Rising Leeds United star Harry Gray has enjoyed a dream week after impressing for the club’s under-21s side and taking his place on the bench for the win over Wolves.
Harry Gray scored a brilliant hat-trick for Leeds’ under-21s side against Scunthorpe in the National League Cup, to ramp up the calls for him to make his first Premier League appearance.
Despite Farke suggesting that the forward would have to wait for his call-up to the senior squad, Gray was handed a place on the bench for the win over Wolves.
In the end, he did not manage to make his first top-flight appearance, as goals from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anton Stach and Noah Okafor gave Leeds a much-needed away win.
However, Gray still managed to join an exclusive club for the Whites after being included in a matchday squad at the tender age of 16 years old.
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty ImagesHarry Gray joins exclusive Leeds United club
According to a post from Opta’s Jonny Cooper on the social media site X (formerly Twitter), Gray became the fifth-youngest Leeds player to appear in a top-flight matchday squad, at 16 years and 347 days old.
He is in distinguished company. The youngest is Gray’s brother, Archie Gray, who appeared in a Leeds squad at just 15 years and 281 days old.
Two England internationals come next, with Aaron Lennon and James Milner being named in the Leeds squad at 16 years and 123 days and 16 years and 310 days old, respectively.
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Neil Aspin rounds off the list, who was included in the squad at 16 years and 314 days old. He would go on to become Leeds’ second-youngest ever debutant, after Peter Lorimer.
Harry Gray is the fifth-youngest player (16 years, 347 days) to appear in a top-flight matchday squad for Leeds. The youngest are Archie Gray (15 years, 281 days), Aaron Lennon (16 years, 123 days), James Milner (16 years, 310 days) and Neil Aspin (16 years, 314 days). #lufc https://t.co/eDXpln9T75
— Jonny Cooper (@JRCooper26) September 20, 2025
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Rising Leeds United star may have to wait for his Premier League debut
There is nothing more exciting than the sight of a homegrown talent taking the field. That feeling is only heightened at Leeds by the emotional connection to the Gray family.
With Leeds coming into the Wolves game in desperate need of goals, and Gray scoring for fun at youth level, it is understandable that fans were keen to see the talented young forward given a game.
However, with Calvert-Lewin finding his form, Joel Piroe and Lukas Nmecha on the bench and the likes of Dan James still to return to the squad, there is a long queue ahead of Gray for a spot in the starting line-up.
Speaking in the week, Farke said he is the best-placed manager to manage Gray’s development. With Leeds’ attack clicking into gear, the Leeds boss can now do that on his own terms.