Archie Gray has experienced plenty of ups and downs in his first full year in senior football. The 18-year-old excelled for his hometown club last term as Leeds United made it through to the Championship play-off.

Southampton dashed Gray and the Whites' promotion dream, edging a cagey final at Wembley 1-0. Gray and his teammates were left distraught on the pitch at full time.

But Gray's stellar contribution caught the eye of many clubs in England and overseas. He joined Tottenham in a £40m deal after they activated his Elland Road release clause. The England Under-21 international has established himself as a valuable member of Ange Postecoglou's fist team set up. Centre-back is the latest position Gray has lined up in, with most of his starts coming in the Europa Legaue.

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Speaking in an interview with Mail+, Gray said: “This year I’ve loads of ups and massive downs, probably the worst in football in losing the play-off final and it’s learning from experiences like that.

“Then signing for Tottenham, learning a bunch, in a different role to what I had at Leeds but it’s learning and adapting to that. It’s about working hard every day to get into the team and I’ll continue to do that. I’m enjoying it.

“It’s been a good year but I’m the type of person who doesn’t really like to get too excited or too low when things get bad. I stay in the middle and that’s the way I’ve always been and was always taught to be. I think that’s really helped me along the way.”

Gray, who is expected to be involved in tonight's Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester United, said he was initially star-struck by Spurs' players because he was so used to seeing them on FIFA. “They are world-class players but at the end of the day off the pitch they are just normal people. In the changing room they are normal guys," he said.

“Looking on the outside you think ‘wow, I play with these guys on FIFA’, because that’s how I looked at it when I first went in! It sounds a bit weird but I was still a bit star-struck. But they are just normal guys who are really helping me everyday.

“I think the difference is that when work comes to work on the training pitch it’s 100 per cent every single day. As soon as they get off the pitch they are really great to have around in the changing room. It’s a great group.”

Injuries at the back has forced Postecoglou to play Gray, a central midfield by trade, in defence. The Spurs boss has praised Gray's adaptability and the maturity he has shown since jumping up a division.

“He hasn’t missed a beat, and it’s brilliant to watch," said Postecoglou. "The rest of the lads have obviously helped him. Radu is the experienced one next to him at 22, and Destiny, 22, either side of him. That’s where we’re at in terms of the squad and all the young boys dipping in, I think it’s super exciting through a tough period for the squad where we are at from the squad perspective.

“The young guys are shouldering a big part of the load. That’s a brilliant thing for us because hopefully we get to smoother waters and we are going to be so much better equipped for what’s ahead.

“Archie has done really well, his defending has been really solid, obviously he’s got quality on the ball but the way he’s handled what we are asking him to do is a really big job not just for a one-off game. He’s handled it brilliantly.

“It would probably be more comfortable for him if he was settled in one position but he is playing football at a really high level in Europe and the Premier League. That’s going to set us up really well for the player that he is going to become.”