*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.
Ray Dean
Appearances: 55 Goals: 2
Date / Year of birth: 15th December 1945
Position: Centre-back
Season of first appearance: 1975/76
Season of last appearance: 1975/76
Also played for: Reading (57+5,0), Aldershot (282,9), Cheltenham Town and Wokingham Town
Towering defender born in Steventon who began his career with Reading and made 62 first team appearances for the Royals during the period 1966/67-1968/69.
In July 1969 Ray moved to Aldershot and he went on to make over 280 senior appearances there before joining Margate in the summer of 1975.
Ray made his debut in a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Telford on 16.8.75, the opening day of the 1975/76 season. He went on to become a fixture in the side and Ray's outstanding displays at centre-back prompted the local press to compare him to the legendary Bob Harrop. His tough tackling and powers of distribution were key features of his game. The Thanet Times described Ray as being a "pillar of consistency" and his performance during a 2-0 win over Dulwich in an FA Trophy tie at Hartsdown Park on 10.1.76 won him further acclaim from the paper. He was said to have "stood out like a Colossus...calm, cool, collected and twice as solid as that famous Gibraltar rock".
On 24.4.76 Ray featured in the 2nd Leg of the Kent Floodlight Trophy Final against Canterbury at Hartsdown Park which the visitors won 2-1 after extra time. The result meant Margate took the trophy with a 3-2 aggregate win. He'd scored twice from 55 outings when he left the club at the end of the season. Ray departed as it was becoming too expensive for Margate to pay his rail fares from his Hampshire home and he was also having difficulty getting time off work to play football. Ray had actually changed jobs four times during 1975/76 in an effort to solve the problem and manager Les Riggs said "I am extremely sorry to lose him."
In July 1976 Ray joined Cheltenham and he won the club's 'Player of the Year' award for the 1976/77 season. He made a total of 149 appearances and scored four goals before moving to Wokingham in July 1979.
In the early 2000's an Aldershot website said that Ray was believed to be working as a plasterer in Fleet, Hampshire.
In September 2009 he was Aldershot's guest for their 2-2 draw with Hereford in League Two - part of an ongoing scheme where former players were invited to home games.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
KFT | |
|
1975/76 (MFC) |
55 (65) |
0 |
2 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (11TH OF 22) |
3QR |
2R |
1R |
SF |
W |
| Played in Kent Floodlight Trophy Final 2nd Leg (24.04.76 - lost 2-1 to Canterbury City at home). | |||||||||