RIP Ray Wilkins

[Micky]

Seemed a really nice guy whenever I listened to him. Great footballer - gone far too soon, sadly missed. RIP.

[DT]

Awful news, yes. I suspect the Chelsea games will now take on a new resonance

[countysaint]

True Gentleman, gone far too soon.

Thoughts are with all his family

at this terribly difficult time.

Remembering of course Dean one of his

Brothers as he was a Saint

in the not too distant past.

RIP Ray.

[Saint Garrett]

RIP.

Edited 4 April, 2018 by Saint Garrett

[Secret Site Agent]

RIP Ray.

 

Gone, but not forgotten.

[simo]

Rip Ray one of the last Gentlemen footballers

[SFC Forever]

A true gent gone but never forgotten.

 

R.I.P

[hasper57saint]

RIP Butch.

[um pahars]

Bless him, one of Ron’s 22.

[Crab Lungs]

Repeated over and over again today "a true gentleman". Have to say, it's a similar kind of feeling for me when Sir Bobby Robson passed. RIP, Ray.

[Winnersaint]

Listened to to him fairly regularly on Talksport when he was on, a voice of reason, common sense and an antidote the modern footballing hyperbole perpetrated by TS. Always came across as thoughtful and erudite. Those that knew him speak so highly of him as a man and as footballer. Played at the highest level in England and Italy. Not many Englishmen these days can boast that! Genuinely sad day.

[tobes8]

Very sad news. Great footballer and also enjoyed listening to him as a pundit.

[Badger]

Was probably underrated as a player despite all the tributes being paid tonight.

 

I remember talking to him in The Dell car park after the FA Cup match in 1977 when as a youngster I was collecting autographs. He was the Chelsea captain at the time but happy to sign autographs and talk. He told me he was a great fan of Peter Osgood as a player, who at the time he was rumoured to be unsettled with Saints. I was a bit surprised even then how open Ray Wilkins was talking about it, said he'd love to see him back at the Bridge, couldn't see it happening, but we'd certainly miss him if he left us.

 

At the time I thought Wilkins a nice bloke, but it was some years later when I fully appreciated the fact he'd taken time to talk when he could easily have walked past to get into the warm coach (this was early January).

 

Contrast this with a fast forward to 2005 when my son was looking to collect autographs and the attitude of the modern players.

[Matthew Le God]

Was probably underrated as a player despite all the tributes being paid tonight.

 

An England captain with 84 caps and played for Chelsea, Manchester Utd and AC Milan. Who was he underrated by?

[Maggie May]

Obviously thoughts with his brother Dean, who was a big part of our promotion push.

[eurosaint]

I spoke to him at a sportsman's dinner at QPR many years ago and he was exactly as described by so many - charming and approachable !

So sad that he has been taken so early !

RIP Butch.

[East Kent Saint]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43644865

Good report jogged my memory , shocked that it was all 30 odd years ago

[Badger]

An England captain with 84 caps and played for Chelsea, Manchester Utd and AC Milan. Who was he underrated by?

 

By many, who saw him as a plodding midfielder and master of the sideways pass. His "failing" was probably seen as due to the fact he wasn't Brian Robson who was portrayed as the ultimate 'box to box' type player in the late 70's/early 80's.

 

This BBC article references the issue.

 

He acquired an unfair reputation for a conservative playing style, with one cruel nickname of 'The Crab' mocking his supposed preference for sideways passes.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43644865

 

I think in later years his range of passing became more appreciated.

[sadoldgit]

An England captain with 84 caps and played for Chelsea, Manchester Utd and AC Milan. Who was he underrated by?

 

He got a lot of stick for allegedly playing "sideways football." So much so he was nicknamed "The Crab." He was an early exponent of possession football which upset a lot of people at the time who wanted to see the ball launched into the box at every opportunity. I remember a lot of debates at the time about whether he should be in the England team at the time, so yes, he was underrated by some.

[sadoldgit]

Sorry Badger, hadn't read your post when I responded to MLT.

[jasonb]

Sorry Badger, hadn't read your post when I responded to MLT.

 

I enjoyed the double rebuttal so all good from me

[Sheaf Saint]

Just seen this on Twitter...

 

[SuperSAINT]

Just seen this on Twitter...

 

 

Just came on here to post that. What a great story.

 

I think it's telling how many people from Sky Sports who posted how he phoned them when they were all going through difficult times, told what a nice man he was.

 

RIP Ray.

[the saint in winchester]

Similar memories being told on Talksport last night ...

 

* ex- youth-player told of Wilkins would drive him home after the day, then park up and have a kickabout with the boys on the estate

* Wilkins was staying at a hotel and a guy needed directions to a location. Wilkins left his group having dinner, walked out with the guy who was expecting some finger pointed directions. Instead Wilkins took the sat nav out of his own car and gave it to the fella (no indication of its return)

 

Sobering stories reminding us of how we interact with others leaves a lasting impression. I was driving with tears rolling down my face.

 

RIP Ray. What a thoroughly decent guy he was. No superiority with him, he treated prince and pauper the same.

[Toadhall Saint]

So sad RIP

[Whitey Grandad]

Another sad loss. I read at the weekend that he had suffered a serious heart attack and was not surprised to see that he did not survive it. I take a personal interest in such things because I too was 61 when I suffered my heart attack which fortunately was only a modest one. Alan Ball died of a heart attack at the age of 61 too and Markus was only a few months older when he also suffered the same fate.

 

Let's be thankful for what he was as a man as well as a footballer.

 

My thoughts are with his family.

[Badger]

Sorry Badger, hadn't read your post when I responded to MLT.

 

Not at all sadoldgit, I'm just pleased someone else had the same recollection and that it wasn't just something trapped in my imagination.

[Saint Billy]

One of football’s gentlemen, very sad news.

[stknowle]

Very sad indeed. Always came across as such an amiable, friendly man. RIP fella.

[Lord Duckhunter]

I guess we're overlooking his 3 drink driving convictions the past 5 years and the countless times he'd endangered innocent people's lives by driving whilst intoxicated. Yeah, lets overlook it because he was a decent "fella". Sorry he passed, sorry for his family & RIP and all that. But the saint hood that had been bestowed on him the past couple of days is nauseating. I lost someone from school because of somebody like Wilkins, so I'm sorry but I won't be joining in the mass eulogies

 

 

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Edited 5 April, 2018 by Lord Duckhunter

[whelk]

I guess we're overlooking his 3 drink driving convictions the past 5 years and the countless times he'd endangered innocent people's lives by driving whilst intoxicated. Yeah, lets overlook it because he was a decent "fella". Sorry he passed, sorry for his family & RIP and all that. But the saint hood that had been bestowed on him the past couple of days is nauseating.

 

 

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That’s the spirit

[simo]

I guess we're overlooking his 3 drink driving convictions the past 5 years and the countless times he'd endangered innocent people's lives by driving whilst intoxicated. Yeah, lets overlook it because he was a decent "fella". Sorry he passed, sorry for his family & RIP and all that. But the saint hood that had been bestowed on him the past couple of days is nauseating. I lost someone from school because of somebody like Wilkins, so I'm sorry but I won't be joining in the mass eulogies

 

 

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If ever there was any more proof needed that you were a c u n t there it is !

[Lord Duckhunter]

If ever there was any more proof needed that you were a c u n t there it is !

 

Tell that to the parents of my school mate who got killed by a drunk driver. I'd rather be a c u n t that posts shiete on a forum than a c u n t who fawns over a drink driver. But don't worry I'm done on this thread, it's making me ill reading all the tributes to St Butch. Just bear this in mind, it wasn't one mistake, one instance . He got caught 3 times in half a dozen years, he could easily of killed someone's kid. Whose the c u n t then.

 

 

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Edited 5 April, 2018 by Lord Duckhunter

[simo]

Tell that to the parents of my school mate who got killed by a drunk driver. I'd rather be a c u n t that posts shiete on a forum than a c u n t who fawns over a drink driver. But don't worry I'm done on this thread, it's making me ill reading all the tributes to St Butch. Just bear this in mind, it wasn't one mistake, one instance . He got caught 3 times in half a dozen years, he could easily of killed someone's kid. Whose the c u n t then.

 

 

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If they know you they won't need me to tell them what you're like ! Try having a dig when he's alive a thread about his death isn't the place for your crap like they say "if you don't have anything good to say , say nothing" .

[sadoldgit]

Alcohol addition is now known as an illness and one that he was very open and honest about. Many players from the 60's, 70's and 80's came from a drinking culture. It killed George Best, messed up the likes of Jimmy Greaves, Paul Gascoigne and could well of been responsible for Wilkins' early demise. Yes, drink driving is wrong, but does alcohol dependency make you a bad person or just a flawed individual? I used to drink drive all the time in the 70's and I bet plenty of others here did and still do now. I am thankful that I never became dependent and feel for those that do but dont see why someone should be vilified after their death for having an illness that clearly made their own life more difficult.

[whelk]

Alcohol addition is now known as an illness and one that he was very open and honest about. Many players from the 60's, 70's and 80's came from a drinking culture. It killed George Best, messed up the likes of Jimmy Greaves, Paul Gascoigne and could well of been responsible for Wilkins' early demise. Yes, drink driving is wrong, but does alcohol dependency make you a bad person or just a flawed individual? I used to drink drive all the time in the 70's and I bet plenty of others here did and still do now. I am thankful that I never became dependent and feel for those that do but dont see why someone should be vilified after their death for having an illness that clearly made their own life more difficult.

 

Indeed. Let he who is without sin....

[Saint Billy]

Alcohol addition is now known as an illness and one that he was very open and honest about. Many players from the 60's, 70's and 80's came from a drinking culture. It killed George Best, messed up the likes of Jimmy Greaves, Paul Gascoigne and could well of been responsible for Wilkins' early demise. Yes, drink driving is wrong, but does alcohol dependency make you a bad person or just a flawed individual? I used to drink drive all the time in the 70's and I bet plenty of others here did and still do now. I am thankful that I never became dependent and feel for those that do but dont see why someone should be vilified after their death for having an illness that clearly made their own life more difficult.

 

Good point.

[Lord Duckhunter]

Alcohol addition is now known as an illness and one that he was very open and honest about. Many players from the 60's, 70's and 80's came from a drinking culture. It killed George Best, messed up the likes of Jimmy Greaves, Paul Gascoigne and could well of been responsible for Wilkins' early demise. Yes, drink driving is wrong, but does alcohol dependency make you a bad person or just a flawed individual? I used to drink drive all the time in the 70's and I bet plenty of others here did and still do now. I am thankful that I never became dependent and feel for those that do but dont see why someone should be vilified after their death for having an illness that clearly made their own life more difficult.

 

Did you say the same when Luke McCormick, Plymouth keeper killed those two nippers.

 

Had there been any perspective put on the tributes I wouldn’t have posted. But nowhere in all the gushing “he was a true gentlemen”, “was a lovely fella” type love fest on here or in the media did anyone mention that he was a flawed individual or that he had issues. I even heard him called a role model on the radio, someone on here’s compared him to Sir Bobby Robson . Had he killed someone whilst driving ****ed, he’d have been vilified, called a monster etc. Nobody would be defending him as having an illness if that happened. So he’s called a gentleman, a role model, not because he didn’t drive whilst incapable of standing up, but because he didn’t kill someone when he did. If that’s a gentleman god help us.

 

 

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Edited 7 April, 2018 by Lord Duckhunter

[SuperSAINT]

Similar memories being told on Talksport last night ...

 

* ex- youth-player told of Wilkins would drive him home after the day, then park up and have a kickabout with the boys on the estate

* Wilkins was staying at a hotel and a guy needed directions to a location. Wilkins left his group having dinner, walked out with the guy who was expecting some finger pointed directions. Instead Wilkins took the sat nav out of his own car and gave it to the fella (no indication of its return)

 

Sobering stories reminding us of how we interact with others leaves a lasting impression. I was driving with tears rolling down my face.

 

RIP Ray. What a thoroughly decent guy he was. No superiority with him, he treated prince and pauper the same.

 

This is another remarkable story:

[sadoldgit]

Did you say the same when Luke McCormick, Plymouth keeper killed those two nippers.

 

Had there been any perspective put on the tributes I wouldn’t have posted. But nowhere in all the gushing “he was a true gentlemen”, “was a lovely fella” type love fest on here or in the media did anyone mention that he was a flawed individual or that he had issues. I even heard him called a role model on the radio, someone on here’s compared him to Sir Bobby Robson . Had he killed someone whilst driving ****ed, he’d have been vilified, called a monster etc. Nobody would be defending him as having an illness if that happened. So he’s called a gentleman, a role model, not because he didn’t drive whilst incapable of standing up, but because he didn’t kill someone when he did. If that’s a gentleman god help us.

 

 

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So you have never done anything illegal? Never taken drugs? Remind me again how many people Ray Wilkins has killed? A lot of people clearly have a great deal of respect for him, despite his weakness. Speaks volumes for the man. No one is perfect. Perhaps you would be happier if everyone who died had their dirty washing aired in public? No one has brushed his drinking problems under the carpet, but the good he did in his life clearly outweighs the bad. If you can’t see that perhaps you have been smoking too much weed Duckie?