*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 Flannigan
Appearances: 82+1 Goals: 5
Date / Year of birth: 15th March 1949
Position: Left winger / Left-back
Season of first appearance: 1966/67
Season of last appearance: 1969/70
Also played for: Arsenal (0), Reading (42+4,1), Ramsgate, Bexley United, Gravesend & Northfleet, London City (Canada) and Cambridge City
Colourful London-born player known for his long hair who was the son of 1950's Margate striker Jock Flannigan. As a youngster Ray played for Margate County Youth Club and Ramsgate 'A' before Arsenal signed him as an amateur in September 1965.
He then joined Margate in the summer of 1966 aged 17. Ray made his first team debut on 24.10.66 and had a superb game on the left wing as Margate drew 3-3 with Folkestone in a Kent Floodlight Cup match at Hartsdown. The local paper said that "his ball control and crafty footwork were quite exceptional" and Ray also showed great speed plus the ability to cross accurately. Manager Almer Hall said "he has considerable potential...and could go a long way." Ray went on to make a total of 16 first team appearances (one as a substitute) during 1966/67 and scored twice as Margate won promotion from the Southern League Division One by finishing as runners-up. His hair intrigued the local press who said that "he appears to patronise the same barber as George Best" and Ray was described as "Beatle-mopped".
During the 1967/68 season he played almost exclusively for the reserves, making only three first team appearances. In the first of them, a 0-0 draw with Wellington on 18.11.67, Ray came in for a lot of 'stick' from sections of the Hartsdown Park crowd.
He spent most of the first half of the 1968/69 season in the reserves, making just a handful of first team appearances before Christmas 1968. The first of them, in a 3-2 defeat at Chelmsford on 9.9.68, was Ray's Southern League debut. Almer Hall described Ray's performance as "outstanding" and the local press said that he was "brilliant" and displayed "bewildering speed" plus "a determination he has rarely shown before". Ray was given a tremendous ovation for his performance.
In March 1969 he returned to the first team and on 29.3.69 played at left-back for the first time in a home game against Bedford. Ray was outstanding and kept his place at full-back for most of the season's remaining games. His performances attracted West Ham's attention. On 20.5.69 Ray played as Margate drew 1-1 at Maidstone in the 1st Leg of the Kent Floodlight Cup Final and he also featured in the 2nd Leg at Hartsdown Park on 24.5.69 as Margate won 3-1 to claim the trophy. Ray made a total of 26 appearances during the campaign and scored once.
Early in the 1969/70 season three Football League clubs were said to be interested in Ray with Chelsea, Leicester and Luton being mentioned. He began the campaign in impressive form at left-back, displaying what the local press described as "fierce tackling" and by then he was being referred to as "shaggy-haired". On 15.11.69 Ray was in the Margate side that were thrashed 7-2 by visitors Aldershot in the FA Cup 1st Round.
Later in the campaign he had a stint back on the left wing and Ray also played a couple of games as a striker before he finally got his move into the Football League.
After making 38 appearances and scoring two goals during the 1969/70 season 3rd Division club Reading signed him for an initial fee of £500 in February 1970 and Ray played in the Royals' reserve team for the remainder of the campaign. Margate secretary Alan Kay travelled to Reading with manager Almer Hall to help negotiate Ray's contract and recalled Ray being asked by Reading's manager if he had any questions to which he replied "are there any good discos in Reading ?"
In the summer of 1970 Ray was reported to be unhappy and thinking of reverting to part-time football and at the time Margate were worried as the club was due an additional £1,000 if he made ten senior appearances for Reading. Fortunately for Margate Ray decided to stay in Berkshire and he played regularly for Reading's first team during 1970/71, usually at left-back. The extra money was paid to Margate in January 1971. Ray went on to make a total of 46 senior appearances for the Royals before being released at the end of the 1971/72 season.
Ray dropped back into non-league football and joined Ramsgate in the summer of 1972, turning down offers from Aldershot and South African side Durban City to do so. He scored for the Rams in a 4-1 win over Margate at Southwood on 10.10.72.
After a season with the Rams he moved to Bexley for the start of the 1973/74 campaign. However Ray was soon on the move again and joined Gravesend & Northfleet after just a couple of months.
In April 1974 he was one of a group of local players who went to Toronto, Canada to play for London City. Alan Anderson, Phil Brooman and Alan Fusco (brother of Norman and Ricky) were also part of the London line-up.
Ray returned to England towards the end of the summer of 1975 and he started the 1975/76 season without a club. He spent some time training in the Palm Bay area of Margate with just former Gate (and London City) player Graham Sawyer for company before they both joined Southern League Premier Division strugglers Cambridge City.
Ray went back to London City for the 1976 Canadian season and Graham Sawyer became their player-manager. Ray stayed in Canada for several years.
After returning home to Thanet he had a spell with Ramsgate during the 1980/81 campaign and played a few games for them in the Kent League before dropping into local amateur football.
In 2013 he was living in London Ontario, Canada and Ray had been in the country for many years by then. He played amateur football in Canada up to the early 2000’s and Ray worked as a specialist bricklayer for numerous companies during his working life.
He died in Canada on 24.10.15 aged 66.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC |
KSS |
|
1966/67 (MFC) |
15 (72) |
1 |
2 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (2ND OF 24) |
3QR |
QF |
RU |
GR |
2R |
| Margate promoted to Premier Division. | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC |
KSS |
|
1967/68 (MFC) |
3 (82) |
0 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (8TH OF 22) |
2R |
W |
1R |
GR |
N/A |
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC |
SLCH |
|
1968/69 (MFC) |
26 (75) |
0 |
1 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (18TH OF 22) |
1R |
3R |
RU |
W |
W |
| Played in Kent
Senior Cup Final 1st Leg (30.04.69 - lost 4-0 at Folkestone
Town). Played in Kent Senior Cup Final 2nd Leg (08.05.69 - beat Folkestone Town 2-0 at home). Played in Kent Floodlight Cup Final 1st Leg (20.05.69 - drew 1-1 at Maidstone United). Played in Kent Floodlight Cup Final 2nd Leg (24.05.69 - beat Maidstone United 3-1 at home). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC | |
|
1969/70 (MFC) |
38 (72) |
0 |
2 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (13TH OF 22) |
1R |
3QR |
3R |
RU |
RU |
| Played in FA Cup 1st Round (15.11.69 - lost 7-2 at home to Aldershot). | |||||||||