Ernie Gregory

Ernest "Ernie" Gregory (born November 10, 1921 in Stratford , London , † January 21, 2012 ) was an English football player . The goalkeeper played his entire professional career at West Ham United , where he later belonged to the coaching staff.

Athletic career

Gregory was playing for the youth team West Ham Boys when Charlie Paynter , then coach of the West Ham United competition team, spotted him playing the youth championship final against Preston North End's youth team. In 1936 he changed clubs, where he was also employed in the regular club staff. From there he was loaned to the amateur club Leytonstone FC , with whom he won the championship in the Isthmian League in 1938 .

After Gregory's subsequent return to the then second division West Ham United, the Second World War interrupted his career. While he was serving in the Royal Air Force , he was only used sporadically for his London club during the war years. When regular play began in the Football League after the end of the war in the summer of 1946 , he ousted the pre-war goalkeeper Harry Medhurst between the posts after almost half of the season in December . Even under Paynter's successor Ted Fenton , who took over as coach in 1950, he was largely one of the regular players in the following years. In 1952 he played an international match for the England B national team. Another success of his career was in 1958 shortly before the end of his active career, promotion to the First Division . In February 1959 he lost his regular place after a 3-0 defeat by Birmingham City , in September of that year he played his last league game against Leeds United .

Gregory moved to the coaching staff of West Ham United after his career, initially he was responsible for the reserve team. He later became the goalkeeping coach of the competition team. He retired in May 1987.

In January 2012 he died in an old people's home, leaving behind his wife and a daughter.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e f} Ernie Gregory