Remembering Raich: The Story of the Silver Fox

Canny read that, ta. A very talented man.

 

Proud to say that I went to the same school as he did - Hendon Board, started when I was 4 1/2 years old in 1954 and I had to walk the full length of Hendon Road to get there and back in any weather, me mother didn't have a 4 wheel drive to drop me off the way they do these days.

 

Cheers mate. Good read!

 

During the war, Raich was a conscientious objector. If I recall, he worked as a fireman in Sunderland throughout 1939-1945. For that reason, he never played for either Sunderland or England again. (As a million or two body-bags came home, you couldn't expect family members to cheer a 'conchy' who had stayed at home). My mother never once mentioned the word Carter again without following it up with "bloody coward", and many thousands in Sunderland agreed with her.

Today, we might think differently. But a lot of men died in that conflict. And however great a player he had been (and he had) his departure to Derby County in 1945 was inevitable.

 

Relic, thanks for that mate, I must admit I didn't know that about him and whilst I admire someone who has the courage of their own convictions I can fully understand the bad feeling at the time.
Also, the great Cassius Clay was a 'conchy' as well

 

Lovely article about a great player who you could build a team around rather than buy a team. He is now consigned to the history books as a footnote, whereas the modern day ones can be eulogised forever on film. What we wouldn't give for a player with half of his confidence or ability right now.

 

A good read, and Relics post, makes the story complete.

 

That is something that I didn't know......I see there is a pub on commercial Rd in Hendon that has a giant painting of him on an outside wall.

 

Amongst his many admirers was the great Stanley Matthews, who said about him "I felt [he] was the ideal partner for me... Carter was a supreme entertainer who dodged, dribbled, twisted and turned, sending bewildered left-halves madly along false trails. Inside the penalty box with the ball at his feet and two or three defenders snapping at his ankles, he'd find the space to get a shot in at goal... Bewilderingly clever, constructive, lethal in front of goal, yet unselfish. Time and again he'd play the ball out wide to me and with such service I was in my element."

Such high praise indeed!

 

I may be biased but On the outbreak of the Second World War Carter joined the Sunderland Fire Service. This was a reserved occupation and his action was interpreted as being a tactic to avoid military service. As a result, Carter was often booed by the crowd in friendly games he played during the conflict. This caused Carter a great deal of stress and on 2nd October 1941 he joined the RAF. Like most professional footballers, Carter became a Physical Training Instructor and was posted to Derby where I believe his wife was from and this was the reason he settled there and joined Derby County.
Derby County beat Charlton Athletic 4-1 in the final at Wembley. Carter therefore became the only man to have won winners' medals before and after the Second World War.
Carter's fine form meant that he was selected to play in England against Northern Ireland on 28th September, 1946. Carter scored a goal in the first minute and England went on to win 7-2. Frank Swift, who played in goal that day, later commented: "Our team clicked from the start and the forwards were in magnificent form. Lawton led the line like the genius he is; Raich Carter did practically everything it is possible to do with a football - even to standing, foot on ball, as if marshalling his forces".

 

Gives a whole different perspective of the man. Nice one.

Again, another example of not rushing to judgement.

 

I wasn't aware that he ever played a post-war international match - thanks for that. He certainly wasn't picked for the first post-war full international match (England v Belgium in Feb., 1946. I've still got the programme, and he isn't even mentioned). Ha, I really will have to chuck some of this stuff out before I suffocate under it !

That Derby team was the result of a manager and directors who took their opportunities. They signed Carter because of his reputation in Sunderland, and added another brilliant inside forward to pair up with him. Peter Doherty was an Irish genius but a renegade. He was never liked for long by any management he ever played for. Derby snapped him up and with a Carter - Doherty inside forward pairing, they must have been formidable. No surprise that they won the '46 Cup. Thanks for adding your info mate.

 

Some great posts here lads..

 

There was a pretty happy ending to it all. Raich left Hull City, where he'd been player-manager to take up a full time manager's job at Leeds United. I can't remember the year (and statcat doesn't show the pre-season friendlies) but I think about 1953 or '54 Sunderland agreed to play a pre-season friendly with Leeds, and it was said Carter would play one half. My old man took me to see the great man. Well. he wasn't so great any more - his waist hung over the front of his pants, and the dark hair with the centre parting was now a shock of silver. And he couldn't manage anything more than a trot. But the crowd rose to him in the second half when he came on. Some, not all but some, of the bitterness had healed, and some of the good times were starting to be talked about again. It wasn't a rapturous reception, but pretty good nonetheless.

I can't tell you anything memorable that he did in that game. The one thing I do remember (vividly!) was Shack nutmeged him! The crowd went bananas. At the end of the game, they walked off together laughing. It was all about entertaining the crowd for those two. It was nice to see.