Ray Barlow

Raymond John Barlow (17 August 1926 – 14 March 2012)[1] was an England international footballer who made more than 400 appearances in the Football League, most of which were for West Bromwich Albion.

Ray Barlow
Personal information
Full name Raymond John Barlow
Date of birth (1926-08-17)17 August 1926
Place of birth Swindon, Wiltshire, England
Date of death 14 March 2012(2012-03-14) (aged 85)
Place of death Bridgend, Wales
Playing position(s) Left half
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1944–1960 West Bromwich Albion 403 (31)
1960–1961 Birmingham City 5 (0)
1961 Stourbridge
National team
1954 England 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

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.[2]

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.[3]

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.[4] 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.[3]

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.[3]

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.[5] He was described by Bobby Robson as one of the best players he had played alongside.[6] In his autobiography Bobby Moore said that he modelled his game on Barlow.[6]

Barlow was the last surviving member of the team that won the FA Cup in 1954 against Preston North End.[7] He died on 14 March 2012, aged 85, after a long illness.[8] The flags at The Hawthorns were lowered to half-mast on the day of Barlow's funeral,[8] and a minute's applause was held at The Hawthorns before West Brom's game against Newcastle United on 25 March.[9]

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References
  1. "England players: Ray Barlow". englandfootballonline. 1 January 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  2. "Ray Barlow (1926–2012): Final link with a landmark team". Pictureoffootball.wordpress.com. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  3. Ponting, Ivan (22 March 2012). "Ray Barlow: Footballer at the heart of West Bromwich Albion's free-flowing 1950s side". The Independent. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  4. Ray Barlow at Englandstats.com, Retrieved 3 October 2018
  5. "The wraps come off 125th anniversary mural". West Bromwich Albion F.C. 4 August 2004. Archived from the original on 2 February 2008. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
  6. Gibbons, Brett (15 March 2012). "West Brom legend Ray Barlow, inspiration for Bobby Moore, dies aged 85". www.birminghammail.net. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  7. "West Brom mourn Baggies great Ray Barlow". www.mirrorfootball.co.uk. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  8. "Albion in mourning for legend Ray Barlow". www.expressandstar.com. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  9. "Stars and fans pay tribute to Ray Barlow". Express & Star. 27 March 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
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