game. Hodges had played under Bassett at Wimbledon and Sheffield United but was no longer the player he once was and was strangely preferred to Dawson to start the Arsenal game. It was obvious to anyone watching that Hodges legs no longer could cope with the pace of the game that they once could but Bassett perservered with Hodges and when Andy Gray was signed from Leeds United chances of appearances became even more remote.

 

For the record Dawson did make one first team appearance at Forest in a second leg League Cup tie against Leyton Orient but even though he had plenty of admirers at the City Ground he was allowed to move, initially on loan to Scunthorpe in December of 1998.

 

Playing regular football under former Forest full back Brian Laws allowed Dawson’s talents to blossom as his abilities were clear for everyone to see. He would make his moved to Scunthorpe a permanent one by the end of the season and would become a regular member of the side. Then in May 2003 he made an unpopular move in Scunthorpe fans eyes when he moved to local rivals Hull City then still in the bottom division. Again he became a key member of their side as he helped the club rise through the leagues rising from League Two all the way to the Premier League where he is still a regular starter in the team. He was also named Hull City’s player of the season in the 2006/07 season.

 

As the only of the Dawson brothers playing regular Premier League football he has certainly showed Forest that they were hasty to release him back in 1998.

 

 

CAREER RECORD

(Up to end of 2008/09 season)

 

SEASON BY SEASON                         APPS    GOALS

1995/96      NOTTINGHAM FOREST              0      0

1996/97      NOTTINGHAM FOREST              0      0

1997/98      NOTTINGHAM FOREST              0      0

1998/99      NOTTINGHAM FOREST              0      0

1998/99      Scunthorpe United             24      0

1999/2000    Scunthorpe United             43      2

2000/01      Scunthorpe United             41      4

2001/02      Scunthorpe United             44      0

2002/03      Scunthorpe United             43      2

2003/04      Hull City                     33      3

2004/05      Hull City                     34      0

2005/06      Hull City                     18      0

2006/07      Hull City                     38      2

2007/08      Hull City                     29      1

2008/09      Hull City                     25      1

 

 

CLUB RECORD

NOTTINGHAM FOREST    1995/96 to 1998/99     0      0

Scunthorpe United    1998/99 to 2002/03   195      8

Hull City            2003/04 to date      177      7

                                          372     15

 

 

 

There are a number of players that have gone on to better things after leaving Forest and Andy Gray is one of those players who falls into that category. Gray was always destined for a football career being the son of former Leeds and Forest defender Frank Gray and the nephew of Eddie Gray. He had initially gained a good reputation at Leeds as one of their most promising products from their successful Paul Hart run youth academy. He made his Leeds debut as a left winger at the age of 18 and after only seven league games played at Wembley in the 1996 League Cup Final defeat against Aston Villa. Inspite of this early progress he was unable to cement a regular place in the side and appearances greadually dried up as Harry Kewell burst on the scene.

 

By the start of the 1998/99 season Paul Hart had left Leeds to set up the Academy at Nottingham Forest and recommended the out of favour Gray to Forest manager Dave Bassett who was looking to strengthen his squad following Forest’s promotion to the Premiership. So on 29^th August 1998 Andy then followed in his fathers footsteps and moved from Leeds United to Nottingham Forest. He soon became a regular member of the side until manager Dave Bassett was sacked in January. After this he ended the season on loan at Preston as he searched for regular football.

 

Gray now back at Forest the following season would feature more frequently for Forest although he never became a regular in the side. The following season was another struggle for Gray as he struggled to win over the Forest fans who were aware of his undoubted skill but critised him for his lack of pace. By the end of the season a deadline day move to Swindon had fell through and Gray ended the season as Forest’s right back and turned in some decent performances.

 

The following season would be Gray’s final one at the City Ground, even though Paul Hart was now in charge of Forest. With Forest in financial trouble it was a bad time for a player to be out of contract and unfortunately for Gray his contract was not renewed as the wage bill was in urgent need of being slashed.

 

This was the turning point of Gray’s career as Bradford City snapped him up on a free transfer and when the season started Gray began the season as a striker for his new club. Gray’s former manager Paul Hart had often told him his best position would be as a striker but was never able to fit Gray into his preferred position. The change of position galvanized Gray as goals began to flow finishing his first season with 15 goals. His complete change of fortunes was confirmed when he won his first Scottish cap at the end of the season.

 

Goals continued to flow the following season and this persuaded Sheffield United to sign him up. Another prolific season at his new club saw newly promoted Sunderland pay over £1million for Gray to give him a return to the Premiership. His stay at Sunderland was unsuccessful as his struggled in a poor side and by the end of the 2005/06 season he had moved to Burnley. After a successful start at Burnley a bid of £ 750,000 saw him move to his current club Charlton where goals were harder to come in a team that eventually got relegated to League One at the end of last season.

 

When you look at Andy Gray’s Forest career he fits into the category as one that got away and a player that for one reason or another never fulfilled his potential at the club.

 

 

 

CAREER STATS

 

CLUB CAREER                       APPS  GOALS

Leeds United      1995 to 1998    13+9      0

Bury (Loan)       1997 to 1998     4+2      0

NFFC              1998 to 2002    34+30     1

Preston (Loan)    1999             5        0

Oldham (Loan)     1999             4        0

Bradford City     2002 to 2004    77       20

Sheffield United  2004 to 2005    56+2     25

Sunderland        2005 to 2006    13+8      1

Burnley (Loan)    2006             9        3

Burnley           2006 to 2008    59+1     25

Charlton Athletic 2008 to date    31+12     9

 

INTERNATIONAL CAREER

Scotland (Full)   2003             2        0

Scotland (B)      2003 to 2004     2        1