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Players Index Page Last Updated
5 January 2022
 
 

Ray Kennedy

Liverpool FC
17 appearances, 3 goals (1 on debut)

P 17 W 8 D 4 L 5 F 26: A 14
*(actual F 24: A 13)
59% successful
1976-80

disciplined: none
captain: none
minutes played: 1304

Timeline
  Raymond Kennedy (*Actual for and against are the goals scored
while the player was on the field.)
Birth Saturday, 28 July 1951 at 24 Milbourne Terrace, Seaton Delaval, Northumberland [registered in Northumberland South, September 1951]. To Martin Kennedy and Florence Veronica (née Armstrong).
notes At the age of three, lived at 55 Foremans Row and later Tillmouth Avenue five years later. He attended Seaton Delaval Primary School and Astley Community School.
Marriage to Jennifer J. Lochey [registered in Northumberland South, December 1971].
Death Tuesday, 30 November 2021, aged 70 years 125 days, following a long battle with Parkinson's Disease
Funeral Monday, 20 December 2021 at Tynemouth Crematorium, Walton Avenue in North Shields

Source

 Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &
Biographies Ray of Hope: The Ray Kennedy Story - Ray Kennedy and Dr Andrew Lees (Penguin Books, 1994)
 

x. - A Football Compendium, Peter J. Seddon (1999).

Playing Career

Club(s)		 Played schoolboy football with his school team and South Northumberland Boys. After being scouted by Bill Emery, Ray signed schoolboy forms with Port Vale FC in the summer of 1966, but was released by the manager, Sir Stanley Matthews, in March 1967, allegedly for being too slow, but in reality, the Valiants could not afford the £500 signing-on fee they would have to pay to sign a schoolboy, Ray was one of ten schoolboys allowed to leave. He returned to Seaton Delaval and joined New Hartley Juniors FC, it was while playing in another final for the Juniors that he was spotted by the Arsenal FC scouts, the Emerson brothers, and after successful trials, Ray signed apprentice forms on 6 May 1968, he signed professional forms on 11 November 1968 and embarked on a successful Arsenal revival under Bertie Mee and coach Don Howe, Arsenal then paid New Hartley Juniors ten guineas. When it was known Kennedy was unsettled, he joined Liverpool FC on 12 July 1974 for £200,000. Over the 1981 Christmas period, Kennedy was having talks with Sunderland AFC, who agreed terms to sign him for £175,000 on 3 January 1982, however, the deal fell through and he joined John Toshack's Swansea City FC on 26 January 1982 for £160,000. He was given the captaincy, but after a falling out with Toshack, he was stripped of the armband and played in the reserves. After being played on the transfer list in the March, he was allowed to leave on 28 October 1983 following the clubs entry into administration. Despite interest from Newcastle United FC and Middlesbrough FC, he joined Hartlepool United FC on 2 December, remaining until the end of the season, when he was instrumental in getting the votes to keep United in the Football League. Following a holiday to Cyprus in the summer, Kennedy became the player coach of Pezpolikos FC in August 1984, but his increasing health issues forced his resignation the following January. As tragically, at the age of 35, and on 4 November 1984, Ray was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. Despite the diagnosis, he signed with Colin Todd at Ashington Town FC on 22 February 1985, but only managed six appearances.
On 11 January 1987, the world knew about Kennedy's illness.

League honours
488+10 appearances, 109 goals
two red cards		 Arsenal FC 1969-74 156+two appearances, 53 goals
debut: (sub) 18 October 1969 Sunderland AFC 1 Arsenal FC 1.
Liverpool FC 1974-81 272+three appearances, 51 goals
debut: 31 August 1974 Chelsea FC 0 Liverpool FC 3.
Swansea City FC 1982-83 42 appearances, three goals
debut: 30 January 1982 Swansea City FC 2 Manchester United FC 0.
Hartlepool United FC 1983-84 eighteen+five appearances, three goals.
debut (division four): 17 December 1983 Reading FC 5 Hartlepool United FC 1.
Last (division four): 21 April 1984 Darlington FC 2 Hartlepool United FC 0.

Youth honours		 With Astley Comprehensive School, in his final year, 1965-66, they were Blake Cup winners, Kennedy was the captain in the two-legged final. They also won the school league. In his only season with New Hartley Juinors FC, 1967-68, Ray was a part of the most successful season the team had experienced. Ray had scored 56 goals, his strike partner, England schoolboy international Ian Watts, had scored 86. Winners of the Northumberland FA Junior Cup, the East Northumberland Junior League Cup, the North-East Youth Challenge Cup, the East Northumberland Junior League Charlton Trophy, the Tynemouth Junior League Challenge Cup, the Magpie Trophy and the East Northumberland Junior League.  His first experience with the Arsenal FC youth team was in a tournament in Switzerland, of which Arsenal lost the Final.
Club honours UEFA Fairs Cup winners 1969-70;
Football League Champions 1970-71 (21 apps, 19ᵍ), 1975-76 (30, 6ᵍ), 1976-77 (41, 7ᵍ), 1978-79 (42, 10ᵍ), 1979-80 (40, 9ᵍ), 1981-82 (15, 2ᵍ), runners-up 1972-73 (34, 9ᵍ), 1974-75 (25, 5ᵍ), 1977-78 (41, 4ᵍ);
FA Cup winners 1970-71 (9, 2ᵍ), runners-up 1971-72 (8, 2ᵍ), 1976-77 (8, 1ᵍ);
FA Charity Shield shared 1974, 1977, winners 1976, 1979, 1980;
UEFA Cup winners 1975-76;
UEFA European Cup winners 1976-77, 1977-78, 1980-81;
UEFA European Super Cup winners 1977 runners-up 1978;
Football League Cup runners-up 1977-78 winners 1980-81;
FA Charity Shield runners-up
Welsh Cup winners 1981-82, 1982-83;
Individual honours BBC Match of the Day Goal of the Season 1978-79, Liverpool FC vs. Derby County FC, Football League Division One, 24 February 1979.
Ballon d'Or =26th 1977;
Distinctions x
Height/Weight 5' 11", 13st. 4lbs [1978].

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & Ray of Hope.

England Career
Player number One of six who became the 910th players (915) to appear for England.
Position(s) Midfielder
First match No. 497, 24 March 1976, Wales 1 England 2, a Welsh F.A. centenary celebration match at The Racecourse Ground, Mold Road, Wrexham, aged 24 years 240 days.
Last match No. 545, 15 June 1980, England 0 Italy 1, a European Championship Finals group match at Stadio Comunale di Torino, Santa Rita, Torino, aged 28 years 292 days.
Major tournaments UEFA European Championship Finals 1980;
British Championship 1975-76, 1976-77, 1979-80;
Team honours None
Individual honours x
Distinctions Ray's grandmother's cousins were the talented Stephenson brother's, George and Clem.
The thirtieth Northumbrian to represent England.
Died eighteen days after Ron Flowers.

Beyond England
After his release from Port Vale FC in 1967, Kennedy secured his first paying job at JW Welch's, Whitley Bay, as a trainee sugar boiler. At the time of his diagnosis, Ray and his wife were running the Melton Constable public house in Seaton Sluice, Northumberland. He was appointed as a part-time coach at Sunderland AFC on 6  February 1987, the job became full time in the April.


The Numbers
Squads Apps comp. apps Starts substitute unused minutes goals ave.min comp. goals captain
- 17 11 14 ▲3
▼2		 tbc 1304 3 435 min 2 none none
minutes are an approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stick to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors.
P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
17 8 4 5 26 14 +12 4 8 1.529 0.824 58.8 +3

Venue Record

Venue P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 7 4 1 2 15 4 +11 2 4 2.143 0.571 64.3 +2
Away 9 4 2 3 10 9 +1 2 4 1.111 1.00 55.6 +1
Neutral 1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1.00 1.00 50.0 =0

Shirt Record

Colour P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
White 15 8 2 5 25 13 +12 3 7 1.667 0.867 60.0 +3
Red 2 0 2 0 1 1 =0 1 1 0.50 0.50 50.0 =0

Competition Record

Competition P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L

WCP

 2 2 0 0 7 0 +7 0 2 3.50 0.00 100.0 +2
WCF 0 0 0 0 0 0 =0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 =0
World Cup 2 2 0 0 7 0 +7 0 2 3.50 0.00 100.0 +2

ECP

 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 0 1 2.00 0.00 100.0 +1
ECF 2 0 1 1 1 2 -1 1 0 0.50 1.00 25.0 -1
European Championship 3 1 1 1 3 2 +1 1 1 1.00 0.667 50.0 =0
British Championship 6 2 0 4 8 9 -1 1 2 1.333 1.50 33.3 -2
Friendly 6 3 3 0 8 3 +5 2 3 1.333 0.50 75.0 +3
All 17 8 4 5 26 14 +12 4 8 1.529 0.824 58.8 +3

Tournament Record

World Cup Preliminary Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
WCP 1976-78 2 2 0 0 7 0 +7 0 2 3.50 0.00 100.0 +2
WCP All 2 2 0 0 7 0 +7 0 2 3.50 0.00 100.0 +2

European Championship Preliminary Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
ECP 1978-80 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 0 1 2.00 0.00 100.0 +1
ECP All 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 0 1 2.00 0.00 100.0 +1
European Championship Finals Tournament
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
ECF 1980 2 0 1 1 1 2 -1 1 0 0.50 1.00 25.0 -1
ECF All 2 0 1 1 1 2 -1 1 0 0.50 1.00 25.0 -1
European Championship
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
EC 1978-80 3 1 1 1 3 2 +1 1 1 1.00 0.667 50.0 =0
EC All 3 1 1 1 3 2 +1 1 1 1.00 0.667 50.0 =0

British Championship Tournament
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1975-76 3 2 0 1 6 2 +4 0 2 2.00 0.667 66.7 +1
BC 1976-77 2 0 0 2 1 3 -2 1 0 0.50 1.50 0.00 -2
BC 1979-80 1 0 0 1 1 4 -3 0 0 1.00 4.00 0.00 -1
BC All 6 2 0 4 8 9 -1 1 2 1.333 1.50 33.3 -2

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
WC 2 2 0 0 7 0 +7 0 2 3.50 0.00 100.0 +2
EC 3 1 1 1 3 2 +1 1 1 1.00 0.667 50.0 =0
BC 6 2 0 4 8 9 -1 1 2 1.333 1.50 33.3 -2
11 5 1 5 18 11 +7 2 5 1.636 1.00 50.0 =0

Match History

 Club: Liverpool F.C. - seventeen full appearances (1304 min) 3ᵍ

manager: Don Revie - nine full appearances (672 min) 2ᵍx


Age 24
1 497 24 March 1976 - Wales 1 England 2
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham		 Fr AW 70 10
  

One of six who became the 910th players (915) to appear for England.
One of three who became the thirtieth player from Liverpool FC to represent England.

2 498 8 May 1976 - Wales 0 England 1
Ninian Park, Cardiff
BC		 AW   10
3 499 11 May 1976 - England 4 Northern Ireland 0
Wembley Stadium, Wembley		 HW   6
4 500 15 May 1976 - Scotland 2 England 1
Hampden Park, Glasgow 		AL   6
  

Age 25
5 508 30 March 1977 - England 5 Luxembourg 0
Wembley Stadium, Wembley		 WCP HW 65 4
509 28 May 1977 - Northern Ireland 1 England 2, Windsor Park, Belfast
BC		 AW squad/unused sub?
6 510 31 May 1977 - England 0 Wales 1
Wembley Stadium, Wembley		 HL   11
7 511 4 June 1977 - England 1 Scotland 2
Wembley Stadium, Wembley		 HL ▼(0-2) 67 11
8 512 8 June 1977 - Brazil 0 England 0
Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, Rio
tour		 AD ▲(0-0) 70 ?
9 513 12 June 1977 - Argentina 1 England 1
Estadio Camilo Cichero, Buenos Aires		 AD ▲(1-1) ht ?
514 15 June 1977 - Uruguay 0 England 0, Estadio Centenario, Montevideo AD squad/unused sub

 

manager: Ron Greenwood - eight full appearances (632 min) 1ᵍx


Age 26
10 515 7 September 1977 - England 0 Switzerland 0
Wembley Stadium, Wembley		 Fr HD   10
11 516 12 October 1977 - Luxembourg 0 England 2
Stade Municipal, Stad Lëtzebuerg 		WCP AW 90 5
  

Age 28
12 536 22 November 1979 - England 2 Bulgaria 0
Wembley Stadium, Wembley		 ECP HW   10
  
13 538 26 March 1980 - Spain 0 England 2
Nou Estadi del FC Barcelona, Barcelona		 Fr AW   10
14 539 13 May 1980 - England 3 Argentina 1
Wembley Stadium, Wembley		 Fr HW ▼(3-1) 72 11
15 540 17 May 1980 - Wales 4 England 1
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham
BC		 AL   6
541 20 May 1980 - England 1 Northern Ireland 1, Wembley Stadium, Wembley HD squad/unused sub
542 24 May 1980 - Scotland 0 England 2, Hampden Park, Glasgow AW
  
 
ECF		 forward 18x
16 544 12 June 1980 - Belgium 1 England 1
Stadio Comunale di Torino, Torino		 ND ▲(1-1) 70
17 545 15 June 1980 - England 0 Italy 1
Stadio Comunale di Torino, Torino		 AL    
546 18 June 1980 - Spain 1 England 2, Stadio San Paolo, Napoli NW squad/
unused sub
  

 

 
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