Gray is content to be home at Palace

Julian Gray has endured a footballing nightmare this season but you won't catch him complaining.

The Crystal Palace midfielder should sign his correspondence "Laid-back of Lewisham". Gray refused to sign a contract at the end of last season but has yet to escape the confines of Selhurst Park.

He has travelled to Charlton, Leeds, Blackburn and Hanover in search of a new club, but had to be content with two month-long loan spells with Cardiff before returning to Palace last week. Cardiff manager Lennie Lawrence wanted to buy the winger but refused to pay the £500,000 asking price.

The 24-year-old stands by his decision to try and better himself and is remarkably sanguine about his predicament. He said: "There's nothing I can do about the situation and just try to get on with it. How am I supposed to be? Upset or frustrated? It's life . . . you have to look at the positives.

"I've only been back one week so don't really know what's going on. I just take every day as it comes. That's my philosophy and all I can do."

Gray's inability to leave the club he joined from Arsenal three years ago is not a slight on his ability, but reflects the collapse of the domestic transfer market. Under UEFA rules, Palace were entitled to compensation for a player who was under 24 when his contract expired last summer and chairman Simon Jordan was determined to wait for an offer matching his then £750,000 valuation.

Jordan's intransigence cost Gray a move to Charlton, who he scored for in a pre-season friendly, but there is no bitterness towards his chairman.

Gray said: "I feel no animosity towards the chairman and my relationship with him is very good. It's business and he's doing what he feels is right for him. It's about looking after your own interests and I don't have a problem with anybody.

"All the players were happy to see me back and they're the most important people as I have to play with them. I think I can add something to the team. Palace don't have any naturally left-sided players and I'll try to help them out."

Manager Kit Symons received special permission to play Gray in Saturday's 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest after Jordan had previously said he did not want him around the club.

The player received a warm ovation from the Palace fans after an impressive display in which he hit the crossbar and forced a finger-tip save from Forest goalkeeper Darren Ward.

He said: "That I'm playing at all is a bonus so I can't really complain. It's been a difficult season and there's nothing I can do about it. I want to play at the highest level, like any other player."

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