Danny Gay article in Southend Evening Echo.

[Mark (Flag) Braintree]

Article sent to me by one of my Shrimper mates in sunny Southend, Braintree and Hornchurch are mentioned. Flag.

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FORMER Southend United goalkeeper Danny Gay today hit back at Hornchurch after being discarded by the big spending Conference South side.

 

To make matters worse, the club's attitude could have cost him the chance of a dream move to West Ham United, or another league club.

 

Gay, who made 11 appearances during two seasons with the Shrimpers, kept 32 clean sheets for the Bridge Avenue side before enduring a controversial

contract dispute during the summer.

 

"I was offered a new deal with Hornchurch and then after a month or so it was taken away," revealed the 22-year-old.

 

"I thought I had a good season last year and deserved a better reward for that really. It's disappointing that a club like Hornchurch, who want to go places, can do something like this. But I had a great time there - I really

enjoyed myself and the owner is outstanding."

Gay's antics between the sticks for the Urchins also attracted the interest of a series of League clubs last season but Hornchurch's desired transfer fee scuppered any potential switch back to the big time.

 

"To be treated the way I was by the club was quite hard to take," said the

young custodian.

 

"West Ham, Bradford and a few other clubs were interested in signing me but Hornchurch slapped a £80,000 transfer fee on my head and that obviously

scared the sides away. I may have been out of contract but, as I was under 24, I couldn't go for a free because of the Bosman ruling and it was just a very frustrating and bizarre situation.

"There were plenty of more experienced keepers available for nothing so, I turned up at Hornchurch for the first day of pre season training and was told to go home. That left me unable to play football and I was sitting at

home not doing anything."

 

After consulting the Football League however - Gay eventually joined Braintree Town for a nominal fee and the promising keeper is delighted to be playing once again with his former Hornchurch boss George Borg in the

Ryman Premier League.

 

"I'm looking forward to my time with them," he said. "I believe I'm working with the best managerial team in the non league

game. It's an ambitious club and it wants to go forward - so hopefully we can be successful together."

 

But Gay, whose side travel to Billericay next Tuesday, is still striving for a switch back into the League.

"It was pleasing that big clubs came in for me last season," he said.

"And while first and foremost I'm obviously aiming to do well for Braintree

- one day I'm hoping I'll be back playing where I think I should be."

 

 

 

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

Hmm?

 

Is Mr Gay a little bitter at maybe not making our grade?

[Guest]

if danny gay has said that he should be fckn ashamed of himself.....

 

he wasn't discarded but was offered a new contract by GH immediately after the season had finished....he refused to sign the contract until after he had spoken to 'his agent'

 

we never heard from him again for 6 weeks at which time his re-engagement had expired....we did however know that his agent was touting him around clubs during the summer and at no time did any Hx official have official knowledge of that and at no time did the club ask for 80k or any transfer fee...we did however have an offer on the table of 15k from a nationwide club...

 

danny gay never returned GH's fone calls and quite obviously during the summer GH had to sign 2 new keepers which he did and that of course made danny surplus to requirements...

 

needless to say...as so often is the case with these matters...the agent had failed to understand that danny wasn't a free agent and therefore any proposed moves to 'bigger' clubs broke down...we still had the offer on the table and quite rightly GH protected the interests of the club..

 

danny went to billericay and wasted their time whilst still harbouring desires of big time football....

 

eventually we agreed to let danny go to braintree....firstly to help out our neighbours and secondly because we felt that the boy should be playing football in spite of his own foolishness.....

 

I spoke to danny several times whilst all this was going on and he admitted to me that his agent 'had fcked up' and that he was going to terminate his contract with him.....

 

whilst at our club danny was looked after very well and I even allowed him to stay in my house at the stadium free of rent so he could cut down on his travelling...

 

had he signed the contract offered to him he would still be a Hx player....

 

the echo's article is a fckn disgrace and no one from the echo contacted the club for any confirmation or otherwise of the allegations made by danny....the NLP did the same yesterday...not one quote given to them by GC was printed in their article....

 

anyone smell any resentment here towards 'moneybags' Hx.....?

 

the boy should get his feet on the floor and keep his gob tightly shut and get on with playing football instead of trying to keep his name in the papers for all the wrong reasons...

 

if it wasn't for Hx having some sympathy with his position he'd still be sitting at home....

 

and for the record the FA confirmed that we were within our rights to ask a fee for danny and had fck all to do with him going to braintree....

 

the fee was 5k which was paid I understand by Lee Harding the Braintree Chairman.

 

I didn't want to make an issue of this but unfortunately there does come a time where we have to put the record straight..

 

needless to say it is all very disappointing to say the least.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

Nice one Mr A.

 

And not once did you mention that were were top of the league while only conceeding 3 goals!!

[Iron Webbo]

We at Braintree have also been disappointed by the articles that have appeared in both the Southend and National press.

 

As far as we are aware, Danny Gay was offered re-engagement by Hornchurch, but did not accept the offer. Understandably, Hornchurch then made other goalkeeping arrangements. We too are not impressed with My Gay’s agent.

 

Having offered re-engagement, Hornchurch were entirely within their rights to seek compensation and we at Braintree appreciate the flexible approach to our offer. Without the support and agreement of Hornchurch, Danny would probably still be unable to play.

 

The problem with the press is that they tend not to worry about the truth getting in the way of a good story.

 

Hornchurch have acted properly and entirely within the rules. It is (at best) unfortunate that there is no contribution from Hornchurch in the articles. The press have not spoken to any Braintree official.

 

Once again we at Braintree appreciate the help, advice and friendship we have with Hornchurch and wish all at Bridge Avenue the best for the coming season.

[blackballed]

We never had any trouble like this before we had money,I smell GREEN, so feck em all,

PS note the lack of anyone from dag & red on here lately !!!!!!!!

[mala_D]

lol.

 

Nice one Comrade Abramovich & Webbo.

It's obvious from statements issued at the time, and from what you both say, that the press are just up to their old tricks. It's possible [even likely] that Danny did tell the press the proper version of events, but "due to space constraints" [the usual excuse] the truth was rubbed out.

ho hum.....journos...don't you just love 'em. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

 

[Urchino]

Cheers for last season Dan but have some self respect and grow up !