Ray Barlow
{{Short description|English footballer (1926–2012)}}
{{use British English|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ray Barlow
| image =
| fullname = Raymond John Barlow
| birth_date = {{birth date|1926|8|17|df=y}}
| birth_place = Swindon, Wiltshire, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2012|3|14|1926|8|17|df=y}}
| death_place = Bridgend, Wales
| height =
| position = Left half
| youthyears1 = – | youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 1944–1960 | clubs1 = West Bromwich Albion | caps1 = 403 | goals1 = 31
| years2 = 1960–1961 | clubs2 = Birmingham City | caps2 = 5 | goals2 = 0
| years3 = 1961 | clubs3 = Stourbridge
| nationalyears1 = 1954 | nationalteam1 = England | nationalcaps1 = 1 | nationalgoals1 = 0
}}
Raymond John Barlow (17 August 1926 – 14 March 2012){{cite web |title=England players: Ray Barlow |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrsBios/PlayersB/BioBarlowRJ.html |website=englandfootballonline |date=1 January 2018|accessdate=3 October 2018}} was an England international footballer who made more than 400 appearances in the Football League, most of which were for West Bromwich Albion.
Playing career
=West Bromwich Albion=
Barlow joined West Bromwich Albion in 1944 and helped them to promotion to the First Division in 1948–49. The team would remain in the top flight for the rest of Barlow's playing career with the club.
Under the management of Vic Buckingham, he was part of the 1954 FA Cup winning team. In the final West Bromwich Albion beat Preston North End 3–2. This team came close to accomplishing a League and Cup double that year, but finished runners-up in the League behind Wolverhampton by four points.
Barlow remained a regular in midfield until 1960, by which time players like Derek Kevan, Bobby Robson and Dave Burnside were all playing.{{cite web|title=Ray Barlow (1926–2012): Final link with a landmark team|url=http://pictureoffootball.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/ray-barlow-1926-2012-final-link-with-a-landmark-team/|publisher=Pictureoffootball.wordpress.com|accessdate=27 March 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120713220602/http://pictureoffootball.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/ray-barlow-1926-2012-final-link-with-a-landmark-team/|archivedate=13 July 2012}}
=Birmingham City=
Barlow joined Albion's neighbours Birmingham City in 1960. He ended his playing career with non-League Stourbridge in 1961 after only a handful of appearances for the Blues.{{cite news |title=Ray Barlow: Footballer at the heart of West Bromwich Albion's free-flowing 1950s side |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/ray-barlow-footballer-at-the-heart-of-west-bromwich-albions-freeflowing-1950s-side-7580743.html |first=Ivan |last=Ponting |newspaper=The Independent |date=22 March 2012 |accessdate=4 July 2015}}
=International career=
Barlow won just one cap for England, in a Home Championship match against Northern Ireland on 2 October 1954 which England won 2–0.{{Englandstats|ref=y|access-date=3 October 2018}} This was an experimental England side which contained seven debutants. Johnny Haynes, who also made his debut in that match was the only player who would become an England regular. Besides this, Barlow had two outings for England B and four for the Football League XI, and an FA tour of South America.
After retirement
After retirement, Barlow went on to run a tobacconist's and sweet shop in West Bromwich and then a post office in Stourbridge.
Legacy
In 2004 Barlow was named as one of West Bromwich Albion's 16 greatest players, in a poll organised as part of the club's 125th anniversary celebrations.{{cite news
|date = 4 August 2004
|url = http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0,,10366~547701,00.html
|title = The wraps come off 125th anniversary mural
|publisher = West Bromwich Albion F.C.
|accessdate = 10 May 2008
|url-status=dead
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080202125701/http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0%2C%2C10366~547701%2C00.html
|archivedate = 2 February 2008
}} He was described by Bobby Robson as one of the best players he had played alongside.{{cite news|last=Gibbons|first=Brett|title=West Brom legend Ray Barlow, inspiration for Bobby Moore, dies aged 85|url=http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/west-bromwich-albion-fc/west-bromwich-albion-fc-news/2012/03/15/west-brom-legend-ray-barlow-inspiration-for-bobby-moore-dies-aged-85-97319-30537921/|accessdate=15 March 2012|newspaper=birminghammail.net|date=15 March 2012}} In his autobiography Bobby Moore said that he modelled his game on Barlow.
Barlow was the last surviving member of the team that won the FA Cup in 1954 against Preston North End.{{cite news|title=West Brom mourn Baggies great Ray Barlow|url=http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/West-Brom-legend-Ray-Barlow-dies-at-85-article878150.html|accessdate=27 March 2012|newspaper=mirrorfootball.co.uk|date=14 March 2012}} He died on 14 March 2012, aged 85, after a long illness.{{cite news|title=Albion in mourning for legend Ray Barlow|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/west-bromwich-albion-fc/2012/03/14/albion-in-mourning-for-legend-ray-barlow/|accessdate=27 March 2012|newspaper=expressandstar.com|date=14 March 2012}} The flags at The Hawthorns were lowered to half-mast on the day of Barlow's funeral, and a minute's applause was held at The Hawthorns before West Brom's game against Newcastle United on 25 March.{{cite news |url=https://www.expressandstar.com/news/2012/03/27/stars-and-fans-pay-tribute-to-ray-barlow/ |title=Stars and fans pay tribute to Ray Barlow |newspaper=Express & Star |date=27 March 2012 |accessdate=4 July 2015}}
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Englandstats}}
- [http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Superstarsdetail/0,,10366~668561,00.html Superstars in Stripes – Ray Barlow] from the Official Albion website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barlow, Ray}}
Category:Footballers from Swindon
Category:English men's footballers
Category:England men's international footballers
Category:England men's B international footballers
Category:Men's association football wing halves
Category:West Bromwich Albion F.C. players
Category:Birmingham City F.C. players
Category:Stourbridge F.C. players
Category:English Football League players