Ray Daniel (Welsh footballer)
{{short description|Welsh footballer and manager}}
{{distinguish|Ray Daniel (English footballer)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ray Daniel
| image =
| fullname = William Raymond Daniel{{Hugman|4658|accessdate=9 November 2017}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1928|11|2|df=y}}
| birth_place = Swansea, Wales
| death_date = {{death date and age|1997|11|6|1928|11|2|df=y}}
| height =
| position =Centre half
| youthyears1 = 1944–1946
| youthclubs1 = Swansea Town
| years1 = 1949–1953
| years2 = 1953–1957
| years3 = 1957–1958
| years4 = 1958–1960
| years5 = 1960–1967
| clubs1 = Arsenal
| clubs2 = Sunderland
| clubs3 = Cardiff City
| clubs4 = Swansea Town
| clubs5 = Hereford United
| caps1 = 87
| caps2 = 136
| caps3 = 6
| caps4 = 45
| goals1 = 5
| goals2 = 6
| goals3 = 0
| goals4 = 7
| nationalyears1 = 1951–1957
| nationalteam1 = Wales
| nationalcaps1 = 21
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| manageryears1 = 1962–1963
| managerclubs1 = Hereford United
}}
William Raymond Daniel (2 November 1928{{Cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/raydaniel.html |title=Ray Daniel |website=Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database |publisher=Neil Brown |access-date=23 December 2016}} – 6 November 1997) was a Welsh football player and manager.
Career
Daniel was born in Swansea and started his career at his local club Swansea Town as an amateur,{{cite web |url=http://www.swanseacity.net/news/article/past-players-a-d-857625.aspx |title=Past Players A – D |publisher=Swansea City A.F.C. |access-date=23 December 2016}} making his debut for the club as a full-back in a wartime fixture at the age of 15.{{cite web|title=Obituary: Ray Daniel |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-ray-daniel-1293301.html|work=The Independent|location=London|access-date=14 August 2010|author=Ivan Ponting|date=10 November 1997}} In October 1946, he was signed by Arsenal,{{cite web |url=http://www.arsenal.com/history/profiles/172/ray-daniel |title=Ray Daniel |publisher=Arsenal F.C. |access-date=23 December 2016}} whom his elder brother Bobby had played for before he had been killed in the Second World War, aged 18. Due 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, playing only 13 league matches in his first three seasons as a first-team player. Whilst still a reserve player at Arsenal, Daniel gained three caps for Wales, making his debut in 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.
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
{{Hereford United F.C. managers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Daniel, Ray}}
Category:Welsh men's footballers
Category:Men's association football central defenders
Category:Swansea City A.F.C. players
Category:Sunderland A.F.C. players
Category:Cardiff City F.C. players
Category:Hereford United F.C. players
Category:Welsh football managers
Category:Hereford United F.C. managers
Category:Footballers from Swansea