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Sheffield Wednesday v Reading: Joker Gray lifts spirits ahead of vital game for manager
Championship: MICHAEL GRAY insists Brian Laws has the full backing of a close-knit Sheffield Wednesday squad.
Laws is under pressure ahead of today's crunch Championship game against Reading at Hillsborough after a run of one win in nine games, but former England international Gray says there remains plenty of faith in the manager.
"He brought me to the club, he's been great to me, and seeing him working with the rest of the lads, he's very much liked around the place," said Gray, a former Sunderland, Leeds United and Blackburn Rovers defender.
"We've got a tight-knit club here and the dressing room is very close together. I can't speak highly enough of the gaffer, he's been first class since I walked through the door.
"People have got short memories and don't remember what he's done here.
"He's worked on a very low budget and the club was in a lot of turmoil when he came here. He's done tremendous the last few years just keeping them in the Championship, never mind anything else.
"And yes, this year we thought we could take that next step and improve on last year. But we have to remember we've only played 18 games this season – there's a lot of points to be played for."
The mood was a sombre one when the Owls' squad reported for training on Monday following the heavy 4-0 defeat they suffered at the hands of West Brom.
But joker Gray soon lifted the spirits.
"I don't think about what pranks I'm gonna do before training, it's just spur of the moment," said the 35-year-old.
"I'm a bubbly character, if I can put a smile on somebody's face then great.
"I just try to lift the spirit of the place, I'm old enough and wise enough now to know when people are down.
"A five-minute chat can do the world of good, we've got a lot of young lads in the side and you've just got to try and get them as upbeat as you possibly can.
"When I come in to train I'll always come in with a smile on my face, come what may. Whether we've had a bad result or a good result, I think if you come in to work with a sad face and you're disappointed with yourself and your body language is bad then I think that's the way you train.
"So it's been pleasing to see the lads with a smile on their face this week. They have worked hard in training this week and it'll be nice to make all that hard work count at the weekend."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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