Henry Gray

Henry Gray re-joined the Wellington Phoenix on a season-long loan in July 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 signed a long-term contract with Ipswich Town in 2023 and has represented their under-21 team while also spending the second half of the past three seasons on loan.

He started 22 matches for Chelmsford City in National League South in 2024 and kept nine clean sheets.

Gray then was in goal for four of New Zealand’s six matches at the 2024 OFC U-19 Men’s Championship in Tahiti, keeping clean sheets in all four as the Junior All Whites won the tournament without conceding a goal.

After starting the 2024-25 season in Ipswich Town’s under-21 team playing in the Premier League Cup he was loaned to Braintree Town in the National League at the start of 2025.

Gray kept eight clean sheets for Braintree in 20 appearances.

He was named in the New Zealand squad for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile that followed and started all three of the Junior All Whites’ group matches.

> 2025-26 season

Henry Gray again started last season with Ipswich Town and he made three appearances for the Tractor Boys in Premier League 2.

During this time he was called up to the All Whites squad for their September internationals against Australia and their October friendly against DR Congo.

Gray joined Harrogate Town on loan in January and went on to make 19 appearances but wasn’t able to prevent them from being relegated from League Two.

He 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.”