ray evans - fact file

1969 - 1975            defender

FULL NAME :

Born on 20th September 1949 in Edmonton, North London, England.

Height : -  1.78m  (5' 10")

Weight : -  - kgs



Muscular and fast, Ray Evans was a good replacement for Joe Kinnear as the Spurs right-back when the Irishman could not keep his place in the team.  Evans went on to have a good career at Spurs making marauding runs up the right wing with Cyril Knowles doing the same on the left side.

Attended Wilbury Way Primary and Huxley Secondary Modern Schools in Edmonton and played for Edmonton and Middlesex Schoolboys (with Spurs reserve player Ray Bunkell in the same side).  Played in school football at inside left and went on to represent Edmonton and Middlesex schoolboys.  Ray first played at a League ground for Middlesex Boys against Sussex at Loftus Road.

And when he was invited to train at Spurs on Tuesdays and Thursdays, he was elated, because Ray had supported Spurs and stood in the Paxton Road end, with Bobby Smith, Cliff Jones and Terry Medwin his favourite players.  Ray was signed as an apprentice professional in July 1965.

Even though Evans started off as an inside-left, but was converted to left back, although on his debut (in the same game that John Pratt made his debut) in a defence which lacked experience due to injuries Ray played at right back, a position that he had only played for Spurs once before and that was in the reserves against Crystal Palace three days before.  Ray had played right back for England Youth in the 1967-68 season and also played at centre half.  It was in 1967 that Spurs signed Ray on professional terms.

When he got his chance through an injury to regular right back Joe Kinnear, Evans took over in that position and provided a threat with fast, over-lapping runs along with a notable fierce shot that chipped in with a few goals for the club.  Strong in the tackle and quick to recover his position, his height also helped him when teams tried to play diagonal passes in behind him.

Ray's place in the Spurs team saw him stay in the UEFA Cup team that reached the final in 1974, but eventually lost out to Feyenoord amidst hooligan trouble in the away leg in Rotterdam.  When Bill Nicholson left as Spurs manager, Evans dropped out of the picture and new manager Terry Neill allowed him to join Millwall for £35,000 in January 1975, moving on two years later to Fulham and then Stoke City two years after that.

Played in American Soccer for California Surf, Seattle Sounders and Tacoma Stars.

After his playing days came to an end, Ray stayed in America, coaching at Columbia Basin College (Washington - U.S.A.), before taking over the post of Under-18 Boys coach and Technical Director at Three Rivers Soccer Club in Washington.
 

NICKNAME : 

Career Record
 
Club Signed Fee Debut Apps Goals
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR(apprentice) July 1965 - Monday 24th March1969 v Arsenal (Division one) (away)  lost 0-1 174 + 7 as a sub 4
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR(professional) May 1967 - Monday 24th March1969 v Arsenal (Division one) (away)  lost 0-1 174 + 7 as a sub 4
Millwall January 1975 £35,000 ??  ?? ??
Fulham March 1977 ?? ??  ?? ??
Stoke City August 1979 ?? ??  ?? ??
- ?? ?? ??  ?? ??

Career Record
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
132 + 4 as a sub League appearances; 2 goals
7 FA Cup appearances; 0 goals
13 League Cup appearances; 0 goals
22 + 3 as a sub European appearances; 2 goals
Millwall
74 League appearances; 3 goals
- FA Cup appearances; goals
- League Cup appearances; goals
European appearances; goals
Fulham
86 League appearances; 6 goals
- FA Cup appearances; goals
- League Cup appearances; goals
European appearances; goals
Stoke City
94 League appearances; 1 goal
- FA Cup appearances; goals
- League Cup appearances; goals
European appearances; goals
- -
- League appearances; goals
- FA Cup appearances; goals
- League Cup appearances; goals
European appearances; goals

Honours
England international
- full caps;  - goals
- Under-21 caps; goals
- Youth caps; goals
- Cup winners medal 19---
Selected in Third Division Team of the Year 1975-76  (Millwall)

Milestones
- appearance

        

1971

Lived at Edmonton with his wife. 
Played tennis and golf. 
Liked listening to Tony Bennett and Andy Williams.
Regarded Dave Wagstaffe (Wolverhampton Wanderers) and Tom Jenkins (Southampton) as his most difficult opponents.
1974

Ray and his wife Sandra lived in Enfield.
Opened a record and cassette shop in South Oxhey, Hertfordshire.
 
September 1974

“One day a letter turned up on Spurs' notepaper, signed by Dick Walker, inviting me to train at White Hart Lane. That was IT as far as I was concerned. It meant a chance of a career in football. There was nothing I wanted more.”

In the 1973-74 season, Ray missed only two league matches.

The biggest match of his career up to that point was Wolves in League Cup semi-final second leg.

His biggest disappointment was the UEFA Cup final defeat to Feyenoord in 1973.

Lived with wife Sandra in Hoddesdon.

Owned a record shop in South Oxhey and works there as many afternoons as he can.

Signed pro the same day as Ray Bunkell and played with him in the same Edmonton and Middlesex Boys sides. Bunkell joined Colchester United and the two were still firm friends.
 

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What they said about Ray Evans
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What Ray Evans said about ...
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            Appearances

Season League FA Cup League Cup UEFA Cup
1968-69 (THFC) - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
1977 (St. Louis Stars) 18 N/A N/A N/A
1978 (California Surf) 24 (1 goal) N/A N/A N/A
1982 (Seattle Sounders) 31 (10 goals) N/A N/A N/A
1983 (Seattle Sounders) 29 (5 goals) N/A N/A N/A

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