Gray has the same illness that forced striker Emile Heskey to sit out last weekends 3-3 draw at Blackburn and is unlikely to have recovered in time for the game at St Andrew's on Saturday it has been revealed.
Heskey himself will return to Steve Bruce's squad having now recovered from the virus as will midfielder Muzzy Izzet who has now completed a one game ban for his sending off in the last home game against Everton.
Winger Stan Lazaridis is still unavailable however, having failed to shake off the hamstring injury he sustained whilst on international duty with Australia the Tuesday before last.
