Ray Wilkins RIP

As time goes on and life takes its natural course, in about 30-40 years time it would be interesting to know how many more recent players from the Premier Era are spoken of in similar terms. I dont just mean in on field success medals etc but as a person, especially in light of some the stories on here Quashies tribute being particularly poigniant.

 

That is powerful stuff. Tear in my eye.

 

Bloody hell, another tearjerker! I'm trying to get some work done, Ninesy!

Everyone has always said what a good chap Ray was, but the stories that are emerging since his death show how truly special he was - not just as a footballer, but as a man.

 

R.I.P Ray Wilkins, Great player and servant to our club we were lucky to have him.

 

It's a measure of the man that none of this was in the public domain prior to his passing. No 'Big I am', just a kind, big-hearted person who always looked for the best in everyone, had time for everyone and delighted in just helping people wherever he could. I heard that soldier's call on the radio this morning and you couldn't help but be moved to tears. We have lost someone very special...

 

I was going to type exactly what Sooper had typed above. I liked and respected Ray Wilkins, always felt he was one of the good ones.
He was probably the only exChelsea/United player who I can look back and call a proper R. However I never knew any of these stories of just how caring, normal and human he was

The Quashie story said so much about how he understood what it really meant for a kid to play football....and making it easy and unforgettable and almost magical. Even when he was older and a manager, he actually had never forgotten that feeling. He was a real footballer

The story from the soldier, is absolutely nothing to do with football. It shows the measure of the man...a real human being, who quietly got on with being a wonderful person.

He will be sadly missed, we should celebrate that such people exist in the world

 

A moving recollection. There was a nice story too on the radio yesterday by an ex-player, I think it was Neil Cox a defender who played for Villa and Watford. Cox was playing for Watford against Liverpool in an important cup match, and Watford were 0-1 down when Cox let in an own goal late on, which effectively ended the contest. Cox was panned in the newspapers the next day, and was obviously distraught. The only person to contact him that day was Ray Wilkins who rang to cheer him and invite him to a game of golf that afternoon. Cox said that Ray's consoling words and arm around the shoulders, football-pro to football-pro, helped lift him from his depression and he never forgot it.

 

A lovely tribute from Roller.....

https://www.qpr.co.uk/news/club-new...eye-view/?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral

 

The more I read and hear about the man, the sadder I become. The football world has lost one of it's best. I was lucky enough to see Ray play, both for us and for Chelsea and Man Utd. In all the teams he played in, he was its heartbeat. It appears that, if you had Ray in your side you played around him. He was the conductor while the rest of the team were the orchestra. RIP fella.

 

A true R taking about his mate
For me Wilkins is preserved forever as a brilliant player

 

Breaking news Eric Bristow died tonight of heart attack, great player RIP Eric

 

Always liked him as a proper footballer, but had thought him a bit sad in recent years, with some of the stories about his personal struggles. This has been washed away with the flood of testemonials showing what a good bloke he was. Top man.

 

I bet Holloway has taken this quite hard. He and Wilkins were our midfield in those days. I remember seeing an interview with Wilkins at the time and he remarked that Holloway did all the fetching and carrying and basically all the running about for him.

 

The division of labour between Olly and Butch was evident for all. When you have someone with Olly's engine, putting in tackle after tackle, fighting for everything, and they you have someone like Butch, whose brain and distribution were always excellent, it makes sense.

 

Thanks for the Memories Ray.

 

Okay so as stated in the missing thread, I only post on a Friday after a few vodkas! So here goes! And yes I have had more than two!!!

I only met Ray Wilkins once, the year we got relegated with Ray as our manager, thinking 1996.

My whole family where at the end of season dinner/ dance at an hotel at Heathrow airport. Still not sure how we all got tickets! Other than no one else wanted to go because we were relegated!

It was rather a subdued evening as given circumstances one would expect. But as we left Ray was sitting in the corridor with his head in his hands! As we walked out my sister piped up and said "night Ray"

He immediately picked himself up and responded positively encouraging us for the new season. Chatting away about how things were going to improve next season! Ever the professional!

I always admired him when he played for Man Utd, was delighted when he played for us, one of my child hood heroes playing for my team!

So sad he has left us at such a young age!


RIP Ray Wilkins

 

Perhaps a little cruel to make such a comparison. Yes, Ray wasted the £6 million, we've all moaned about that ever since but Chelsea had Harding's millions at a time when you could pump as much as you like in and we had Chris Wright and his half-baked AIM stock market listing and marrying us up to Wasps at a time when Rugby Union wasn't as popular as it is now, with a number of players such as Dallaglio on six figure contracts. If a scapegoat is needed look no further than Wright's decision-making which saw our share value plummet quicker than Tom Daley and subsequently give us 15 years out of the limelight whilst Chelsea got Roman and never looked back...

 

Well done the FA....

FA Cup final: Ray Wilkins' widow to present trophy to winners

• 15 May
• From the sectionFootball

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Wilkins' 'magnificent' FA Cup final goal for Man Utd
FA Cup final 2018: Chelsea v Manchester United
Date: Saturday, 19 May Time: 17:15 BST
Coverage: Live on BBC One and BBC Radio 5 live, and available to stream on the BBC Sport website, app and iPlayer
Ray Wilkins' widow Jackie will present the trophy to the winners of the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester United on Saturday.

Wilkins, who died on 4 April aged 61, won the FA Cup as a United player in 1983, scoring in the final.

He also won it on three occasions while assistant manager of Chelsea.

In addition to a tribute in the match programme, banners will be unveiled in both ends in Wilkins' memory before kick-off at Wembley.

• Wilkins family invited to FA Cup final

"It is particularly fitting that both clubs and the wider football community will unite to remember Ray Wilkins on the day," said Football Association chairman Greg Clarke.

"Ray had a longstanding affinity with the competition, winning it as both a player and as an assistant manager. He is sorely missed."