John Bray was born on 22 April 1909 in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire; his father was a coal miner, and his mother worked as a cotton weaver.
[4] Bray married Bertha Chadwick in a private ceremony at Huncoat Village Church, Accrington in April 1936.
[6] They then rose up to fifth place in 1933–34, and won the FA Cup with a 2–1 victory over Portsmouth; Bray played in the final after passing a late fitness test.
[3] During the war he guested for Blackburn Rovers, Nottingham Forest, Bolton Wanderers, Crewe Alexandra, Birmingham and Port Vale.
[8] He won further caps in games against Ireland at Windsor Park, Germany at White Hart Lane, Wales at Molineux, and Scotland at Wembley.
[3] Bray was appointed as Bill Findlay's successor as manager of Watford on 26 February 1947, as the "Hornets" finished the 1946–47 season in 16th place in the Third Division South.