*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Johnny Ray
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Appearances: 79+1 Goals: 36
Date / Year of birth: 25th May 1941
Position: Striker
Season of first appearance: 1969/70
Season of last appearance: 1970/71
Also played for: APV Crawley, Lewes, Chelsea (0), Canterbury City, Dover, Romford and Bexley United
6' 0" tall opportunist goalscorer born in Falmer who started his career with APV Crawley. Johnny then had a spell with Lewes before being signed by Chelsea.
Whilst at Stamford Bridge he played in Chelsea's youth and 'A' teams alongside the likes of Peter Bonetti, Bobby Tambling, Terry Venables and future Margate full-back Dennis Butler. In April 1959 Johnny played in the London Minor Cup Final against QPR at Loftus Road and another highlight came when he scored a hat-trick as Chelsea beat Cannes 6-0 in a floodlit friendly played at the French club's stadium.
After being released by Chelsea Johnny joined Southern League club Canterbury for the 1960/61 campaign. He became a prolific scorer for City and in six seasons with the club he was top scorer on five occasions. Johnny managed a total of 80 league goals in 192 league appearances for City. During the 1961/62 season he was sent off after a clash with Terry Joyce in a Canterbury v Margate match and he was also sent off for City during the 1962/63 campaign.
In August 1966 Johnny moved to Dover and he scored 70 goals during three seasons at Crabble. His tally included 41 during 1966/67 and on 3.4.67 he scored a hat-trick as Dover won 5-0 at Margate in the 1st Leg of the Kent Senior Cup Final.
In the summer of 1969 Johnny moved to Margate and made his debut in a 1-0 win over Brentwood at Hartsdown Park on 11.8.69. He backed up his reputation as being one of the Southern League's best goal-poachers by scoring 30 goals in 58 appearances during the 1969/70 season. Johnny was referred to as Margate's "star forward" and "sharpshooter-in-chief" by the local paper during the campaign and he was especially effective in the air. He scored in a 7-2 defeat at home to Aldershot in the FA Cup 1st Round on 15.11.69 and also found the net with several solo efforts during the season. The best of them saw Johnny beat two players before firing home in a 3-1 win over Dover on 27.12.69.
On 2.2.70 he was sent off for kicking Ramsgate's player-manager Les Riggs and the three week ban he was given in April 1970 brought his season to a premature end.
Johnny began the 1970/71 season by scoring in an opening day win at Telford on 15.8.70 and he'd scored a total of three goals when he broke his wrist in a 1-1 draw with Hillingdon at Hartsdown Park on 17.10.70. The injury kept him out until January 1971. Johnny scored three further goals after his return but he soon fell out of favour. Player-manager Gerry Baker thought that Johnny didn't make enough effort but the local paper said that he was "much under-rated".
The result was that Johnny's contract was cancelled by mutual consent in March 1971, he'd scored six times in 22 appearances (one as sub) during the season.
He then moved to Romford before signing for Bexley in the summer of 1972.
After his football career finished he changed direction completely and began working in agriculture / horticulture.
In 2002 Johnny was still working for a private estate in West Sussex and kept himself trim - he was the same weight he'd been during his football career.
In November 2013 Johnny was retired and still living in West Sussex. He sadly died on 10.3.14 at the age of 72.
His father Cecil was a prolific striker in the 1930's who scored a remarkable 175 goals in just three seasons with Lewes before being signed by Aldershot in 1935. He found the net 39 times in 92 Football League outings for the Shots and later played for Cuckfield.
Johnny completed a questionnaire for this site which you can see here.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC | |
|
1969/70 (MFC) |
58 (72) |
0 |
30 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (13TH OF 22) |
1R |
3QR |
3R |
RU |
RU |
|
Played and scored in FA Cup 1st Round (15.11.69 - lost 7-2 at home to Aldershot). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC | |
|
1970/71 (MFC) |
21 (72) |
1 |
6 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (13TH OF 22) |
1R |
1R |
SF |
QF |
GR |