Jake Gray’s tears flowed; the dream appeared to be over before it had started.

The schoolboy had regularly been making the 16-mile trip from home in Aylesbury to Wycombe Wanderers.

Making an impression in the Chairboys academy and school of excellence, the teenager was showing plenty of promise.

Then, one morning, his world came crashing down around him.

“I was at Wycombe from a schoolboy, I was planning on going there for training one day – but my mum came upstairs and said the academy there had folded. I started crying,’’ he recalled of that morning in summer 2012.

“I thought it was the end. Then I got a call a couple of hours later from Palace, I was quite lucky as I must have been on their radar.’’

As Wycombe closed their production line down for financial reasons, Palace hand-picked Gray. Since then he’s never disappeared from their thoughts.

Two substitute outings for the Eagles first-team last season, one against Newcastle in the Capital One Cup, a new two-year contract in the bag last summer, two calls to the first-team bench this season, and seven goals in 11 games for their Under-21s.

Little wonder the club keeps a beady eye on their prospect as he flourishes in the Hartlepool United midfield.

Of all the games to impress in the most, he picked one featured live on television. Two goals and a man of the match award against Leyton Orient, and the name of Jake Gray was prominent.

“The manager (Alan Pardew) there is good, he shows a real interest and has been very good to me,’’ reflected Gray, 20. “He will speak to me and tell me what I’m doing well, what I need to do to improve and help me to push on.

“But the main people we speak to is Mark Bright and the Under-21s manager Gary Issott.

“Mark Bright was here watching me against Orient and it was a great day for me. I scored two, it was on television and I got man of the match!

“I was still in shock two weeks later and, I’m only young, but it’s up there with my best career moments. One I will never forget.

“Coming to Hartlepool was a big thing for me, but it’s something I wanted to do. Moving away from friends and family can be hard, but it’s helped me focus on football.

“I’m finding it alright, I’ve never been worried about being away.’’

So how did the quiet, unassuming Buckinghamshire schoolboy adapt to life in London?

“It was a good move for me to go to Palace,’’ he admitted. “It was daunting to be away from home, going into London was a big thing at 16. It’s new players, a new club, a whole new experience.

“Lucky the club were really good to me. It’s a big step up for anyone, but a jump I was happy to make.

“I lived with a family there, who knew the routine, knew the club and that helped – plus all the players there were really nice to me too!

“I’ve been on the bench a couple of times there, you get to train with the first-team when they need extra numbers, if you are playing well in the Under-21s you get rewarded.’’

Gray’s development has matched that of Palace. From a classic yo-yo club to one chasing a top-seven finish this season, the whole club has developed and grown on a number of fronts.

He said: “Since I’ve been there the level and standard has gone up from year to year - players like Cabaye and now Adabayor are there, which is brilliant when you think where they were.

“The club has changed, progressed over the years, with lots of big differences. Coaching staff, if there were 20 of them, now there’s 30, facilities are better, food, standard of training, it’s all improved.

“When you first see someone like Cabaye training every day it’s crazy because you wouldn’t associate that type of player with the club at first.

“You can see the difference – from Championship to Premier League and you see them training and you see how good they can be.’’

For many, a move to the North-East, to a club in League Two would be viewed as punishement. For Gray, it’s a positive career move.

The chance to stand on his own feet – when opposition defenders allow – and sample a new outlook is proving a valuable experience.

“First day here and it’s about meeting the lads, getting to know them and then going out there and proving what you can do. Maybe that Orient game helped me a lot to prove what I can do and earn their respect.

“Hartlepool is a great place! It’s a bit colder, but I like it here – everyone has made me welcome, and I’m enjoying being here.

“I’ve had a few different flatmates so far - we’ve had trialists come in for a week and then they’ve moved on, luckily I’ve not been lumped with any idiots!

“The football is very different. My first game was against Cheltenham and it was tough, but the big difference is how quicker, more physical and competitive it all is.

“I’m really enjoying it. It’s hard, it’s a big step up. There’s times when we are under the cosh, it’s hard to get out and ease the pressure and you feel it.’’

With two goals in his last three starts, Pools are playing a formation to suit his game. Floating in the hole behind the lone striker, Gray is proving adept at the classic No 10 spot.

He added: “I’m enjoying playing right now, the system we have played is good for me – I’ve started the last three and I’ve a few goals. I scored last week, got one, but more… don’t remind me.

“My family and girlfriend were all there at Cambridge last week, so it was nice to play well and score in front of them.’’

And he added he is happy to repay the faith shown in him by Pools boss Ronnie Moore: "Since the first day, the players and the coaches have made me feel very welcome.

"I've worked hard since I've been here and learned a lot. The players have been great on the pitch, telling me what to do, where to go and stuff.

"I'm enjoying it and I hope that shows on the pitch.

"I had no doubts about coming to Hartlepool - I was looking for a loan for a while so when the manger here called me I was delighted.

"It was great that someone was interested in me and I couldn't wait to get started.

"He had the confidence to bring me here and play me most of the games. I'm really thankful for the chance.

"He has bags of experience, you don't play and manage for the amount of games he has without having something about him.

"The gaffer has helped me a lot, takes time on the training pitch and before games he always has words of advice.’’

While Gray has trained with some top-class footballers at Palace, there’s one emerging talent in the Premier League who has set the standard – and with a Hartlepool United link.

Jordan Ibe moved from Wycombe to Liverpool, after initially becoming the Chairboys youngest-ever player when he appeared as a 90th minute substitute aged 15 years and 244 days at Victoria Park in October 2011.

Gray recalled: “I played with Jordan up to about 15/16, he had a few appearances, scored on his first start and moved on.

“He always stood out, bigger, stronger than the rest. One day he scored a hat-trick for the Under-18s within about 20 minutes. So they took him off and he played for the Under-16s on the next pitch and scored within five minutes – he was always a talent and we knew that.

“I wasn’t that far off him when we were younger, but he’s grown into a real footballer now at Liverpool. I have to hope it’s going to be me one day.’’