Ray Daniel
Encyclopedia
William Raymond "Ray" Daniel (2 November 1928 – 6 November 1997) was a Welsh
football
player and manager.
Daniel was born in Swansea
and started out at his local club Swansea Town
as an amateur. In 1946 he was snapped up by Arsenal
(whom his elder brother Bobby had played for, before he had been killed in the Second World War) aged 18. Thanks to compulsory National Service
duty between 1947 and 1949, he did not make his debut for Arsenal until 7 May 1949 against Charlton Athletic
, on the final day of the 1948-49
season; Arsenal won 2-0.
Daniel played at centre half but spent much of his early career at Arsenal as a reserve, as understudy to Leslie Compton
; in his first three seasons as a first-team player he only played 13 League matches. Whilst still a reserve, Daniel made his debut for Wales
, a 1-1 draw against England
at Roker Park
on 20 October 1951. He went on to win twenty-one caps for his country.
When Compton retired in 1951, Daniel became Arsenal's regular at centre-half and played in the Gunners' FA Cup
final loss at the hands of Newcastle United
in 1952, despite the fact he was still recovering from a broken arm. He made up the disappointment the following season, missing only one match in Arsenal's 1952-53
First Division
-winning campaign. Daniel left Arsenal for Sunderland in 1953 for £27,500, then a record fee for a defender.
Daniel spent four seasons at Sunderland, and eventually became club captain. He played 136 League games for the Rokerites, before leaving for Cardiff City
in October 1957. He managed only six League games before returning to his first club Swansea, where he played 45 League games and scored seven goals.
He left for Hereford United
in 1960 and was later the club's player-manager for a brief period between 1962 and 1963, before resigning to allow Bob Dennison
to take over. After that, he left the game completely, and later ran a post office
. He died aged 69 in 1997.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player and manager.
Daniel was born in Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
and started out at his local club Swansea Town
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
as an amateur. In 1946 he was snapped up by Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
(whom his elder brother Bobby had played for, before he had been killed in the Second World War) aged 18. Thanks to compulsory National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
duty between 1947 and 1949, he did not make his debut for Arsenal until 7 May 1949 against Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
, on the final day of the 1948-49
1948-49 in English football
The 1948–49 season was the 69th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Portsmouth won the First Division title for the first time with a team of no recognised stars and very few international players. They won the league by five points from Manchester United and Derby...
season; Arsenal won 2-0.
Daniel played at centre half but spent much of his early career at Arsenal as a reserve, as understudy to Leslie Compton
Leslie Compton
Leslie Harry Compton was an English footballer and cricketer who played for Arsenal and Middlesex respectively...
; in his first three seasons as a first-team player he only played 13 League matches. Whilst still a reserve, Daniel made his debut for Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
, a 1-1 draw against 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...
at Roker Park
Roker Park
Roker Park was an English football stadium situated in Roker, Sunderland. The stadium was the home of the English football club Sunderland A.F.C. from 1897 to 1997 before the club moved to the Stadium of Light. Near the end of the stadium's history, its capacity was around 22,500 with only a small...
on 20 October 1951. He went on to win twenty-one caps for his country.
When Compton retired in 1951, Daniel became Arsenal's regular at centre-half and played in the Gunners' FA Cup
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...
final loss at the hands of 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...
in 1952, despite the fact he was still recovering from a broken arm. He made up the disappointment the following season, missing only one match in Arsenal's 1952-53
1952-53 in English football
The 1952–53 season was the 73rd season of competitive football in England.-Events:This was the closest championship win in English league history at the time, with Arsenal claiming the title by just 0.099 of a goal. Both Arsenal and Preston had identical records aside from their goal averages...
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....
-winning campaign. Daniel left Arsenal for Sunderland in 1953 for £27,500, then a record fee for a defender.
Daniel spent four seasons at Sunderland, and eventually became club captain. He played 136 League games for the Rokerites, before leaving for Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
in October 1957. He managed only six League games before returning to his first club Swansea, where he played 45 League games and scored seven goals.
He left for Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
in 1960 and was later the club's player-manager for a brief period between 1962 and 1963, before resigning to allow Bob Dennison
Bob Dennison
Bob Dennison was a football manager. He was manager of Middlesbrough F.C. between 1954 and 1963, and was later manager of Hereford United F.C. and assistant manager of Coventry City F.C. in 1972 after Noel Cantwell resigned.-References:...
to take over. After that, he left the game completely, and later ran a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
. He died aged 69 in 1997.