Ray Straw
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ray Straw
| image =
| fullname = Raymond Straw{{Hugman|18960|accessdate=12 April 2018}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1933|5|22|df=y}}
| birth_place = Ilkeston, England
| death_date = {{death date and age|2001|5|13|1933|5|22|df=y}}
| height =
| position = Forward
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 1951–1957
| clubs1 = Derby County
| caps1 = 94
| goals1 = 57
| years2 = 1957–1961
| clubs2 = Coventry City
| caps2 = 143
| goals2 = 79
| years3 = 1961–1963
| clubs3 = Mansfield Town
| caps3 = 44
| goals3 = 12
| totalcaps = 281 | totalgoals = 148
}}
Raymond Straw (22 May 1933 – 13 May 2001) was an English professional footballer. During a professional career that lasted twelve years, he scored over 140 goals in the Football League in spells with Derby County, Coventry City and Mansfield Town. His 37 league goals for Derby during the 1956–57 season remains a joint club record.
Career
=Derby County=
Straw was born in the village of Kirk Hallam in Ilkeston.{{cite web |url=https://www.ilkestonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/before-they-were-famous-former-ilkeston-footballers-who-went-on-to-make-the-big-time-1-7641031 |title=Before they were famous: Former Ilkeston footballers who went on to make the big time |work=Ilkeston Advertiser |date=23 December 2015 |access-date=12 April 2018}} After leaving school, he worked as a coal miner, He played football for non-league side Ilkeston Town,{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5rJNDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT33 |title=Clough and Walker: Forest's Greatest Managers |author=Don Wright |publisher=Amberley Publishing Limited |year=2016 |isbn=978-1445659718}} having previously represented his county school level.{{cite web |url=https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/fifties-high-fliers-greatest-coventry-3102877 |title=Fifties high fliers: The greatest Coventry City player ever |work=Coventry Telegraph |author=Jim Brown |date=17 January 2008 |access-date=13 April 2018}} In August 1951, he joined First Division side Derby County and made his professional debut in the last match of the 1951–52 season against Chelsea at the age of 18. However, he was called up for his national service soon after and did not become a regular in the Derby first team until they had been relegated again.{{cite web |url=https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/memorable-meeting-between-derby-county-1413927 |title=A memorable meeting between Derby County and Accrington Stanley – the year the Rams won the Third Division North title |work=The Derby Telegraph |author=Anton Rippon |date=8 April 2018 |access-date=12 April 2018}}
His breakthrough season came in 1955–56 when he scored fourteen goals for Derby as they finished second in the Third Division North behind Grimsby Town.{{cite web |url=https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/anton-rippon-packed-baseball-ground-470387 |title=A packed Baseball Ground for Derby County home games? It wasn't always that way... |work=The Derby Telegraph |author=Anton Rippon |date=17 September 2017 |access-date=13 April 2018}} The following year, Straw's brother offered him a bonus of half a crown for every goal he scored and ten shillings for every hat-trick. During the season, Straw went on to score 37 goals in league games, equalling the club record set by Jack Bowers during the 1930–31 season,{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xWWIAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT93 |title=Derbyshire Extremes |author=David Fearnehough |publisher=Amberley Publishing Limited |year=2010 |isbn=978-1445600826}} as Derby finished as winners of the Third Division North.{{cite web |url=https://www.dcfc.co.uk/news/2015/05/the-history-of-derby-county |title=The History of Derby County |publisher=Derby County F.C. |access-date=13 April 2018}}
=Coventry City=
In November 1957, Straw joined Coventry City after impressing manager Billy Frith, making his debut in a match against Millwall on 23 November 1957.{{cite web |url=http://www.ccfpa.co.uk/player_search/player_profile.php |title=Ray Straw |publisher=Coventry City Former Players' Association |access-date=13 April 2018}} After arriving at the club, he was given the nickname "toffee" due to his penchant for chewing sweets. Straw finished as Coventry's top goalscorer in all four seasons he spent at the club, helping them achieve promotion to the Third Division during the 1958–59 season after scoring 27 goals. His total included a streak of scoring in eight consecutive league and cup matches, the longest streak of any Coventry player after World War II.
By appearing in the Third Division the following season, Straw became the first player to have played in all six divisions of the Football League, from the First Division to the Fourth Division and the North and South sections of the Third Division. He left Coventry in 1961 to join Mansfield Town where he finished his professional career. He later played for non-league side Lockheed Leamington.
Honours
Derby County
- Football League Third Division North winner: 1956–57
References
{{reflist}}
{{English Third Division top scorers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Straw, Ray}}
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Ilkeston Town F.C. (1945) players
Category:Derby County F.C. players
Category:Coventry City F.C. players
Category:Mansfield Town F.C. players
Category:Leamington F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Men's association football forwards