Henry Gray has joined the Wellington Phoenix on a season-long loan from English Premier League club Ipswich Town FC.
The young goalkeeper came through the Phoenix academy and spent the majority of the 2021-22 A-League season with the first team in Sydney while still only a teenager.
Gray, 21, signed a long-term contract with Ipswich Town three years ago and has represented their under-21 team while also spending time on loan with non-league clubs Chelmsford City and Braintree Town and more recently with Harrogate Town in League Two.
He started all three of New Zealand’s matches at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile last year and was later called up to the All Whites.
Phoenix head coach Chris Greenacre says Gray has matured considerably during his time in the UK.
“We’re delighted to have Henry back at the Phoenix,” Greenacre said. “He’s played close to 100 games of first team football now so will be right up there with any young goalkeeper in the A-League.
“He’s at a fantastic club in Ipswich Town and he’s been on loan to a few clubs and really learnt his trade.
“The pressure he was under at Harrogate Town in particular, who were struggling for their survival in League Two, was immense.
“Henry showed some real promise in difficult circumstances and they’ve made him a stronger character, stronger leader and stronger professional, which will benefit us.”
Gray will join Alby Kelly-Heald and Eamonn McCarron as the men’s first team goalkeepers.
“Henry will add real competition for our ‘keepers and we’ve got a young goalkeeping cohort, but under some brilliant, top class guidance from Paul Gothard, who has a reputation of bringing young goalkeepers on.
“We’ve got three goalkeepers who will be scrapping really hard for that number one jersey.
“They’ll compete, they’ll push each over hard on a daily basis and when you have competition for places like that it brings the best out of everyone.”
Henry Gray is looking forward to reuniting with Greenacre.
“I worked with Greeny at the FIFA U-20 World Cup last September and I loved every single minute of it,” Gray said.
“I left the academy almost as soon as he joined as head coach of the men’s reserves, but I got to work with him properly at the World Cup and all the matches leading up to the tournament.
“I had such a good time training under Greeny and I’m looking forward to playing under him for a full season.”
Gray was convinced to make the move back to the Phoenix after learning Paul Gothard was returning as head of goalkeeping.
“When I found out Goffy was coming back it was a no brainer to come to Wellington on loan and play a season here.
“He’s very respected. I’ve worked under him for such a long time. He was my main goalkeeper coach growing up and he’s pretty much my dad in that department.
“He got me to where I am today and I’ve gone away and worked with some people in England that are excellent goalkeeper coaches, but being able to work with Goffy again is perfect.”
He believes the time he spent with the first team in Sydney as a 16-year-old was the making of him.
“It was quite surreal when I found out I was going over. I was just planning to have Christmas with my family and then that changed quite quickly as Oli [Sail] got injured.
“I got over there and after a couple of weeks I settled down and got along with all the lads really well.
“That season was a big one for me working with Goffy day-in, day-out as I was able to touch up a lot of aspects of my game.
“If I could do that season all over again I’d do it in a heartbeat because it was one of my favourite seasons playing football.”
Henry Gray is the 16th men’s player contracted to the Wellington Phoenix for the 2026-27 Isuzu UTE A-League season with further squad announcements to be made in the coming weeks.
