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Ray Clarke

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Ray Clarke

Postby oldnic » Sat May 15, 2021 12:59 pm

:mansfield_till_i_die: Just watched Big match revisited. Didnt know Clarke returned to play for Brighton after leaving us to play for Sparta. Good memories of the 70s.
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby Martin Shaw » Sat May 15, 2021 1:05 pm

yes, he returned to Field Mill, playing for Brighton.

I mentioned it in my profile of him: https://stagsnet.net/vintage/reports/ra ... rofile.htm :

On the 5th January 1980, Brighton were playing at Mansfield in the 3rd round of the FA Cup. Clarke played and scored Brighton’s second goal in a 2-0 win. His goal came after 79 minutes, side-footing the ball home at the far post after being left unmarked. After the game Clarke said: "I felt really sick when I put in that goal, although naturally I was delighted for Brighton. I'll always have a soft spot for Field Mill. I was very happy here, and it is such a happy family club. I would have no hesitation in returning if it was ever possible."
"Four points clear as Lincoln are McCaffreyised", CHAD headline, April 1975
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby yorkshire stag » Sat May 15, 2021 1:06 pm

my first memory of watching a Stags striker, old Stag took me to watch the master at work, seen some decent ones come and go, however watching live in a Stags shirt Ray Clarke was the best
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby geoffhill » Sat May 15, 2021 2:53 pm

Certainly one of our best ever strikers along with Ken Wagstaff Chris Greenacre and in the Season when we got promoted from the pit Matt Green.
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby Hitchcocks size 10s » Sat May 15, 2021 3:05 pm

Ray Clarke and Terry Eccles we’re the striking duo when I first started going in the 70s, not seen a more prolific pair of strikers since then, maybe only Stant and Wilkinson come even close to those 2. It was a joy to watch them both in action.
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby Oldamber55 » Sat May 15, 2021 3:29 pm

In my younger stags days ... the Ray Clarke/ Terry Eccles.. strike partnership was possibly the best we have ever had..Clarke was the clever striker whilst Eccles was the brave hard nut of the partnership... great memories in front of great crowds at the old field Mill ... for me the only striker who would come close would be Chris Greenacre..
Last edited by Oldamber55 on Sat May 15, 2021 4:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby groundhoppingstag » Sat May 15, 2021 3:56 pm

Oldamber55 wrote:In my younger stags days ... the Ray Clarke/ Terry Eccles.. strike partnership was possibly the best we have ever had..Clarke was the clever striker whilst Eccles was the brave hard nut of the partnership... great memories in front of great crowds at the old field Mill ... for me the only sticker who would come close would be Chris Greenacre..


Keith Cassells?
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby Sneag » Sat May 15, 2021 4:16 pm

Ray Clarke was a class apart from any Stags striker I've ever seen. Better than a 1 in 2 strike rate for us & even better during his 3 years in the Dutch top flight.

If he got half a chance it got buried. I'm sure he must have done it, but I can't ever remembering him fluffing a chance.
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby Oldamber55 » Sat May 15, 2021 6:37 pm

Keith Cassells Mmmm. Another club legend ..but not in the class as Ray Clarke ...here’s a few names to mince on Phil Stant
Kevin Randall...Ian bowling,Matt green, Steve Wilkinson.... ????
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby ST4GS » Sat May 15, 2021 7:47 pm

Sneag wrote:Ray Clarke was a class apart from any Stags striker I've ever seen. Better than a 1 in 2 strike rate for us & even better during his 3 years in the Dutch top flight.

If he got half a chance it got buried. I'm sure he must have done it, but I can't ever remembering him fluffing a chance.
The scorer of the very first goal I saw live was Ray Clarke. I was too young to appreciate him or the 1977 team so will go for Steve Whitehall as the best finisher with the other SW second. 1997-98 was an uninspiring season that few look back on but imagine this season's team with a striking duo of Whitehall, I Christie or Peacock. We would either be already promoted or ready for the play-offs.
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby Spiritater » Sat May 15, 2021 8:14 pm

As said Clarke was a Rolls Royce of a striker.Went on to play for Ajax who at the time were up amongst the best in Europe

Was considered for England too. Classs
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby northern stag » Sun May 16, 2021 7:12 am

I remember watching us at Scunthorpe on Ray Clarkes debut ( I think) it was the days before t’interweb, and you only found out about signings from the Chad, I recall looking at my Dad and saying who is this no 9 ….we’d never seen him before, he scored and we won, if memory serves me right we hadnt won away at all the previous season, what a striker he was brilliant header of the ball and deadly finisher….. the sort of signing you make every 50 years, so we are about due one !
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby Kernow » Sun May 16, 2021 7:40 am

26 goals in 31 games for Ajax, say no more. Legend.
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby kevin kents tasce » Sun May 16, 2021 7:59 am

Ray Clarke was before my time and other than reading his name on here occasionally I didn’t know much about him.

I have just found this article, which is brilliant. What a player he must have been to draw the praise of Johan Cruyff!

I wonder what the reaction would be if we signed someone with only 15 games and 2 goals to their name for an hefty fee during the summer?

I wonder what the reaction would be if our best player put in a transfer request to try and better their career?

http://www.football-oranje.com/hall-of-fame-ray-clarke/
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby oldweststander » Sun May 16, 2021 8:51 am

kevin kents tasce wrote:Ray Clarke was before my time and other than reading his name on here occasionally I didn’t know much about him.

I have just found this article, which is brilliant. What a player he must have been to draw the praise of Johan Cruyff!

I wonder what the reaction would be if we signed someone with only 15 games and 2 goals to their name for an hefty fee during the summer?

I wonder what the reaction would be if our best player put in a transfer request to try and better their career?

http://www.football-oranje.com/hall-of-fame-ray-clarke/



Happy days, I was on the beach with my mates in Majorca when I read, in the News of the World, Mansfield had signed Ray Clarke, former Spurs striker, from Swindon. The comment was Ray who?


We soon found out what a great player he was, last saw him at a book signing in W H Smiths on West Gate.
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby tmwilson » Sun May 16, 2021 10:11 am

Clarke was the best striker I've seen by far and with Terry Eccles they formed a partnership which will be difficult to beat. The perfect combination. I remember him returning to the Mill for Brighton , I think in the cup. I spoke to him before the game and he said he loved his time with us. He was always going to go on to bigger and better things but I feel very fortunate to not only see him play but be a huge succes for us.
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby bellwhiff » Sun May 16, 2021 10:12 am

Was a magnificent player
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby Rob » Sun May 16, 2021 11:24 am

I doubt there is a single Stags fan who saw Ray play who would not have him as 1st choice striker in their best ever Stags side. I saw every home game Ray played, he was far too good for the bottom leagues, as he proved. Such a shame injury prevented a full career, a Stags great.
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby Oldamber55 » Sun May 16, 2021 12:10 pm

He was and still is our best ever striker without doubt.... I was lucky to see him play...
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby StaginMorley » Sun May 16, 2021 12:36 pm

So many great memories of Ray Clarke banging them in - away games in particular. We always looked like scoring every time we attacked with that team.
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby Dan » Mon May 17, 2021 6:46 am

Oldamber55 wrote:Keith Cassells Mmmm. Another club legend ..but not in the class as Ray Clarke ...here’s a few names to mince on Phil Stant
Kevin Randall...Ian bowling,Matt green, Steve Wilkinson.... ????


I never saw him score ;)
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby magicstag » Mon May 17, 2021 7:43 am

Ray Clarke stags ultimate number 1 player
I have seen in 55 years.
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby victor A block » Mon May 17, 2021 8:53 am

Best striker I have ever seen play for us.. As his career after demonstrated. One or two others in that Dave Smith team that would be hard to keep out of a best ever Stags 11 as well.
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby Rob » Mon May 17, 2021 12:26 pm

victor A block wrote:Best striker I have ever seen play for us.. As his career after demonstrated. One or two others in that Dave Smith team that would be hard to keep out of a best ever Stags 11 as well.


Namely the keeper, the back four, the midfield and the two strikers, and the sub :lol: Probably more a question of starting with the 74/75 side and trying to fit others in - in fact aren't we due a best ever Stags side thread now the season is over?
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Re: Ray Clarke

Postby Oldamber55 » Mon May 17, 2021 4:50 pm

To be fair the whole team was probably the best team we’ve ever had under Dave Smith... golden era without doubt.will we ever reach those heights again ????
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