Burnley striker Andre Gray ready to prove the doubters wrong again
Friday 15 January 2016 17:31, UK
Andre Gray initially doubted his ability to play at Championship level after moving from Luton to Brentford, but the league's leading scorer is ready to take another step up with Burnley.
Gray returns to Griffin Park for the first time since his summer move on Friday as Burnley travel to Brentford live on Sky Sports 1 HD, and he does so as the Championship's top scorer with 16 goals.
However, it was only 18 months ago that the striker was playing in the Vanarama National League with Luton, helping the Hatters to promotion to the Football League with 30 goals in 48 appearances.
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Gray adapted seamlessly to life in the Championship, but speaking to Sky Sports News HQ, the 24-year-old admitted the jump in quality across three divisions was daunting at first.
"The Brentford move was tough, and I did doubt myself," Gray said. "The level of quality was 100 times better than where I'd been.
"I was going through days where I couldn't even get hold of the ball or make a two-yard pass. You do doubt yourself, but the manager and assistant had unbelievable faith in me and kept playing me and I kept improving.
"It's been a long journey, but it's gone quickly. If anything I want to prove myself wrong, more than anyone else. I've had doubters over time, but hopefully I've proven them wrong now."
Burnley head to Griffin Park five points off second-place Hull City, with Gray involved in his third promotion challenge in as many seasons, and as a striker, the Clarets man says that brings its own challenges.
"It seems a lot harder to score goals when you're fighting for promotion," Gray continued. "Teams are a lot more defensive-minded against you and you're under a lot more pressure.
"To score 30 goals [at Luton] and to get promoted, that was obviously a big stepping stone for me. It was a quiet summer and then all of a sudden Brentford came in and it's gone on from there.
"At Luton we were just trying to get promoted. At Brentford we were a young team trying to do well for ourselves and for each other. Everyone was very grounded.
"That was a big thing for me coming to Burnley too, I didn't want to be in a poisonous atmosphere in the changing room with the odd player being a bit arrogant. That's not the kind of person I like or the kind of person I am.
"Burnley had been recently relegated from the Premier League and it was something I had to consider deeply. A few of the changes that were happening at Brentford, it was just a mix-up at the time but they've got through that now. At the time I felt like I wanted to move on with Burnley."
Bristol City and Hull were also reportedly interested before he opted for the Clarets, with Burnley manager Sean Dyche in the market to replace the departed Danny Ings.
The striker has hit 14 league goals since his August move, taking his tally to 16 for the season after he started the campaign with two in two matches for Brentford.
He scored 18 at Griffin Park last season as the Bees ultimately came up short in the Championship play-offs, and while the former Wolves trainee admits he still has a lot of friends at the club, it's now all about going one better with Burnley.
"Going back to the team that gave me a chance in this league and got me to where I am now is going to be strange," Gray added. "I'll be playing against a lot of good friends, but it's all business when we get there."
