Ray King

Club career Early career King began his career playing wartime football for Newcastle United, signing a contract of thirty shillings for every first-team appearance, plus a £10 signing-on fee. He made his first-team debut at age 17 against rivals Sunderland at St James' Park. In his autobiography, he states that the night before his debut he slept at a teammate's house, and had to sleep in an armchair after the teammate made gay advances towards him in the only bed in the house. However, during an army cup final, he received a blow on his left knee that resulted in synovitis. After recovering from this injury, defender Ron Suart under-hit a back-pass, and the resulting collision between King and the onrushing attacker led to a thumb injury. He rose to the rank of Corporal, and also guested for Chester City during World War II. In goal for the "Seals" at Goodison Park, Everton's Tommy Lawton hit a penalty shot so hard that it broke King's right wrist.

He returned from his injury to play under Charlie Hewitt at Leyton Orient. He broke his left wrist in his debut against Northampton Town. He took his plaster off early and again broke the wrist in a reserve team clash with Charlton Athletic, leaving him in plaster until May 1947. This was his last game for the "O's", and soon after he departed Brisbane Road. After leaving the army, he returned to play in outfield Amble of the Northern Alliance, only to break his jaw. He returned from injury once again and was signed to North Eastern League club Ashington in 1948.

Port Vale He joined his brother George at Port Vale in May 1949. On his arrival King stated that the Old Recreation Ground was like 'some shanty town out west' and compared the dressing room to 'a dungeon', despite which somehow he 'felt completely at home'. King played only 19 Third Division South that season and featured in just three Third Division North games in 1952–53, as Ray Hancock briefly established himself as the club's preferred goalkeeper.

The 1953–54 season was one of the most successful in Port Vale's history, as the club won the Third Division North title and reached the FA Cup semi-finals.

He missed just one Second Division game in the 1954–55 season. He played the FA Cup defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane despite splitting open his hand. At the end of the season he was offered a £2,500 to throw the match against promotion-chasing Rotherham United; he refused the offer and saved a penalty that would have secured the "Millers" a promotion into the First Division. He featured 41 times in 1955–56, He played 39 times in 1956–57, but the arrival of new boss Norman Low signalled the end of King's time at Vale Park and the goalkeeper handed in a transfer request. After 275 matches (23 FA Cup and 252 league) he was sold to Boston United for £2,500 in July 1957, where he became player-manager. He later toured with the full England squad but never won a senior cap. He instead sat on the bench as cover for Reg Matthews.

Coaching career King managed Boston United from 1957 to 1960. The "Pilgrims" were elected to the Southern League from the Midland League in 1958. They finished third in 1958–59 and ninth in 1959–60. He departed York Street after former chairman Ernest Malkensen returned to the club and re-appointed former manager Ray Middleton. He then took charge at Poole Town, who had just released all but one of their first-team squad. He won one promotion with the "Dolphins", as they finished as runners-up of the Southern League Division One in 1961–62. He also led them to the first round of the FA Cup, before they then took Watford to a replay following a 2–2 draw at Vicarage Road. In 1963, he left Poole after only being offered a one-year contract and took the management post at Sittingbourne. However, he quickly left the "Brickies" after the club encountered trouble in paying his wages. King then coached at Oxford United under Arthur Turner. He gave pre-match massages to Ron Atkinson, who he stated had "the meatiest legs I had ever seen". King was offered the management position at Cambridge United. Instead, a pay rise convinced him to stay at the Manor Ground. However, he was sacked by Turner for 'disloyalty' after he applied for the management position at Cardiff City.

He made a return to the Football League in November 1971, when he was appointed youth team manager at Luton Town by Harry Haslam. His charges included future professionals Andy King, Alan Biley, Lil Fuccillo, and Dave Carr. However, he fell out with Haslam, and left Kenilworth Road during the 1974–75 campaign. He later did scouting work for Southampton, though he quit the role after finding his payment did not meet the costs of driving to watch the players he was scouting.

Personal life and post-retirement He married wife Norma in October 1949. They were one month off celebrating their golden wedding anniversary, when Norma died. Together they had a son, Gary, in 1951; he became an educator, who taught in Bermuda, New York, and Thailand.

After leaving Oxford, King dabbled in physiotherapy and worked as a masseur at RAF Brize Norton. He failed to find success as a private masseur in Poole, his only customer being a man who left after he discovered his belief that his wife Norma would be giving the massage was erroneous. He later worked as a salesman before becoming a P.E. instructor; in this capacity, he taught aspiring cricketer Mark Austin, who went on to become a well-known journalist.

After leaving Luton, King was employed by the Department for Education as a painting and decorating supervisor for a government training programme. Returning to physiotherapy, he built up a list of clients, including John Lennon. As a physiotherapist in the early 1990s, he was accused of sexually assaulting a female patient, and cleared his name following a four-day trial. He released an autobiography entitled Hands, Feet and Balls, of which only 1,500 copies were printed. In 2011, he released a second book, entitled To the End of the Road. He also wrote columns for the Bangkok Post and The Ambler, a newspaper based in his home town of Amble.

King died after a fall at his home in Bangkok, Thailand on 19 July 2014.

Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals Newcastle United 1945–46

Leyton Orient 1946–47 Third Division South

1949–50 Third Division South

1950–51 Third Division South

1951–52 Third Division South

1952–53 Third Division North

1953–54 Third Division North

1954–55 Second Division

1955–56 Second Division

1956–57 Second Division

252!!0!!23!!0!!275!!0

1957–58 Midland League

1958–59 Southern LeagueNorth-West

26!!0!!3!!0!!29!!0

279!!0!!28!!0!!307!!0

Honours Port Vale Football League Third Division North: 1953–54

Poole Town Southern Football League First Division second-place promotion: 1961–62