Ezra Bray’s family has provided an uplifting message after the former AFL first round draft pick was declared missing last week

The troubling story of homeless footy star Ezra Bray has taken a positive turn after a search was conducted for him, writes PAUL AMY.

Ezra Bray as an AFL draftee in 1999. Picture: Supplied

Missing former AFL player Ezra Bray has been found in Coburg, the Melbourne suburb where searches for him were held last week.

One of Bray’s cousins had posted on social media that the 41-year-old, once considered one of football’s brightest talents, had not made contact with his family for 12 months.

He had also stopped using his bank accounts.

She said his father, Russell, had “reported Ezra to the police a number of times without any action, support or concern for his safety’’.

Bray was seen at Coburg Football Club on a number of occasions this year, most recently on July 8 before the Lions’ VFL clash with Carlton.

In January, he had been sleeping in the ticket booth at the City Oval.

Bray’s former manager, Liam Pickering, was one of a number of people who drove to Coburg last week to search for him, walking around the oval and surrounding streets.

Former AFL player Ezra Bray has been found after a long search. Picture: Patrina Malone

A Geelong premiership player did the same last Saturday.

Today, Russell Bray took to social media to report his son had been found.

“To all the concerned wonderful people who opened their hearts in helping me to see if they could find my son Ezra, the good news is the police rang half-hour ago … that they found him in Coburg staying at old ladies (sic) place who offered him a place of safety, spoke with them and thanked her from the bottom of my heart. As I thank all you lovely caring people who went out of their way to search for my son. He is alive. Thanks again,’’ he said.

A short time later he posted again to thank the police and apologise for earlier comments he had made.

Ezra Bray had told former Coburg general manager Sebastian Spagnuolo that the City Oval brought back good memories for him, because he always performed well at the ground for the Calder Cannons.

Bray had played for the Cannons in the Under 18 TAC Cup (now the Coates Talent League) in 1999.

Ezra Bray as a fresh faced prospect in 2001. Picture: Allsport Australia/ALLSPORT

Before relocating to Melbourne, he was a star player for the Northern Territory in national under-age championship games.

Drafted by Geelong with pick No 17 in the 1999 national draft, Bray had two years with the Cats and one at Carlton.

Drug and alcohol addiction reduced him to homelessness after his brief AFL career.

AFL draft ambassador Kevin Sheehan told CODE Sports last Thursday that Bray was a supremely talented teenage footballer.

“Outstanding. He was in our first-ever Academy, with Des Headland and Andrew Embley and those boys,’’ Sheehan said.

“As I remember it he might have been a bottom-ager too. At 15, 16 years of age he was the most talented kid, almost the most talented in the country. So gifted.’’