Born on September 14th 1956 in Hillingdon, into a footballing family, with his father and three brothers involved in the game, Wilkins played in the midfield. He first played for the well known East London, Sunday League side SENRAB and then began his professional career at Chelsea (179 apps/30 goals) where he was appointed captain at the age of 18, and he later played for prestigious clubs including Manchester United (160/7), A.C. Milan (73/2), QPR (154/7) and Scotland's Rangers. In Total he made 848 apps/62 goals. with other clubs such as PSG, CP, WW, The Lions, LO! No prizes but can you guess?
He won 84 caps for England from 1976 to 1986, playing at UEFA Euros 1980 and in the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. He made 84 apps for England and scored 3 (yes...three) goals!
Remember this? Wilkins became the first Englishman to be sent off at the World Cup in a goalless draw with Morocco in 1986. He threw the ball in protest at the Paraguyan ref, Gonzalez, for being deemed offside. He was suspended for the next two games and was not reinstated by the time the quarter final against Argentina came round, a game which England lost 2–1.
After his playing career ended, he worked as a television pundit and as a coach and manager with Queens Park Rangers, Fulham, Watford, Millwall and Chelsea. He managed the national teams of Jordan at the 2015 Asian World Cup and his last coaching job was as the assistant manager of Aston Villa later that year. Ray also coached at national level with England U21s.
Ray Wilkins' death, on the 4th April 2018, at a young 61 years old, was fully covered on radio and tv and many of his finer moments and perhaps some not so fine, were published in his obituaries in various papers, here are a few:
Suited as he was to the Italian "game" he was accused of slowing the game down and passing sideways too much, a manner that earned him a nickname of "the crab".Tommy Docherty announced that "he can't run, he can't tackle and he can't head the ball". The only time he goes forward is for the coin toss.
He became a cult figure when he featured in "Tango" orange drink. "The big fella run in from the left and he gives him a good slappin," "Super taste sensation, smashing drink. Lovely".
Due to his penchant for flamboyant and colourful and sometimes effeminate outfits his father ironically named him "Butch".
He also was often photographed for teeny-bopper magazines along with good looking team mate Gary Stanley-they were known as Starsky and Butch.
In 1974 when made captain at Chelsea at 18 years old the responsibility was too much and led to a dependency on Valium, which he took before games to help him sleep.
As a practical joker and with considerable intelligence, his favourite trick was to nail Bryan Robson's boots to the changing room floor.
When he was at Rangers, his manager, Graham Souness was player manager and a bit of a hot head. When he came on as a sub with ten minutes ago, Wilkins arranged for the team not to pass to Souness. Souness went off on one when he got the team into the changing room at the end of the game.
Wilkins was appointed MBE in 1993.
His spell in Italy allowed him to learn to speak Italian which helped him much later during his pundit career.Hours after his death, Milan played rivals Inter Milan in the Derby Della Maddonina at the San Siro. His former captain Franco Baresi laid a bouquet of flowers next to Wilkins' shirt by the side of the pitch. A section of Milan fans held aloft a banner which read "Ciao Ray: Leggenda Rossonera".
As he got older, balder and fatter, he was mercilessly teased about his resemblance to Uncle Fester in The Addams Family tv series.
Actually he was on steroids for 30 years, hoping to treat his colitis.
He developed alcoholism, blamed on the illness. He had a troubled final few years, including time in the Priory. Bless him.
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