It’s a Gray day for the Reds

New Solitude boss: Buy into title winning ambition or leave

BARRY GRAY is ready to face the pressure of returning Cliftonville to the top table of Irish League football. The former Warrenpoint Town boss was unveiled as the Solitude club’s new manager last night, less than three weeks after Gerard Lyttle stepped down from the post. The Reds concluded a disappointing season with Monday night’s Europa League play-off defeat to Glenavon. It was the final nail in a campaign punctuated by poor performances and lacklustre results. In the end, Cliftonville could only finish fifth in the Premiership – a hefty 31 points behind champions Linfield. “My minimum and Cliftonville’s minimum should be contesting for major honours,” Gray said last night. “Cliftonville is one of the biggest clubs in the country, and they should be challenging for every competition they are involved in. Any player working under me next season will want to win the league, and they won’t play for me if they don’t share that ambition. “That’s the drive from board level, right down to the team. The board shares this ambition. If players don’t share our vision then they won’t last long at the club.” Gray stepped down as Warrenpoint boss in November following 10 years at the helm, taking up a new role as Director of Football. He admits when Cliftonville came calling, it was too good to turn down. “I am delighted Gerard (Lawlor) has always shown an interest in me over the years. I am delighted to have the opportunity to take the club forward,” he added. “It is a different challenge to managing Warrenpoint. There is the expectation here to be challenging for titles and trophies. “I can concentrate on being a manager here, and focus on first team affairs. At Warrenpoint I had a few jobs within the one job of being manager. Being successful on the pitch is my job description here. “That’s a massive motivational factor for me, having one job to do.” Reds chairman Lawlor admits appointing Gray – who will be assisted by No.2, Harry Fay – was “an easy decision”. He added: “Barry was probably one of the first people I spoke to when Gerard Lyttle announced he was leaving. “I never told Barry this, but we met for lunch one day to see how we were, and I remember coming away saying ‘I know who our next manager is’. “He was the one candidate the board all met, and they made up their minds that night. “He will bring a professionalism to the club and a respect and discipline to the players, which quite possibly was missing, and that’s no disrespect to any previous managers.”