England legend Ray Clemence has passed away aged 72, after a long battle with illness. It was announced that he died ‘peacefully surrounded by his family.’
After signing for Liverpool in 1967 from Scunthorpe United, Clemence helped Liverpool win five First Division titles and three European cups during a successful 14-year period.
The former England international, who also tasted domestic and European success with Spurs, played 61 times for his country.
The goalkeeper retired in 1998 and took up a coaching role with the FA prior to being diagnosed with prostate cancer seven years later in 2005.
The footballing world paid tributes to the late Clemence on Twitter, with his former club Liverpool tweeting “We’re deeply saddened by the passing of one of the greatest-ever goalkeepers, Ray Clemence.”
“The thoughts of everyone at Liverpool Football Club are with Ray’s family and many friends. Rest in peace, Ray Clemence 1948-2020.”
Clemence’s contribution to football was much more than the many honours he won both domestically and in European tournaments. It could have been very different with the ‘keeper being reluctant to play there in the first place.
A defender in his early teen years, Clemence ended up in goal for his school team and said ‘it was natural’ for him to do so.
Within two years of his career as a professional, Clemence had attracted interest from Liverpool, who were about to start a spell of great success. Despite his last game for Scunthorpe ending in a 3-0 defeat, he went on to win every major honour in the game apart from the European Cup Winners’ Cup.
He moved to Spurs in 1981 and made a further 330 appearances for the North London club, winning the FA Cup and UEFA Cup in the process.
After retiring in 1988, Clemence spent 17 years as part of the England backroom staff until his retirement in 2013.
Clemence had also previously had treatment for a brain tumour in the time that he had hormone therapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. 15 years on from his diagnosis, the goalkeeping legend has now passed at the age of 72.
JG Writes 