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Ray Wilkins

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Ray Wilkins
MBE
Wilkins in 2008
Personal information
Full name Raymond Colin Wilkins[1]
Date of birth (1956-09-14)14 September 1956
Place of birth Hillingdon, England
Date of death 4 April 2018(2018-04-04) (aged 61)
Place of death St George's Hospital, Tooting, England
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Position Midfielder
Youth career
Chelsea
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1973–1979 Chelsea 179 (30)
1979–1984 Manchester United 160 (7)
1984–1987 AC Milan 73 (2)
1987 Paris Saint-Germain 13 (0)
1987–1989 Rangers 70 (2)
1989–1994 Queens Park Rangers 154 (7)
1994 Crystal Palace 1 (0)
1994–1996 Queens Park Rangers 21 (0)
1996 Wycombe Wanderers 1 (0)
1996–1997 Hibernian 16 (0)
1997 Millwall 3 (0)
1997 Leyton Orient 3 (0)
Total 694 (48)
International career
1972 England Schoolboys 7 (0)
1974 England Youth 6 (3)
1975–1976 England U23 2 (0)
1976 England U21 1 (0)
1976–1986 England 84 (3)
Managerial career
1994–1996 Queens Park Rangers
1997–1998 Fulham
1998–2000 Chelsea (assistant)
2001–2002 Watford (assistant)
2003–2005 Millwall (assistant)
2004–2007 England U21 (assistant)
2008–2009 Chelsea (assistant)
2009 Chelsea (caretaker)
2009–2010 Chelsea (assistant)
2013–2014 Fulham (assistant)
2014–2015 Jordan
2015 Aston Villa (assistant)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Raymond Colin Wilkins MBE (14 September 1956 – 4 April 2018) was an English football player and coach.

Born into a footballing family with his father and three brothers involved in the game,[2] Wilkins played as a midfielder. He began his career at Chelsea, where he was appointed captain at the age of 18, and later played for clubs including Manchester United, AC Milan, Queens Park Rangers and Rangers. He won 84 caps for the England national football team from 1976 to 1986, playing at UEFA Euro 1980 and the 1982 and 1986 FIFA World Cups.

After his playing career ended, he worked as a television pundit, and as a coach and manager with Queens Park Rangers, Fulham and Chelsea. He managed Jordan at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup and his last coaching job was as the assistant manager of Aston Villa later that year.

Club career

[edit]

Early career

[edit]

Born in Hillingdon, Middlesex, Wilkins started his career with the Sunday League team Senrab that play in Wanstead Flats, East London.[3]

Chelsea

[edit]

Wilkins made his name in the 1970s with boyhood club Chelsea, which he joined as an apprentice, progressing to his first team debut against Norwich City at the age of 17 on 26 October 1973 as a substitute in a 3–0 home league win.[4]

In 1975, following the club's relegation and the departure of many established players, an 18-year-old Wilkins was handed the captaincy of Chelsea by new manager Eddie McCreadie, taking it from long-time Blues captain John Hollins. He took to the role well, keeping it for four years. He emerged as Chelsea's key player of that period, leading a team of mainly young players to promotion again in 1976–1977 and, in the next season, consolidation of their place in the First Division.

His elder brother, Graham Wilkins also played for Chelsea.

Manchester United

[edit]

In 1979, after Chelsea were relegated,[5] Wilkins signed for Manchester United for a fee of £825,000,[6] the highest fee received for a Chelsea player at the time.[7] He scored ten goals in his five years with the Red Devils, including a long-range strike in the 2–2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion in the 1983 FA Cup Final (United won the replay).[6]

He was voted player of the year by the team's supporters at the end of the 1983–1984 season. His midfield performances drew the attention of Milan, who made United a £1.5 million offer for the player.[8]

Milan, Paris and Rangers

[edit]

Wilkins signed with Milan in summer 1984. He later remarked that the most difficult part of adapting to the Italian game was the focus on fitness – the coaching staff made him work to reduce his body fat levels and Wilkins described the result as being in the best shape of his career.[9] The Italian team was struggling during this period, having suffered relegation in the 1981–82 Serie A season, and Wilkins was joined by fellow Englishman Mark Hateley (himself replacing another compatriot — Luther Blissett). The only foreign players in the squad, the pair helped the team to victory over rivals Inter Milan in the Milan Derby that October, winning plaudits from Italian press and the club's fans.[10] In his first year there, Wilkins played 28 Serie A games to bring the team to fifth in the league and also won a runner-up medal in the Coppa Italia (having eliminated Inter in the semis).

The following season he remained a key player in Milan's midfield, appearing in 29 league games and scoring two goals – one late goal to salvage a draw at Avellino and another goal the following game against Sampdoria. These were the only Serie A goals of his career.[11] Overall, the team struggled for goals, with Pietro Paolo Virdis's total of 13 making him the club's only goalscorer in double figures that year.[12] The club also suffered off the pitch, with owner Giuseppe Farina absconding to South Africa following accusations of bribery and theft.[13]

In Wilkins' final season there (1986–1987), he fell out of the first team structure, following the signing of Roberto Donadoni and the continued presence of both Agostino Di Bartolomei and Alberigo Evani. The team finished fifth in the league, beating Inter twice, in Silvio Berlusconi's first year as owner. Wilkins played 105 games (74 in Serie A) for Milan between 1984 and 1987. Corriere della Sera eulogised him as a "serious and meticulous professional who was immediately appreciated for his long and precise passes".[14]

Wilkins signed for Paris Saint-Germain in the middle of 1987, but this proved to be short-lived: he failed to break into the team ahead of Gabriel Calderón and Safet Sušić so he eagerly took the option to move to Scotland to sign for Rangers for £250,000 that November.[9]

He made his debut for Rangers on 28 November 1987 in a 3–2 win over Hearts at Ibrox.[15] He became an integral part of the team for the rest of the season, making twenty-nine appearances, which included both legs of the European Cup quarter-final against Steaua Bucharest.[15] However, it would be the following season he would truly make his mark at Rangers. Reigning Scottish champions, and Old Firm rivals, Celtic played Rangers on 27 August 1988. With the score tied at 1–1, Wilkins scored a "thunderous volley" from the edge of the penalty box to put Rangers ahead, and his side eventually recorded an emphatic 5–1 win that day over their rivals.[15][16] Rangers went on to win the league title that season, the first of their eventual nine-in-a-row.[16] Wilkins also played in Rangers' win over Aberdeen in the 1988 Scottish League Cup Final.[15] He remained an important team member into season 1988–89, playing in almost every game for the first half of the season, but his family wished to return to London.[17] As such, he left Rangers in December 1989 to sign for Queens Park Rangers. Following his last appearance for the Glasgow side, Wilkins received a standing ovation from the 40,000 crowd. Despite only playing two seasons for the club, he was later inducted into their Hall of Fame.[17]

Later career

[edit]

The longest stint of his late career was at Queens Park Rangers, for whom he was a regular first team player from November 1989 to 1994, including the team's first two Premier League seasons. He made his debut in the 3–0 away win versus Crystal Palace.[18] Wilkins left QPR in the summer of 1994 on a free transfer to join Crystal Palace as a player-coach under manager Alan Smith, but only made one appearance due to breaking his left foot on his debut.[19]

Wilkins re-joined QPR as player-manager on 15 November 1994, following the exit of Gerry Francis. The rest of that season was a success with the team finishing eighth in the Premiership. However the close season of 1995 saw the departure of Les Ferdinand to Newcastle and the following season the team struggled and were relegated.[20] As player-manager, he appeared in a further 21 games for the club from 1994 to 1996. Wilkins left QPR by mutual agreement in September 1996 after the club was bought by media tycoon Chris Wright following their relegation from the FA Premier League.[21]

Wilkins played for four clubs in the 1996–1997 season. He played one game at Wycombe Wanderers before moving to Hibernian for a 16-game stint. Toward the end of the season he played three times for Millwall in the Second Division and, finally, three Third Division games for Leyton Orient before retiring.[22][23]

International career

[edit]

Wilkins scored three goals in 84 games for England,[23] captained the team on ten occasions,[24] and played at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups.[25] Wilkins was called up to play for England for the first time in 1976 by coach Don Revie,[26] then made his debut on 28 May in a 3–2 win over Italy at the U.S.A. Bicentennial Cup Tournament in New York.[5]

He achieved one of his career highs after helping England qualify for the 1980 European Championships in Italy — the first tournament England had reached for a decade.[27] During a group game against Belgium, Wilkins scored a memorable goal when he lobbed the whole Belgian defence (thereby breaching the Belgians' obvious offside trap) and delivered a second lob, this time over the head of the goalkeeper and into the net to put England ahead. The Belgians swiftly equalised, however, and England failed to progress beyond the group stage.[28]

Wilkins was a fixture in the England squad through a successful campaign to qualify for the 1982 World Cup in Spain, which England exited at the second group stage. During the 1983–84 season, Wilkins continued to play for England under new coach Bobby Robson but the team failed to qualify for the 1984 European Championships.[27]

Wilkins remained an England regular during his spell at Milan and he was chosen for the squad which qualified for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. He played in the opening defeat against Portugal.[29] Wilkins became the first Englishman to be sent off at the World Cup in a goalless draw with Morocco in 1986, for throwing the ball towards the referee Gabriel González. The ball hit González having been thrown in protest at being deemed offside.[30] Wilkins was suspended for the next two games and was not reinstated by the time the quarter-final against Argentina came round, a game which England lost 2–1.[31]

Wilkins made his 84th and final England appearance in November 1986, against Yugoslavia.[32]

Style of play and reception

[edit]

"With Wilkins on the pitch, it sometimes feels like we are playing with 12 men."

— Nils Liedholm, on Wilkins's immense tactical influence during his tenure at AC Milan in the mid-1980s[33]

Wilkins played primarily as a deep-lying playmaker, using his vision and passing range to dictate the tempo of the game from central midfield.[24][34] Highly regarded for his elegance, composure, and extraordinary tactical intelligence on the pitch, he possessed a superlative range of skills and was particularly noted for his long-range, accurate passing.[24][34] Wilkins picked up the nickname "Butch" in his early career.[35] He was also known by the nickname "Razor" (Rasoio in Italian), a moniker coined to reflect the precise, driven, and "sharp" nature of his passes.[33] He possessed a rare ability to calibrate these passes using the instep of his foot, a technique that was particularly uncommon in that era.[33] Although not a prolific goalscorer, he was capable of scoring memorable and spectacular goals, such as his curling left-footed strike in the 1983 FA Cup Final and a well-timed volley for Rangers in 1988.[24]

Wilkins began his career as a classical inside-forward, demonstrating strong leadership qualities early on. After being appointed Chelsea captain at the age of 18, he led the team back into the First Division, and was widely regarded as one of the most promising young talents in English football.[35][24][36] Operating in midfield, he frequently sat deep to hold his position and play simple passes, encouraging his teammates to take on more creative roles.[24] While renowned for his distribution, he was also highly effective in regaining possession, possessing an enviable positional sense and a remarkable willingness to sacrifice himself for the team.[37] His selfless approach led to some misconceptions that he was an unimaginative player; manager Ron Atkinson famously nicknamed him "The Crab" due to his perceived habit of passing sideways.[24] Former Manchester United forward George Best remarked that had Wilkins arrived at Old Trafford ten years earlier, he would have been recognised as one of the world's most intelligent footballers.[33]

Throughout his career, Wilkins was a serious and meticulous professional known for his exemplary correctness.[34] Following his death, he was universally described by former teammates, managers, and the media as an "absolute gentleman."[36] He was respected as one of the most well-mannered and courteous figures in football, balancing his amiable personality with a fierce competitive edge and a desire for the game to be played in the right way.[24]

Coaching career

[edit]

Early coaching career

[edit]

Wilkins was QPR manager from 1994 to 1996, and managed fellow West London club Fulham in 1997–1998.[38] In March 1999, Wilkins was appointed Chelsea's first-team coach after Graham Rix was jailed for child sex offences.[38] Wilkins and Rix were Chelsea's interim managers after the sacking of Gianluca Vialli at the start of the 2000–01 FA Premier League season, but both were sacked from the club on the orders of new manager Claudio Ranieri in November 2000.[39]

When Vialli was hired by First Division club Watford, Wilkins again assisted him until their dismissal in June 2002.[40] From 2003 to 2005, Wilkins assisted former Chelsea player Dennis Wise in his managing of Millwall, but announced his exit when he took exception at Dave Bassett being hired in the coaching staff.[41]

England U-21

[edit]

From 2004 on Wilkins was assistant coach to Peter Taylor with the England under-21s until Taylor left in early 2007. Wilkins was not retained by incoming head coach Stuart Pearce.[42]

Return to Chelsea

[edit]
Ray Wilkins in October 2010, giving advice to Chelsea's youngster Josh McEachran

In September 2008, Wilkins was appointed assistant first team coach to Luiz Felipe Scolari at Chelsea, following Steve Clarke's departure to West Ham United. In February 2009, following Scolari's dismissal,[43] Wilkins was appointed as Chelsea's caretaker manager for the Fifth round FA Cup tie with Watford.[44] Chelsea won the game 3–1, through a Nicolas Anelka hat-trick, with the club's new manager Guus Hiddink watching from the stands.[45][46]

On 11 November 2010, it was announced that Wilkins' contract with Chelsea "would not be renewed" and that he was to leave the club "with immediate effect".[47] On 1 December 2010, Wilkins reached what he described as a "harmonious conclusion" with Chelsea following his unexpected departure from Stamford Bridge. While appearing as a guest on Sky Sports Champions League coverage on 7 December 2010, Wilkins said that Chelsea still had not given him a reason for his sacking.[48]

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, who was himself dismissed at the end of the 2010–2011 season, wrote about Wilkins, in his autobiographical book The Beautiful Games of an Ordinary Genius: "Ray is one of those select few, always present, noble in spirit, a real blue-blood, Chelsea flows in his veins ... without him we wouldn't have won a thing."[49]

Later coaching career

[edit]

On 30 December 2013, Wilkins was appointed assistant head coach of Fulham.[50] He and technical director Alan Curbishley were dismissed on 17 February 2014 and the season ended with relegation.[51]

On 3 September 2014, Wilkins was appointed as the head coach of Jordan. He led Jordan at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, where they were eliminated in the group-stages for the first time after two losses against Iraq and Japan and a win over Palestine.[52]

On 25 June 2015, Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood appointed Wilkins as his assistant manager. On 26 October 2015, Wilkins was dismissed along with Sherwood and the rest of the coaching team.[53]

Media

[edit]

In the 1990s Wilkins was part of the team that contributed to the Football Italia show that aired on Channel 4.[54] Wilkins later appeared as a commentator for Sky Sports, particularly on their Champions League coverage.[55] He also worked for Talksport.[56] Wilkins was also featured as a commentator on the 1990s Tango soft drink commercials, 'You know when you've been Tango'd'.[57]

Personal life

[edit]
Memorial wall outside Stamford Bridge

The son of professional footballer George Wilkins, he had two sisters and three footballer brothers: Graham Wilkins (born 28 June 1955 in Hillingdon), a former professional, who played in the Football League as a full-back for Chelsea, Brentford, and Southend United; former Brighton & Hove Albion manager and player Dean Wilkins; and Stephen Wilkins, who was signed by Chelsea and later made one appearance for Brentford, before playing for a number of non-League teams, including Dagenham and Hayes.[2] Throughout his life, Wilkins was known by his childhood nickname of "Butch".[58]

Wilkins married Jackie (née Bygraves) in 1978.[2] The couple had a son and a daughter.[5]

He was a patron for the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young.[59] In 1993, he was made an MBE.[60]

In March 2013, he was stopped while driving and found to be "nearly four times" over the legal alcohol limit.[61] In February 2014, he said that he had ulcerative colitis.[62] In July 2016, Wilkins was given a four-year ban for drunk driving.[63] In August 2016, he admitted he was an alcoholic.[64]

Death

[edit]

On 28 March 2018, Wilkins had a cardiac arrest, resulting in a fall, and was placed into an induced coma at St George's Hospital in Tooting.[65][66] He died at the age of 61 on 4 April 2018.[5]

Hours after his death, Milan played rivals Inter Milan in the Derby della Madonnina at the San Siro. His former captain Franco Baresi laid a bouquet of flowers next to Wilkins' shirt by the side of the pitch.[56] A section of Milan fans held aloft a banner which read "Ciao Ray: Leggenda Rossonera" (English: "Goodbye Ray: Legend of the Red and Blacks").[67] During Chelsea's home game against West Ham United on 8 April, fans at Stamford Bridge gave a minute's applause in the eighth minute to pay tribute to Wilkins. They also held a banner which read "Ray was one those select few, he knew what it meant to be one of us a real blue blood. Chelsea flowed through his veins, may you rest in peace Ray."[68]

A memorial service was held for Wilkins on 1 May at St Luke's Church, Chelsea, attended by many figures from the world of football. His son made a speech about Wilkins' struggles with depression and alcoholism.[69] On 19 May, his widow Jackie was the guest of honour at the FA Cup final between two of Wilkins' former clubs, Chelsea and Manchester United. Chelsea won the match 1–0 and she presented the trophy to Gary Cahill, the winning captain.[70]

Career statistics

[edit]

Club

[edit]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[23][71][72][73]
Club Season League National cup[a] Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Chelsea 1973–74 First Division 60100070
1974–75 First Division 2122010242
1975–76 Second Division 421141405012
1976–77 Second Division 4272062509
1977–78 First Division 3373141409
1978–79 First Division 3530010363
Total 1793012216320735
Manchester United 1979–80 First Division 3722030422
1980–81 First Division 1302000150
1981–82 First Division 4211020451
1982–83 First Division 2614160362
1983–84 First Division 42310132565
Total 160710124219410
Milan 1984–85 Serie A 28012000400
1985–86 Serie A 2926160413
1986–87 Serie A 1607010240
Total 732251701053
Paris Saint-Germain 1987–88 French Division 1 1300000130
Rangers 1987–88 Scottish Premier Division 2413020291
1988–89 Scottish Premier Division 3116082453
1989–90 Scottish Premier Division 1500070220
Total 70290172964
Queens Park Rangers 1989–90 First Division 2319200323
1990–91 First Division 3821050442
1991–92 First Division 2711021302
1992–93 Premier League 2721040322
1993–94 Premier League 3911040441
Total 154713215118210
Crystal Palace 1994–95 Premier League 10000010
Queens Park Rangers 1994–95 Premier League 20000020
1995–96 Premier League 1501030190
1996–97 First Division 40000040
Total 2101030250
Wycombe Wanderers 1996–97 Second Division 10000010
Hibernian 1996–97 Scottish Premier Division 1600010170
Millwall 1996–97 Second Division 30001040
Leyton Orient 1996–97 Third Division 30000030
Career total 6944870684884862

International

[edit]
Appearances and goals by national team and year[74][75][76]
National teamYearAppsGoals
England 197630
197770
197880
197991
198081
198170
1982121
198310
1984100
198590
1986100
Total843
Scores and results list England's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Wilkins goal.
List of international goals scored by Ray Wilkins
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
113 June 1979Praterstadion, Vienna, Austria24 Austria3–33–4Friendly[77]
212 June 1980Stadio Comunale, Turin, Italy33 Belgium1–01–1UEFA Euro 1980[28]
323 February 1982Wembley Stadium, London, England43 Northern Ireland3–04–0Home Championship[78]

Managerial statistics

[edit]
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record Ref
PWDLWin %
Queens Park Rangers 15 November 1994 4 September 1996 80311336038.75 [71]
Fulham 25 September 1997 7 May 1998 4320815046.51 [71]
Chelsea (caretaker) 13 September 2000 17 September 2000 2101050.00 [71]
Chelsea (caretaker) 9 February 2009 14 February 2009 1100100.00 [71]
Jordan 3 September 2014 1 July 2015 152211013.33 [79]
Total 142562363039.44

Honours

[edit]

Player

[edit]

Manchester United

Rangers

England

Individual

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "Ray Wilkins". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Mason, Peter (4 April 2018). "Ray Wilkins obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  3. ↑ "Lessons from Senrab's soccer school". BBC Sport. 30 March 2004. Archived from the original on 29 April 2004. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  4. ↑ "Ray WILKINS - Chelsea FC - League Appearances". Sporting Heroes. Archived from the original on 4 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Ray Wilkins: Former England captain dies in London hospital". BBC Sport. 4 April 2018. Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  6. 1 2 "Ray Wilkins' career in numbers". BT Sport. Press Association. 4 April 2018. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  7. ↑ "Ray Wilkins 1956–2018". Chelsea FC. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  8. ↑ Williams, Richard (2 June 2009). Cup runneth over for Chelsea's most deserving No2. The Guardian. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  9. 1 2 Ray Wilkins talks Diego Costa, Nemanja Matic and David Luiz. Archived 14 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Chelsea Daft (August 2017). Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  10. ↑ Hodges-Ramon, Luca (20 November 2016). Milan v Internazionale: the game that made Mark Hateley a Rossoneri hero. The Guardian. Retrieved on 4 April 2018.
  11. ↑ Italy Championship 1985/86 Archived 1 April 2022 at the Wayback Machine. RSSSF. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  12. ↑ A.C. Milan – La storia 1899–2005[dead link]. Campionati e Coppe (2005).
  13. ↑ Mondal's Musings: How Silvio Berlusconi Mixed Milan & Politics Archived 5 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Goal (26 March 2009). Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  14. ↑ "Ray Wilkins, ex stella del Milan, del Chelsea e dell'Inghilterra, è morto" [Ray Wilkins, ex star for Milan, Chelsea and England, has died]. Corriere della Sera (in Italian). 4 April 2018. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "Ray WILKINS - Rangers FC - Biography of his Rangers career". Sporting Heroes. Archived from the original on 4 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  16. 1 2 Halliday, Stephen (5 April 2018). "Classy Ray Wilkins set Rangers on the road to nine-in-a-row". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 4 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  17. 1 2 3 4 "Ray Wilkins". Rangers F.C. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  18. ↑ Wilkins Debut For QPR Archived 5 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Getty Images. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  19. ↑ Why did former Manchester United, QPR and Chelsea legend Ray Wilkins only play one game for Crystal Palace? Archived 4 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Croydon Advertiser (4 April 2018). Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  20. ↑ McNulty, Phil (4 April 2018). "Ray Wilkins: From Mexico to Milan, football says goodbye to 'an absolute gentleman'". BBC Sport. BBC. Archived from the original on 4 April 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  21. ↑ Moore, Tom (31 March 2018). "Former QPR and Fulham manager Ray Wilkins in critical condition after suffering cardiac arrest". Get West London. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  22. ↑ "Ray Wilkins". Neil Brown. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  23. 1 2 3 "Ray Wilkins". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Williams, Richard (4 April 2018). The real and remarkable Ray Wilkins was always a joy to watch . The Guardian. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  25. ↑ "Ex-England captain Wilkins passes away". FIFA.com. 4 April 2018. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  26. ↑ "Ray Wilkins: International footballer who was handed the Chelsea captaincy at 18". The Independent. 5 April 2018. Archived from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  27. 1 2 Ray Wilkins Archived 26 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine. The FA. Retrieved on 4 April 2018.
  28. 1 2 Croke, Ruaidhrí (3 May 2016). Euro Moments: Ray Wilkins produces moment of magic as English fans riot Archived 6 July 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Irish Times. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  29. ↑ 1986: Portugal 1 England 0 – where are they now? Archived 5 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Daily Telegraph (2 June 2016). Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  30. ↑ "Wilkins off in England's disgrace". The Glasgow Herald. 7 June 1986. Archived from the original on 23 October 2021. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  31. ↑ Ray Wilkins: From Mexico to Milan, football says goodbye to 'an absolute gentleman' Archived 6 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine. BBC Sport (4 April 2018). Retrieved on 4 April 2018.
  32. ↑ Mason, Peter (4 April 2018). Ray Wilkins obituary . The Guardian. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  33. 1 2 3 4 Netri, Marco (4 April 2023). "In memoria di Ray Wilkins, campione fragile per sempre milanista". Guerin Sportivo (in Italian). Archived from the original on 30 July 2026. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  34. 1 2 3 "Ray Wilkins: stats and matches". AC Milan. Archived from the original on 30 July 2026. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  35. 1 2 McNulty, Phil (4 April 2018). "Ray Wilkins: Former England captain dies aged 61". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 13 August 2026. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  36. 1 2 "Ray Wilkins: Former England captain dies aged 61". BBC Sport. 4 April 2018. Archived from the original on 30 July 2026. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  37. ↑ Gandolfi, Remo (31 August 2023). "RAY WILKINS: UN GENTILUOMO IN CABINA DI REGIA". FilippoGalli.com (in Italian). Archived from the original on 30 July 2026. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  38. 1 2 "Wilkins gets Chelsea post". BBC Sport. 27 March 1999. Archived from the original on 20 August 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  39. ↑ "Chelsea explain sackings". BBC Sport. 29 November 2000. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  40. ↑ Tallentire, Mark (15 June 2002). "Vialli joins the Watford exodus". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  41. ↑ "Millwall's summer of discontent". The Guardian. 7 August 2005. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  42. ↑ Wells, Darren (4 April 2018). Remembering Ray Wilkins: Chelsea and Manchester United legend who was known as 'one of nicest men in the game' Archived 10 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Irish Mirror. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  43. ↑ "Scolari sacked as Chelsea manager". BBC Sport. 9 February 2009. Archived from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
  44. ↑ "No split at Chelsea, says Wilkins". BBC Sport. 13 February 2009. Archived from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
  45. ↑ Chowdhury, Saj (14 February 2009). "Watford 1–3 Chelsea". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 14 February 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
  46. ↑ "Wilkins warns of Chelsea threat". BBC Sport. 14 February 2009. Archived from the original on 17 February 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
  47. ↑ "Ray Wilkins leaves Chelsea with immediate effect". The Guardian. 11 November 2010.
  48. ↑ "Ray Wilkins resolves Chelsea dispute" Archived 4 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine, ESPN Soccernet, 1 December 2010
  49. ↑ "Mystery over Wilkins departure from Chelsea" ESPN Soccernet, 11 November 2010
  50. ↑ "Wilkins Appointed" Archived 30 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine Fulham F.C. 30 December 2013
  51. ↑ Wilson, Jeremy (17 February 2014). "Fulham sack Alan Curbishley and Ray Wilkins". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  52. ↑ "AFC – Asian Cup — Results, fixtures, tables, statistics – Futbol24". Archived from the original on 15 June 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  53. ↑ "Wilkins joins backroom staff". Aston Villa F.C. Archived from the original on 30 June 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  54. ↑ Young, Graeme (31 March 2018). "Remembering Football Italia as brilliant show is brought back to life in film". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  55. ↑ "Ex-footballer Ray Wilkins has died, aged 61". digitalspy.com. 4 April 2018. Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  56. 1 2 "Ray Wilkins 1956–2018: Franco Baresi leads tribute ahead of Milan derby". Talksport. 4 April 2018. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  57. ↑ Robinson, Trevor (15 June 2015). "How we Tango'd Britain with the Orange Man". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  58. ↑ Woolford, Anthony (4 April 2018). "Former England football star Ray Wilkins dies aged 61". Archived from the original on 26 January 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  59. ↑ "Ray Wilkins MBE". Cardiac Risk in the Young. 8 January 2014. Archived from the original on 8 August 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  60. ↑ "Ray Wilkins on drink-driving charge". BBC Sport. 9 May 2012. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  61. ↑ "Ray Wilkins guilty of drinking and driving". BBC News. 17 July 2013. Archived from the original on 25 December 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  62. ↑ "Ray Wilkins has Ulcerative Colitis". The Daily Telegraph. London. 19 February 2014. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  63. ↑ "Ex-footballer Ray Wilkins sentenced for drink-driving". TheGuardian.com. 25 July 2016. Archived from the original on 23 November 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  64. ↑ "Ray Wilkins opens up about his battle with alcoholism on talkSPORT". talkSPORT. 25 August 2016. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  65. ↑ "Ray Wilkins reportedly in critical condition". Sports Illustrated. 30 March 2018. Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  66. ↑ Austin, Henry (31 March 2018). "Ray Wilkins placed into induced coma after suffering heart attack". The Independent. Archived from the original on 9 July 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  67. ↑ "'Ciao Ray' – Franco Baresi, AC Milan fans make touching tributes to Ray Wilkins". Evening Standard. 4 April 2018. Archived from the original on 18 March 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  68. ↑ "Chelsea pay tribute to former captain and coach Ray Wilkins". BT Sports. 8 April 2018. Archived from the original on 9 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  69. ↑ "Ray Wilkins: Ex-England captain honoured with 90-minute memorial". BBC Sport. 1 May 2018. Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  70. ↑ "FA Cup final: Ray Wilkins' widow to present trophy to winners". BBC Sport. 15 May 2018. Archived from the original on 19 May 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2026.
  71. 1 2 3 4 5 Ray Wilkins at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  72. ↑ "Rangers - Wilkins, Ray". FitbaStats. Archived from the original on 4 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  73. ↑ "Hibernian - Wilkins, Ray". FitbaStats. Archived from the original on 4 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  74. ↑ "Ray Wilkins". Eu-Football.info. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  75. ↑ "We are saddened to hear about the passing of former England captain Ray Wilkins". The FA. 4 April 2018. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  76. ↑ Arnhold, Matthias; Mamrud, Roberto. "England – Record International Players". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 2 April 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
  77. ↑ Austria 4 – 3 England Archived 1 February 2023 at the Wayback Machine. England Stats. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  78. ↑ Match No. 559 – Tuesday, 23 February 1982 Archived 20 March 2023 at the Wayback Machine. England Stats. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  79. ↑ Ray Wilkins management career statistics at Soccerbase
  80. ↑ Haigh, Phil (4 April 2018). "Watch Ray Wilkins' FA Cup final goal for Manchester United vs Brighton in 1983 was an absolute peach". Metro. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  81. ↑ Butler, Cliff (4 April 2018). "United pay tribute to Ray Wilkins". Manchester United Football Club. Archived from the original on 10 May 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  82. ↑ "England - League Cup Finals 1961–2001". RSSSF. Retrieved 8 October 2026.
  83. ↑ Stanley Rous Cup-Part 2 (1986) Archived 5 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Soccer Nostalgia (31 January 2017). Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  84. ↑ Dillion, John (4 April 2018). "The gentleman of football: Ray Wilkins, a much-loved hero of the game and of London, will be missed very deeply". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 18 October 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  85. ↑ "Annual Awards". Chelsea Football Club. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  86. ↑ "Eric Batty's World XI's – The Eighties and Nineties". Beyond The Last Man. 10 March 2014. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  87. ↑ Walters, Mike (4 April 2018). 'If there was an award for nicest man in football, Ray Wilkins would have won it' Archived 18 March 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Mirror. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
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