Ray Charnley
Encyclopedia
Raymond Ogden "Ray" Charnley (29 May 1935 – 15 November 2009) was an English
professional footballer. He was a centre forward and was one of the most prolific scorers for Blackpool
, with whom he spent ten years, including all but one season in the top flight
of English football.
With 193 goals in 363 league games, Charnley is the third-highest scorer in Blackpool's history, behind Jimmy Hampson
and Stan Mortensen
.
In a playing career spanning eighteen years, Charnley also played for Morecambe
(with whom he began and ended his career), Preston North End
, Wrexham
and Bradford Park Avenue
. He scored a total of 293 career league goals in 605 games.
He won one England
cap
, in 1962.
, Charnley started out as a teenager in the Preston North End
B team. When the team was disbanded, he joined North Lancashire and District Football League
side Bolton-le-Sands
. He later signed as a part-time professional with non-League
Morecambe
, in the Lancashire Combination
, joining them from for £15 in September 1954, whilst also working as a painter and decorater apprentice.
He made his Morecambe debut on 29 September, in a 5-2 defeat at Lancaster City
in the Lancashire Combination Cup. In his three seasons at Christie Park
he was a regular scorer. In the 1956-57 season he scored 31 goals in 37 league games and 12 goals in 15 cup games.
, who were then in the First Division
, the top flight of English football, for £750. He was bought by then-manager Joe Smith
. After being injured in pre-season training, the 22-year-old first played three reserve-team games before making his first-team debut in September, a 2–0 defeat at Luton Town
. A month later, he scored two goals in Blackpool's record home victory, 7-0 against Sunderland
, before being forced to leave the game with a severely gashed head. He ended the 1957–58 season as the club's third-highest scorer, with 12 goals in 20 games, behind Jackie Mudie
and Bill Perry
, who both netted 18. At the end of the season he was voted as the club's "most promising player".
Charnley eventually teamed up with Jackie Mudie, a move inspired by Joe Smith and later used to good effect by his successor as Blackpool manager, Ron Suart
. Charnley was the Seasiders' top scorer for nine seasons., including five consecutive seasons starting in 1958–59, when he scored a total of 26 goals (20 in 35 league games and six in six games in the FA Cup
). He had started that season by scoring three goals in the first two games. Then, after scoring against Aston Villa
in a 1–1 draw on 20 September 1958, he collided with Villa goalkeeper Nigel Sims
and suffered a broken clavicle
, which caused him to miss the next seven games. On 4 April 1959, he scored his first league hat-trick
, in a 3-0 win over Leeds United
.
He again scored three goals in his first two games in 1959–60; however, he then went five games without scoring and was relegated to the reserve team. After eight games in the second string, he returned to the first team, scoring a hat-trick in a 4-2 win over Leeds United on 5 March 1960. He finished the season on 18 goals. In 1960–61, Blackpool struggled against relegation. On 15 April 1961, he scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory over Newcastle United
at Bloomfield Road
, a result that secured safety for Blackpool. He finished the season on 27 goals.
His most goals came in 1961–62: 36 goals (30 in the league and six in the League Cup
). He had started the season with eight goals in eight games. On 20 January 1962 he scored four goals in a 7–2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers
. Then on 3 February, against Nottingham Forest
he scored his 100th league goal in only his 156th game — a record only marginally beaten by Harry Bedford
— playing his best football alongside Alan Ball.
He scored Blackpool's opening goal of the 1962–63 season, in a 2–1 victory over Liverpool
at Anfield
. He scored two hat-tricks that season — firstly, in a 4–0 win over Aston Villa on 29 March 1963, and then in a 6–3 victory over Birmingham City
on 20 April. The following season was the first time time he did not score in his first game, but he then scored one in each of the next two games. After a run of eight goals in 24 games, he was left out of the side. In March 1964, he was placed on the transfer list, before being removed when no other club came in for him. Alan Ball finished the season as the leading scorer in the league, with 13 goals to Charnley's ten. However, Charnley was overall top scorer as he also scored five in cup games. The 1964–65 season saw Charnley score eight goals in the opening nine games. This occurred while he was on a month-to-month contract because he could not agree the new terms that the club had offered. On 1 October 1964, he signed a new deal, earning £24 a week, with an extra £5 when he played in the first team. That season, he only missed four games through injury and finished with 21 goals.
In May and June 1965, Charnley was a member of the Blackpool squad that played in New Zealand
for the B.O.A.C. Trophy against Sheffield United
. A total of eleven games were played, and Charnley was Blackpool's top scorer, with five goals.
Charnley, once again, began the 1965–66 season by scoring in the opening game, a 2–2 draw with Fulham
. He missed just one game all season and lead, jointly with Alan Ball, the scoring in the league, with16 goals, although he was again overall top scorer with another three cup goals. The 1966–67 saw Blackpool finish bottom of the First Division and relegated to the Second Division
, although Charnley was again top scorer on 14 goals. He also scored six goals in the League Cup as Blackpool reached the fifth round, including a hat-trick in a second-round 5–1 win over Manchester United
.
He started the 1967–68 season, with Blackpool then in the Second Division, in typical fashion: scoring in his first game, a 2–0 victory over arch-rivals
Preston North End
; however, after two more league games, and after a home defeat at the hands of Millwall
, Pool manager Stan Mortensen
made the unpopular decision and dropped Charnley into the reserve team, with Gerry Ingram
being moved to centre forward. After eight goals in nine reserve games, Charnley made one more first-team appearance, scoring in a 2–0 win over Crystal Palace
. On 7 December, after a total of 222 goals in 407 games in all competitions, the forward was on his way out of Bloomfield Road, to Preston North End for a transfer fee of £12,500.
In 1968, Charnley signed for Fourth Division
side Wrexham
, scoring a total of seven goals in 24 games in all competitions before moving to Bradford Park Avenue
in January 1969.
They finished bottom of the Fourth Division in the 1968–69 season. The following season they again finished bottom, but this time lost their application for re-election and were voted out of the Football League
and dropped into the Northern Premier League
. He scored fifteen goals in 59 league games for the Avenue that season.
1972, when he scored in a 3-0 home win over Chorley
. In his two stints with Morecambe, Charnley scored a total of 98 goals in 177 appearances in all competitions. After his release, Charnley retired from football, at the age of 37.
cap, in 1962, when he received a call-up for a 1964 European Nations' Cup Preliminary round game against France
on 3 October at Hillsborough
. When asked in later years if he felt bitter about not being picked more for England, Charnley said: "No, I thought I might have been given another chance. But I was not surprised when I was dropped. I just could not get into the match. I think four of the five forwards were making their first, and last, appearances."
World Tour. He played in seven games, scoring a total of eleven goals.
in April 2006. Organised by the Blackpool Supporters Association, Blackpool fans around the world voted on their all-time heroes. Five players from each decade are inducted; Charnley is in the 1960s.
where he set up his own painting and decorating company. He had married his wife Edna in 1958. They had one son, Wayne.
After a short illness, Charnley died on 15 November 2009 at Rossall
Hospital, aged 74. His funeral took place on 24 November at Holy Trinity Church, South Shore, Blackpool
. Jimmy Armfield told the packed church: "As you get older you learn to face upset, but I still have problems saying goodbye to friends, especially one of 52 years. He hadn't been well for a while, nevertheless losing him is hard to take. Somehow, this planet we share is less attractive when people like Ray Charnley leave." His son, Wayne, paid tribute to his father, saying he was proud of the tributes which had remembered his father as a gentleman, as that was what he was, adding, "Not many people can drop into a conversation that their dad played for England. I could, and I was very proud to do so."
There was a minute's applause
before the first West Lancashire derby
of the 2009–10 season
between Blackpool and Preston North End at Bloomfield Road on 30 November.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional footballer. He was a centre forward and was one of the most prolific scorers for Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
, with whom he spent ten years, including all but one season in the top flight
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
of English football.
With 193 goals in 363 league games, Charnley is the third-highest scorer in Blackpool's history, behind Jimmy Hampson
Jimmy Hampson
James "Jimmy" Hampson was an English professional footballer. He spent eleven seasons at Blackpool, where he remains record goalscorer with 252 goals in 373 games, and is still regarded as one of the best centre forwards to play for the club.-Club career:Born in Little Hulton, Lancashire, Hampson...
and Stan Mortensen
Stan Mortensen
Stanley Harding "Stan" Mortensen was an English professional footballer, most famous for his part in the 1953 FA Cup Final , in which he became the only player ever to score a hat-trick in a Wembley FA Cup Final...
.
In a playing career spanning eighteen years, Charnley also played for Morecambe
Morecambe F.C.
Morecambe Football Club is an English football club based in Morecambe, Lancashire. It plays its football in League Two, the fourth division of English football, having been promoted in 2007 for the first time in their history to the Football League. They played their home matches at Christie Park...
(with whom he began and ended his career), Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
, Wrexham
Wrexham A.F.C.
Wrexham Football Club are a professional football team based in Wrexham, north-east Wales, who play in the English football pyramid.Founded in 1872, they are one of the oldest surviving football clubs in Britain and the oldest professional club in Wales...
and Bradford Park Avenue
Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Association Football Club, previously also known as Bradford and since its reformation in the 1970s now referred to as Bradford Park Avenue, is a football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England...
. He scored a total of 293 career league goals in 605 games.
He won one England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
cap
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
, in 1962.
Early career
Born in Lancaster, LancashireLancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
, Charnley started out as a teenager in the Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
B team. When the team was disbanded, he joined North Lancashire and District Football League
North Lancashire and District Football League
The North Lancashire and District Football League is a football competition based in England...
side Bolton-le-Sands
Bolton-le-Sands
Bolton-le-Sands is a large village and civil parish of the City of Lancaster in Lancashire, England. The parish had a population of 4,098 recorded in the 2001 census,...
. He later signed as a part-time professional with non-League
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
Morecambe
Morecambe F.C.
Morecambe Football Club is an English football club based in Morecambe, Lancashire. It plays its football in League Two, the fourth division of English football, having been promoted in 2007 for the first time in their history to the Football League. They played their home matches at Christie Park...
, in the Lancashire Combination
Lancashire Combination
The Lancashire Combination was a football league founded in the North West of England in 1891–92. It absorbed the Lancashire League in 1903. In 1968 the Combination lost five of its clubs to the newly formed Northern Premier League...
, joining them from for £15 in September 1954, whilst also working as a painter and decorater apprentice.
He made his Morecambe debut on 29 September, in a 5-2 defeat at Lancaster City
Lancaster City F.C.
Lancaster City F.C. is an English football club based in Lancaster, Lancashire. The club are currently members of Northern Premier League Division One North and play at Giant Axe.-History:...
in the Lancashire Combination Cup. In his three seasons at Christie Park
Christie Park
Christie Park is a sportsground located in the Northern Suburbs Sydney suburb of Macquarie Park. Christie Park was the home to the now defunct Northern Spirit FC....
he was a regular scorer. In the 1956-57 season he scored 31 goals in 37 league games and 12 goals in 15 cup games.
Blackpool
On 27 May 1957, Charnley moved to nearby BlackpoolBlackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
, who were then in the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
, the top flight of English football, for £750. He was bought by then-manager Joe Smith
Joe Smith (football manager)
Joseph "Joe" Smith was an English professional football player and manager. He was manager of Blackpool for 23 years and guided them to victory in the 1953 FA Cup Final, the only time they have won the competition since their 1887 inception.-Playing career:Born in Dudley in the West Midlands,...
. After being injured in pre-season training, the 22-year-old first played three reserve-team games before making his first-team debut in September, a 2–0 defeat at Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
. A month later, he scored two goals in Blackpool's record home victory, 7-0 against Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, before being forced to leave the game with a severely gashed head. He ended the 1957–58 season as the club's third-highest scorer, with 12 goals in 20 games, behind Jackie Mudie
Jackie Mudie
John "Jackie" Knight Mudie was a Scottish international footballer who played as a forward. He won seventeen caps for his country, helping the Scots to qualify for the 1958 FIFA World Cup....
and Bill Perry
Bill Perry
Bill Perry may refer to:*Bill Perry , American blues singer/songwriter and guitarist*Bill Perry , English footballer*Bill Perry , cartoonist...
, who both netted 18. At the end of the season he was voted as the club's "most promising player".
Charnley eventually teamed up with Jackie Mudie, a move inspired by Joe Smith and later used to good effect by his successor as Blackpool manager, Ron Suart
Ron Suart
Ronald Suart is an English former football player and manager.-Playing days:Suart was a full-back at Blackpool, playing alongside fellow defenders George Farrow and Harry Johnston in a team which also included Stanley Matthews and Stan Mortensen. Blackpool reached the 1948 FA Cup Final, but Suart...
. Charnley was the Seasiders
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
). He had started that season by scoring three goals in the first two games. Then, after scoring against Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
in a 1–1 draw on 20 September 1958, he collided with Villa goalkeeper Nigel Sims
Nigel Sims
David Nigel Sims , known as Nigel Sims, is an English former footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Aston Villa and Peterborough United in the 1950s and 1960s....
and suffered a broken clavicle
Clavicle
In human anatomy, the clavicle or collar bone is a long bone of short length that serves as a strut between the scapula and the sternum. It is the only long bone in body that lies horizontally...
, which caused him to miss the next seven games. On 4 April 1959, he scored his first league hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
, in a 3-0 win over Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
.
He again scored three goals in his first two games in 1959–60; however, he then went five games without scoring and was relegated to the reserve team. After eight games in the second string, he returned to the first team, scoring a hat-trick in a 4-2 win over Leeds United on 5 March 1960. He finished the season on 18 goals. In 1960–61, Blackpool struggled against relegation. On 15 April 1961, he scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory over Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
at Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
, a result that secured safety for Blackpool. He finished the season on 27 goals.
His most goals came in 1961–62: 36 goals (30 in the league and six in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
). He had started the season with eight goals in eight games. On 20 January 1962 he scored four goals in a 7–2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
. Then on 3 February, against Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
he scored his 100th league goal in only his 156th game — a record only marginally beaten by Harry Bedford
Harry Bedford
Henry "Harry" Bedford was an English professional football player. He scored 326 league goals in 485 games.-Club career:...
— playing his best football alongside Alan Ball.
He scored Blackpool's opening goal of the 1962–63 season, in a 2–1 victory over Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
. He scored two hat-tricks that season — firstly, in a 4–0 win over Aston Villa on 29 March 1963, and then in a 6–3 victory over Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
on 20 April. The following season was the first time time he did not score in his first game, but he then scored one in each of the next two games. After a run of eight goals in 24 games, he was left out of the side. In March 1964, he was placed on the transfer list, before being removed when no other club came in for him. Alan Ball finished the season as the leading scorer in the league, with 13 goals to Charnley's ten. However, Charnley was overall top scorer as he also scored five in cup games. The 1964–65 season saw Charnley score eight goals in the opening nine games. This occurred while he was on a month-to-month contract because he could not agree the new terms that the club had offered. On 1 October 1964, he signed a new deal, earning £24 a week, with an extra £5 when he played in the first team. That season, he only missed four games through injury and finished with 21 goals.
In May and June 1965, Charnley was a member of the Blackpool squad that played in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
for the B.O.A.C. Trophy against Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
. A total of eleven games were played, and Charnley was Blackpool's top scorer, with five goals.
Charnley, once again, began the 1965–66 season by scoring in the opening game, a 2–2 draw with Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
. He missed just one game all season and lead, jointly with Alan Ball, the scoring in the league, with16 goals, although he was again overall top scorer with another three cup goals. The 1966–67 saw Blackpool finish bottom of the First Division and relegated to the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
, although Charnley was again top scorer on 14 goals. He also scored six goals in the League Cup as Blackpool reached the fifth round, including a hat-trick in a second-round 5–1 win over Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
.
He started the 1967–68 season, with Blackpool then in the Second Division, in typical fashion: scoring in his first game, a 2–0 victory over arch-rivals
West Lancashire derby
The West Lancashire derby is a local derby in English football, between Lancashire neighbours Blackpool F.C. and Preston North End F.C. The derby has taken place across all four tiers of the Football League, but not yet in the Premier League...
Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
; however, after two more league games, and after a home defeat at the hands of Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
, Pool manager Stan Mortensen
Stan Mortensen
Stanley Harding "Stan" Mortensen was an English professional footballer, most famous for his part in the 1953 FA Cup Final , in which he became the only player ever to score a hat-trick in a Wembley FA Cup Final...
made the unpopular decision and dropped Charnley into the reserve team, with Gerry Ingram
Gerry Ingram
Gerald "Gerry" Ingram is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. Active in both England and the United States between 1966 and 1980, Ingram made nearly 500 professional league career appearances, scoring nearly 200 goals.-Career:Born in Beverley, Ingram began his career...
being moved to centre forward. After eight goals in nine reserve games, Charnley made one more first-team appearance, scoring in a 2–0 win over Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
. On 7 December, after a total of 222 goals in 407 games in all competitions, the forward was on his way out of Bloomfield Road, to Preston North End for a transfer fee of £12,500.
Move to Preston North End, then Wrexham and Bradford Park Avenue
After signing for Preston North End, Charnley returned to face Blackpool nine days later, and scored, though the Tangerines won 4-1. He scored four goals in 23 league games for Preston, who just avoided relegation at the end of the 1967–68 season, finishing third-bottom, while former club Blackpool just missed out on promotion back to the First Division on goal average.In 1968, Charnley signed for Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
side Wrexham
Wrexham A.F.C.
Wrexham Football Club are a professional football team based in Wrexham, north-east Wales, who play in the English football pyramid.Founded in 1872, they are one of the oldest surviving football clubs in Britain and the oldest professional club in Wales...
, scoring a total of seven goals in 24 games in all competitions before moving to Bradford Park Avenue
Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Association Football Club, previously also known as Bradford and since its reformation in the 1970s now referred to as Bradford Park Avenue, is a football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England...
in January 1969.
They finished bottom of the Fourth Division in the 1968–69 season. The following season they again finished bottom, but this time lost their application for re-election and were voted out of the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
and dropped into the Northern Premier League
Northern Premier League
The Northern Premier League, is one of the regional English football leagues which sits directly below the Football Conference featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. Geographically, the league covers all of Northern England, and the northern areas of the Midlands. Originally just one...
. He scored fifteen goals in 59 league games for the Avenue that season.
Return to Morecambe
At the end of the season, Charnley re-signed for former club Morecambe, who were by then playing in the Northern Premier League. He made 24 league starts in 1970-71, finishing the season as top scorer with 13 goals. After 14 games in the 1971-72 season, he was released. His last game came on Good FridayGood Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
1972, when he scored in a 3-0 home win over Chorley
Chorley F.C.
Chorley Football Club are a football club from Chorley, Lancashire, England. They were founded as a rugby union club in 1875 but switched to football in 1883. They have reached the FA Cup second round twice in 1986–87 and 1990–91. Their best performance in the FA Trophy was in 1995–96 when they...
. In his two stints with Morecambe, Charnley scored a total of 98 goals in 177 appearances in all competitions. After his release, Charnley retired from football, at the age of 37.
International career
Despite his goalscoring record, Charnley won just one EnglandEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
cap, in 1962, when he received a call-up for a 1964 European Nations' Cup Preliminary round game against France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
on 3 October at Hillsborough
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
. When asked in later years if he felt bitter about not being picked more for England, Charnley said: "No, I thought I might have been given another chance. But I was not surprised when I was dropped. I just could not get into the match. I think four of the five forwards were making their first, and last, appearances."
English FA World Tour
In May and June 1961, Charnley was a member of the squad for the The English FAThe Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
World Tour. He played in seven games, scoring a total of eleven goals.
| Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 May 1961 | Nerdera Stadium, Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million... |
4-2 | 3 | |
| 17 May 1961 | Jalan Besar Stadium Jalan Besar Stadium Jalan Besar Stadium is a football stadium located along Jalan Besar, in the Kallang area of Singapore and is the current home stadium of Young Lions, a S.League football team. The stadium can also be used for any Singapore national football team matches as the National Stadium, Singapore is being... , Singapore Singapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... |
9-0 | 2 | |
| 21 May 1961 | Government Stadium Hong Kong Stadium Hong Kong Stadium is the main sports venue of Hong Kong. Redeveloped from the old Government Stadium it reincarnated as Hong Kong Stadium in 1994... , Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
4-2 | 2 | |
| 23 May 1961 | Government Stadium Hong Kong Stadium Hong Kong Stadium is the main sports venue of Hong Kong. Redeveloped from the old Government Stadium it reincarnated as Hong Kong Stadium in 1994... , Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
Combined Chinese XI | 3-0 | 1 |
| 3 June 1961 | English Park English Park English Park is a multi-use stadium in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Canterbury United. The stadium has a capacity of 9,000 people.... , Canterbury Canterbury Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour.... , New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... |
Canterbury | 11-1 | 1 |
| 10 June 1961 | Epsom Showgrounds, Epsom Epsom, New Zealand Epsom is a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It is located in the centre of the Auckland isthmus between Mount Eden and One Tree Hill, south of Newmarket, and five km south of the city centre.-Notable features:... |
6-1 | 1 | |
| 19 June 1961 | San Francisco, United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
San Francisco | 2-1 | 1 |
Blackpool F.C. Hall of Fame
Charnley was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Bloomfield Road, when it was officially opened by former Blackpool player Jimmy ArmfieldJimmy Armfield
James Christopher "Jimmy" Armfield, CBE, DL is an English former professional football player and manager who currently works as a football pundit for BBC Radio Five Live. He played the whole of his Football League career at Blackpool, usually at right back...
in April 2006. Organised by the Blackpool Supporters Association, Blackpool fans around the world voted on their all-time heroes. Five players from each decade are inducted; Charnley is in the 1960s.
Personal life
After he retired, Charnley moved back to BlackpoolBlackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
where he set up his own painting and decorating company. He had married his wife Edna in 1958. They had one son, Wayne.
After a short illness, Charnley died on 15 November 2009 at Rossall
Rossall
Rossall is a settlement in Lancashire, England and a suburb of the market town of Fleetwood. It is situated on a coastal plain called The Fylde.-Early history:...
Hospital, aged 74. His funeral took place on 24 November at Holy Trinity Church, South Shore, Blackpool
South Shore, Blackpool
South Shore is the southern coastal area of Blackpool, an English seaside resort in the county of Lancashire. It has a large local community and a number of tourist attractions....
. Jimmy Armfield told the packed church: "As you get older you learn to face upset, but I still have problems saying goodbye to friends, especially one of 52 years. He hadn't been well for a while, nevertheless losing him is hard to take. Somehow, this planet we share is less attractive when people like Ray Charnley leave." His son, Wayne, paid tribute to his father, saying he was proud of the tributes which had remembered his father as a gentleman, as that was what he was, adding, "Not many people can drop into a conversation that their dad played for England. I could, and I was very proud to do so."
There was a minute's applause
Moment of silence
A moment of silence is the expression for a period of silent contemplation, prayer, reflection, or meditation. Similar to flying a flag at half-mast, a moment of silence is often a gesture of respect, particularly in mourning for those who have recently died or as part of a commemoration ceremony...
before the first West Lancashire derby
West Lancashire derby
The West Lancashire derby is a local derby in English football, between Lancashire neighbours Blackpool F.C. and Preston North End F.C. The derby has taken place across all four tiers of the Football League, but not yet in the Premier League...
of the 2009–10 season
Blackpool F.C. season 2009–10
The 2009–10 season was Blackpool F.C.s 103rd season in the Football League. It was also their third consecutive season in The Championship, the second tier of English football. The club won promotion, via the play-offs, to the Premier League for the first time, their 28th overall season in the top...
between Blackpool and Preston North End at Bloomfield Road on 30 November.
External links
- Charnley's profile at Neil Brown's football player database
- Ray Charnley obituary in The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
- Death Notice in the Blackpool GazetteBlackpool GazetteThe Blackpool Gazette is an English evening newspaper based in Blackpool, Lancashire. Published every day except Sunday, it covers the towns and communities of the Fylde coast...