Ray Clemence Rip

Wow, what a great photo. Brings a lump to the throat. (Another) sad loss. RIP Ray.

 

Think how many caps Ray would have had if they hadn't kept rotating him and Shilton.

Another of my era gone. Getting worrying now

 

Better keeper than Shilton IMO. Not a lot between them granted but always felt he had the edge.
RIP

 

What level was it at GR.? When I played Sunday League in Donny, we had a referee called Les Hayes.
On Saturday nights Match of the Day on TV you could see him officiating at Old Trafford with Arsenal
playing Manchester United. He loved the game that much that on the Sunday, he could be at the Welfare
Ground Dunscroft when my team Greenfield United were playing another local team in the Doncaster
Sunday League Premier Division.

He was a fantastic referee and he had a great sense of humour. First game he took us he came in to
examine our studs. He took a piece of paper from his top pocket and asked us to pass it round our team.
It was a copy of his birth certificate. He said " I've shown you that so if I give a decision you don't like,
during the game it's pointless questioning my parenthood."

I remember that in one game against Askern Welfare I was having a torrid time and didn't seem to be
able to do anything right. It also appeared to me that he seemed to be biased in favour of the opposition.

I was the captain of the team and after one particular incident I shouted " referee you really are crap".
He smiled and jogged in my direction. As he passed me, out of the corner of his mouth, he muttered
" you're not exactly having a blinder yourself." I had to smile and from that day forward, I had nothing
but respect for the bloke.