Raich Carter	Sunderland AFC, Derby County FC, Hull City FC 13 appearances, 7 goals P 13 W 9 D 1 L 3 F 40: A 14 73% successful 1934-48 disciplined: none Captain: none minutes played: 1170
Profile
Full name	Horatio Stratton Carter
Born	21 December 1913 in Hendon, Sunderland, county Durham [registered in Sunderland, March 1914]. Attended Hendon Elementary School
Baptised	14 January 1914 in St. Barnabas, Hendon, Sunderland. Son of Robert and Clara Carter.
Census Notes	According to the 1939 register, Horatio S., a professional footballer, is married to Gertrude (records blocked) and are living at 4 Wooler Square in Sunderland.
Married	twice, firstly to Gertrude Rose Marsh, on 26 April 1937, at Spondon Lodge Lane Methodist Chapel in Spondon [registered in Shardlow, Derbyshire, June 1937]. "The captain and inside-right of Sunderland, the F.A. Cup finalists, Horatio Carter, was married at the Methodist Church, Spondon near Derby, yesterday. Attending him as best man was Bobby Gurney, the Sunderland centre forward. The bride was Miss Rose Gertrude Marsh, of Field Lane, Chaddesden, a neighbouring village to Spondon. She had as bridesmaids Miss Cora Evans and little Joan Eden, who on leaving the church handed her a huge silver horseshoe. With her parents, the bride moved about 18 months ago from Sunderland, where she and Mr. Carter had been friends from childhood. Two hours after the service, which was conducted by the Rev. J. Pilkington, Mr. Carter left for Bushey, Herts., where the Sunderland players are finishing their training in preparation for the match at Wembley on Saturday. Mrs. Carter will see the game, and later she and her husband will go on a honeymoon tour of Scotland." - Tuesday, 27 April 1937, The Yorkshire Post. secondly, to Eileen Patricia Dixon [registered in Hull, March 1955].
Died	9 October 1994 in Willerby, aged 80 years 292 days [registered in Beverley, October 1994]
Height/Weight	5' 6½", 10st. 8lbs [1937], 5' 8", 10st. 6lbs [1938].
Source	Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & FindMyPast.com
Biographies	Footballer's Progress: Raich Carter (Sporting Handbooks Ltd, 1950) Raich Carter: The Story of One of England's Greatest Footballers - Frank Garrick (Sportsbooks, 2003)
Club Career
Club(s)	Played schoolboy football in Sunderland and was soon playing for Whitburn St. Mary's FC and Esh Winning FC, as well as Sunderland Forge FC. Sunderland AFC signed him on amateur forms in November 1930, following an unsuccessful trial for Leicester City FC reserves aganist Watford FC reserves, from which he earned a professional contract on 12 November 1931. After 245 league appearances and 118 goals, he was allowed to leave for Derby County FC on 21 December 1945 for an £8000 transfer fee. He had already worn a Rams shirt as a guest during the war. Made 63 league appearances and scored 34 goals. Despite an attempt to take him to Leeds United FC, on 31 March 1948, Hull City AFC paid £6000, also beating Nottingham Forest FC and Notts County FC, to make them their player/assistant manager, becoming manager four weeks later. Carter resigned as manager on 12 September 1951. Berwick Rangers FC and Distillery FC then attempted to sign him, as did Midland League side, Scarborough FC, but he continued to play for the Tigers until 28 April 1952, making another 136 appearances in the league and adding another 57 goals to his tally. He made his final appearance in a friendly match against Sunderland AFC. He turned up again eight months later at Cork Athletic FC from 30 January until May 1953, flying to each match every week;
Club honours	Football League Champions (captain) 1935-36; FA Cup winners 1936-37, 1945-46; Football League Division Three North winners 1948-49; FAI Cup winners 1952-53;
Individual honours	Football League (four appearances); League of Ireland (one appearance, 1953, against the Football League). Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year runner-up 1948-49;
Distinctions	After researching their family tree, it seems a relative of Raich discovered that he was related to Captain James Cook. Captain James Cook turned out to be Raich's great, great, great uncle. The family connection story was covered by the Sunderland Echo. Also played first class cricket with Durham and Derbyshire.
Source	Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & WearsideOnline
Managerial Career
Club(s)	Took over as player-secretary-manager of Hull City AFC on 28 April 1948 until he resigned on 12 September 1951. Immediately after, he was courted by Berwick Rangers FC. Midland League club, Scarborough FC made an attempt to appoint Carter in November, however, he remained a player in Hull. Then after leaving Ireland, he became the manager at Leeds United on 5 May 1953, effective 1 June, until 31 May 1958. Leeds had announced on 9 May that they would not renew Carter's contract, effectively sacking him. He was thereafter linked with the vacant managerial positions at Notts County FC in September 1958, and then at Aston Villa FC in December 1958. He eventually returned to management when he was appointed at Mansfield Town FC from 15 February 1960 ahead of 36 other applicants. In December 1962, Norwich City FC offered him £3500 a year to join them, but it was Middlesbrough FC who took him away from Field Mill to Ayresome Park on 11 January 1963, effective 21 January, until he was sacked on 12 February 1966.
Club honours	Football League Division Three North winners 1948-49;
Source	Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990]
England Career
Player number	One of two who became the 594th players (595) to appear for England.
Position(s)	Inside-right
First match	No. 191, 14 April 1934, England 3 Scotland 0, a British Championship match at Empire Stadium, Wembley, London, aged 20 years 114 days.
Last match	No. 233, 18 May 1947, Switzerland 1 England 0, an end-of-season tour match at Hardturm Stadion, Zürich, aged 33 years 148 days.
Major tournaments	British Championships 1933-34, 1936-37, 1946-47;
Team honours	British Championships winners 1946-47;
Individual honours	England schoolboy (two appearances 1927). England wartime (eight appearances)
Distinctions	None
England Tragedy
"FOOLISH ACTION BY CYCLIST "An incedent in which a motor-car driven by Horatio Carter, the Sunderland footballer, and a bicycle driven by a 14-year-old Herrington youth near the Board Inn, East Herrington, on May 9 were involved, had a sequel at Houghton-le-Spring Juvenile court to-day, when the boy was accused of interrupting the free passage of the highway. The youth pleade not guilty, and the case was dismissed with a caution. The boy's father was ordered to pay 4s costs. Carter said he was driving to Sunderland, and the boy was standing with his bicycle on the left-hand side of the road. 'There were two cars about ten yards in front of me,' added Carter, 'and after they had passed the boy and when I was about five yards from him he commenced to ride across the road. I blew my horn and swerved my car across to the right, expecting him to turn back, but he did not. I pulled up immediately, but just caught him. He gave no indication that he was going to cross the road.' Mrs E. R. Challoner (presiding) remarked: 'I think you were rather foolish to mount your cycle just to cross the road. It would have been easier to walk across with the cycle." - Thursday, 18 June 1936, The Sunderland Echo & Shipping Gazette
Beyond England
After being sacked as Middlesbrough manager, Carter returned to Hull where he worked in the sports department of a store. Appointed to the Pools Panel in 1969, and then ran a business before retiring, and suffering a stroke in 1993. Has a sports centre named in his honour in his hometown of Hendon, opened by Sir Trevor Brooking, as well as a road in Hull. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.59/60.

Age 20
1	191	14 April 1934 - England 3 Scotland 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley	BC	HW	Start	ir
2	192	10 May 1934 - Hungary 2 England 1, Stadion Üllõi út, Budapest	tour	AL	Start	ir
193		16 May 1934 - Czechoslovakia 3 England 2, Stadión Letná, Praha		AL	reserve

Age 21
195		14 November 1934 - England 3 Italy 2, Arsenal Stadium, Highbury	Fr	HW	reserve
197		6 April 1935 - Scotland 2 England 0, Hampden Park, Glasgow	BC	AL	reserve
198		18 May 1935 - Netherlands 0 England 1, Olympisch Stadion, Amsterdam	Fr	AW	withdrew injured
3	200	4 December 1935 - England 3 Germany 0, White Hart Lane, Tottenham	Fr	HW	Start	ir

Age 22
4	206	18 November 1936 - England 3 Ireland 1, Victoria Ground, Stoke-on-Trent	BC	HW	Start 30	ir
5	207	2 December 1936 - England 6 Hungary 2, Arsenal Stadium, Highbury	Fr	HW	Start 87	ir

Age 23
6	208	17 April 1937 - Scotland 3 England 1, Hampden Park, Glasgow	BC	AL	Start	ir

 

Club: Derby County F.C. - seven full appearances (630 min), four goals

manager: Walter Winterbottom - seven appearances (630 min), four goalsx

Age 32
7	227	28 September 1946 - Ireland 2 England 7, Windsor Park, Belfast	BC	AW	Start	8
8	228	30 September 1946 - Ireland (Eire) 0 England 1, Dalymount Park, Dublin	Fr	AW	Start	8
9	229	13 November 1946 - England 3 Wales 0, Maine Road, Manchester	BC	HW	Start	8
10	230	27 November 1946 - England 8 Netherlands 2, Leeds Road, Huddersfield	Fr	HW	Start 30,71	8

Age 33
11	231	12 April 1947 - England 1 Scotland 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley	BC	HD	Start 56	8
12	232	3 May 1947 - England 3 France 0, Arsenal Stadium, HIghbury	Fr	HW	Start 77	8
13	233	18 May 1947 - Switzerland 1 England 0, Hardturm Stadion, Zürich	tour	AL	Start	8
b		21 May 1947 - Switzerland 0 England 0, Genève		AD	unused sub
234		25 May 1947 - Portugal 0 England 10, Estádio Nacional, Lisboa		AW	unused sub

Club: Hull City F.C. - no full appearances

Age 34
239	10 April 1948 - Scotland 0 England 2, Hampden Park, Glasgow	BC	AW	reserve

Notes

RAICH CARTER, 'The Great Horatio', was by common consent the finest English inside-forward of his generation. But for the Second World War which sliced his footballing career in two, he would have won many more than his 13 full international appearances, though that relatively meagre total - relative, that is, to his immense talent - might have had a bit to do with an impatient, abrasive side to his character.

Carter was that rare being, a magnificent maker and taker of goals, and were he playing today his transfer valuation would surely be astronomical. During his peak years and beyond, when his black hair had turned prematurely to a distinguished silver, he cut an imperious figure, radiating self-confidence as he strutted around the pitch, invariably dictating the course of a game. Some would (and did) call him arrogant, but there was no denying the Carter class. He shot thunderously with either foot, especially his left; his ball control was impeccable and his body-swerve little short of sublime; and, crucially, he possessed the intelligence to put these natural gifts to maximum use.

He could roll immaculate passes through the tiniest of gaps, sometimes seeming to shred defences at will, and much of his work alongside Stanley Matthews, when the two formed a right-wing pair for England, was breathtaking. Indeed, few men appreciated the footballing needs of 'The Wizard of Dribble' as Carter did, and, certainly from this distance, the reluctance of the selection committee (this was well before the days of the all-powerful team boss) to use them in tandem more regularly appears incomprehensible.

The Wearsider Raich, the son of a professional footballer, exuded all-round sporting ability from an early age, his magnificent athleticism making light of a lack of physical stature. By 1927 he was playing for England Schoolboys and in 1930 he joined Leicester City on trial, only to be released because he was 'too small'.

His home town club, Sunderland, had no such qualms, and earlier thoughts of an engineering career were jettisoned as he progressed rapidly to first-team status. Thereafter Carter's rise became positively meteoric. In 1934 he made his full England debut, against Scotland at Wembley; two years on he inspired an essentially ordinary Sunderland team to the League championship, becoming the youngest title-winning skipper in the process; in 1937 he was the star turn as the Rokerites beat Preston North End to lift the FA Cup. Thus, at 23, Raich Carter had won every honour then available to a footballer.

Nevertheless, his international appearances were spasmodic and it was not until 1943, when that other splendid inside-forward Wilf Mannion was drafted into the army, that Carter was recalled to the England side on anything like a regular basis.

Having joined the RAF and been stationed at a pilot rehabilitation centre at Loughborough, it was convenient for Carter to guest for nearby Derby County while the conflict continued, and when peace resumed the Rams had seen enough of him to make the arrangement permanent. Accordingly they paid some pounds 8,000 for his services, a transaction of which Carter, not a man renowned for false modesty, remarked later: 'Sunderland were silly to sell me and Derby were lucky to get me.'

At the Baseball Ground, he linked up with the brilliant Irishman Peter Doherty, and together they helped Derby win the first post-war FA Cup Final. That same year, 1946, Carter furnished further proof of his all-round prowess by appearing in three first-class cricket matches for Derbyshire and might have flourished in the summer game but for his football commitments.

As it was, having won his last cap in 1947 at the age of 33, he moved to comparatively humble Hull City for a pounds 6,000 fee in 1948, initially as player/assistant boss but within a month as fully fledged player/manager. A year later, while still taking an active part on the pitch - 'I am determined to play on as long as I can raise a gallop,' he said - he led his charges to the Third Division (North) championship, and what seemed likely to be a successful management career was underway.

Carter upset some followers when he declared: 'My aim is to play high-class football and let the result take care of itself.' But his acquisition of high-quality performers such as Neil Franklin and Don Revie signalled that he would not be content to linger idealistically in the Second Division. However, having not achieved the promotion he had expected, Carter ever the perfectionist, resigned in September 1951. He returned for the second half of the season as a player only, showing much of his old flair, and when he made his final Football League appearance that spring he had scored 216 goals in 451 outings. Those creative feet were still itchy, however, and in 1953, his 40th year, he spent half a season with Cork Athletic, helping them to win the Irish equivalent of the FA Cup.

Clearly Carter had more to contribute and later that year he took over the reins of Leeds United, guiding them to promotion to the top flight in 1956. Nevertheless, his intolerance of lesser talents rustled plenty of feathers at Elland Road and after his best player, John Charles, had departed for Italy, results declined and he was dismissed.

Come 1960 Carter was back in circulation as manager of Mansfield Town, whom he led out of the Fourth Division in 1963, after he which he moved up to Middlesbrough. Sadly, at Ayresome Park he experienced the leanest time of his life in soccer and with the club on the brink of relegation to the Third Division, he was sacked in 1966.

Thereafter Carter worked in the sports department of a Hull store and then ran a business in the town before retiring to nearby Willerby, suffering a severe stroke last year. During his latter years he was disdainful of modern trends in the game, but once, looking back, he admitted there could be no finer life than a footballer's. He could have added, with truth, that there had been few finer footballers than he. - The Independent Obituary

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CG