| Jabba's Comments |
Dick Ray served both Leeds City and Leeds United in his
footballing career. He joined Leeds City as a left back in their
first season in the League and captained the side before leaving in
1908. After World War I, he became a member of the committee formed
to bring league football back to Leeds after the expulsion of Leeds
City. In Leeds United's first season, Dick Ray managed the side in
the Midlands League but handed over the reins to Arthur Fairclough
and worked as his assistant when Leeds United were elected to the
Football League in 1920.
Ray became a manager in his own right at Doncaster Rovers in
Division 3 North, where he enjoyed moderate success. When
Fairclough resigned after Leeds had been relegated to Division 2 in
1927, Dick Ray returned to Elland Road as manager/secretary. In his
first season, he won promotion back to the top flight, and managed
to get the team up to 5th place. The following season they were
relegated, but once again came straight back up, and continued to
make the best of the limited resources available to him.
His successes weren't unnoticed outside of Leeds, and he was
chosen as manager of the first Football League XI for a game
against a Scottish League XI at Ibrox in 1934. Ray resigned from
Elland Road in March 1935 and went on to manage Bradford City until
1938, and worked as chief scout for Millwall from 1939, but with
the onset of war he retired from football and went into
business.
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