Andre Gray has the scars to prove where he has come from and will always keep his feet on the ground, despite already looking to the manner born in the Championship.

Twelve months ago the 23-year-old was playing non-League football for Luton Town having seen his Football League dreams fade at Shrewsbury Town – where he made his debut when he came off the bench as a replacement for former Brentford striker Nathan Elder.

Gray, who has a scar across his cheek after being stabbed as an 18-year-old, bagged a double as the Bees made it three wins from three matches last week with a 3-2 triumph at Millwall on Saturday.

It means he has seven goals in 18 appearance, having been forced to shoulder the sole goalscoring responsibility this term following the injury to striker Scott Hogan.

And Gray is only now truly appreciating the value of learning his trade lower down the leagues.

“Playing non-League football humbles you,” he said.

“A lot of youngsters at big clubs get paid too much to young and end up slipping down the ladder. You wonder how that happens.

“When you get down there it makes you work harder and appreciate what you had and what you want back.

“You have to believe in yourself and keep developing.”

He added: “The scar is a reminder to me that everything happens for a reason and you have to make the most of your chance.”

A half time heart-to-heart with boss Mark Warburton against Derby County has seen him score four goals in five halves of football since.

“He told me to be more aggressive and it has worked, so I just have to keep being positive,” added Gray.

“I want to keep developing and I know I have to keep working to do that.”

And it is that attitude that Warburton believes will take his young striker right to the top.

“Andre Gray went eight or nine games without a goal, but delivered a consistent level of performance during that time.

"First half against Derby he looked a bit lost, but got the goal and has been a revelation since then.

"He's raw and quick and there's loads more to come. He comes short, goes long, works the channels, he's improving his touch and I'm sure there's a lot more to come from him.

"When you think he was playing Conference football last season and look at where he is playing now, it speaks volumes for his character.

"He can play in the Premier League, I have no doubts about that. He's got a lot more work to do.

"When he joined our pre-season camp in America he was off the pace in terms of his fitness but he has really worked hard and it's now paying off. He's come on in leaps and bounds."

Gray’s rise to prominence should come as no surprise really given he netted 38 goals last season to fire the Hatters back in to the Football League.

But his exploits have been lost on the makers of computer game FIFA 15.

“Despite all the goals last year, my stats have not changed a bit in the new game,” he added.

“I don’t think they really take that much notice of you unless you are in the Premier League.”