If my memory serves me right, a number of years you wrote a superb article about Ray Kennedy, have you still got it?
Your memory does serve you right in as far as I did indeed write a piece about Ray Kennedy. That's one of the very few I do still have! I've reposted it in here for anyone who'd like to read it.
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Ray Kennedy is without a shadow of a doubt one of the most talented players ever to represent Liverpool. His performances in our sides in the 70's under Bob Paisley were outstanding. The converted striker was one of the key factors in Liverpool's success, and it's a fair argument that without his forrays on the left wing we wouldn't have been quite the force we became. Signing at the time Shankly left wasn't the most high profile of entries for the former Arsenal man, but his performances on the pitch certainaly made people stand up and take notice. Many clubs over Europe expressed an interest in Kennedy, said by many to be the most consistent and skillful player in English football in the 70's. The words of the great Ian Callaghan when he was describing Kennedy were 'God, he was a wonderful player.' And that he was, you have to be some player to be a firm favourite with the fans at both Arsenal and Liverpool! His footballing career was nothing short of outstanding, and when he left to join Swansea in '82, the Anfield crowd had nothing but fond memories of Ray, who 15 major honours during his 8 year long spell at Anfield. After signing for Swansea, who were under the stewardship of Kennedy's former friend and teammate John Toschack, Ray's life took on a downward spiral. He was diagnosed with the neurological disease Parkinson's disease, which has also claimed boxing legend Muhammed Ali and Back to the Future Star Micheal J Fox among others. This is a disease without a cure, and as soon as the doctors made the diagnosis, Ray's career was well and truly over. To fully explain the dreadful effects of Parkinson's disease would take a very long time, but in brief this is pretty much what happens. The disease, whilst being in your blood, remains dormant until it creeps up on you, often forcing doctors to wonder just how they managed to miss it. The damage to brain cells goes on for a while before the disease really sets in, and by the time Ray was diagnosed, rougly 60% of dopamine in the basal ganglia and possibly 80% of substantia nigra cells would have been lost. The symptoms of Parkinson's are plentiful, constant joint pain, muscular rigidity, slowing of emotional and voluntary movement, postural abnormality and tremor. Just over 1% of the population of Britain are likely to pick up any trace of the disease, which makes Ray's misfortune all the worse. Since being diagnosed, Liverpool have done their bit to help Ray, although cynics have claimed that they haven't done enough. Proceeds from the match against Arsenal in 1991, as well as videos and books about Ray, such as the LFC endorsed 'Ray of Hope' haven't been able to pay for his treatment. Ray has been forced to sell all his medals in order to fund as comfortable a life as is possible, that includes the medals of 3 European Cup wins. All that is left now to remind Ray of a stunning career is his memories, however they are likely to fade. He is now a shadow of the fit and athletic winger that was seen in many stadiums across Europe, and he is hardly ever seen in public. This is the brief story of the triumps and tragedies that have been littered throughout the life of the great Ray Kennedy.
Raymond Kennedy's football career really started off at Higbury, as a centre forward at Arsenal. The Northampton man's debut came in 1969 against Oxford, before his full debut against Chelsea in a 3-0 defeat in the January of the following year. In spite of being told by Sir Stanley Matthews he wasn't good enough to make the grade at Port Vale at the age of 15, Kennedy did not give up. Imagine the willpower, being told by one of English football's all time greats you weren't good enough, but still persuing your goal. He was discovered by Arsenal talent scouts whilst working in a candy factory, and not eons after he signed his apprenticeship, he was picking up the 1970/1971 PFA Young Player of the Year Award. That wasn't his first great moment in an Arsenal shirt, that arguably came in the 1969/70 Fairs Cup a year earlier. With Arsenal being hammered by a superior Anderlecht side, Kennedy was sent on up front for his 4th senior appearance. He headed in a priceless goal to give Arsenal a 3-1 defecit to take back to England. Arsenal went on to beat Anderlecht and win their first trophy in 17 years, and their first in Europe. It's fair to say, that without Kennedy, this may not have happened. As has been previously argued, this was the turning point for Arsenal, going from a mediocure team into a European trophy winner! During the season Ray was named young player of the year, his club side Arsenal won their first double. He played for much of the season after Charlie George was injured, and after scoring 36 goals in all competitions the Geordie centre forward became a fixture in the Arsenal side, and partnered George in the infamous cup final victory over Liverpool in the same season. Kennedy was fast becoming a fans favourite at Arsenal, with his strength, touch, approach play and a powerful left foot. The 19 year old was fast becoming a tremendous player. In the famous double season, a Kennedy strike at White Hart Lane clinched the title for Arsenal, with his strike past Jennings ensuring the title went the way of Highbury rather than Elland Road, he had already achived legend status at Highbury. And after the victory over Liverpool, Kennedy had scored a personal victory, although he never mentioned it. After just one full season at Highbury, he had already won more than the man who had claimed he wasn't good enough to play football at a high level. During the next season he was a regular for England at under-23 level, and his form during Arsenal's first European Cup campaign was excellent, with Ray scoring 26 goals in all competitions, again finishing as Arsenal's top goalscorer. Despite this, Kennedy was only on the bench for the cup final against Don Revie's Leeds United, and perhaps that is one of the reason's Arsenal failed to pick up the cup that season. Kennedy's last two years at Highbury were less prolific, scoring just 24 goals in 89 appearances, although this was more to do with being in an ageing team rather than poor personal performances. At the end of the 1973/74 season, Arsenal fans were outraged at the sale of Kennedy. Liverpool manager Bill Shankly swooped to pick up the striker for a record £180,000. Although that was a great deal of money for a player then, it's not hard to see who got the best out of that deal! After scoring 71 goals in 212 Higbury appearances, as well as winning 3 major trophies, Kennedy was assured legend status on the North Bank before moving onto Anfield, with Bill Shankly finally beginning to build a top quality side again.
Kennedy's transfer to Liverpool would have been the talking point of almost any other summer in the clubs illustrious history. However, it's fair to say he almost slipped through unnoticed, in the press conference designed to announce his arrival, Liverpool also dropped a bombshell in confirming the retirement of the one and only Bill Shankly. The country, and in particular Liverpool fans were in shock, and Kenendy's arrival was only deemed worthy of 6 paragraphs in the Liverpool Echo newspaper. Kennedy spent the rest of the summer worrying whether Shankly's replacement Bob Paisley would see as much in him as Shankly had. He need not have bothered, Paisley had a worryingly good eye for talent, so he was obviously going to recognise the enormous ability and talent of Kennedy, Bob wasn't about to make the same mistake Stanley Matthews had made all those years ago. Kennedy took the place of the Welshman John Toshack on his debut at Chelsea, and he marked it with a typically clinical finish in a 3-0 victory over Liverpool's london opponents. However, Kennedy and Keegan failed to sparkle, and it wasn't long before John Toshack retained his place in Paisleys team. Although Kennedy managed to score his fair share of goals, it was fair to say he would never be able to take a place in front of either Toshack or Keegan, and he was already beginning to tire of his striking role. The turning point of his career, and perhaps the turning point of Bob Paisley's reign at Anfield came in the following season. With Paisley looking to strengthen his side's troublesome left sided midfield spot, he gained his unlikely replacement in that position by a visit to both his and Kennedy's native North East. During his visit, Paisley met up with Kennedy's old teacher, who made a point of telling Paisley that Kenendy had started out in midfield. Paisley tried Kennedy in that role in a reserves match, and after watching his complete display, it's fair to say Kennedy was never put in the reserves again! The job he did was outstanding, as he became an integral part of the most successful side in Liverpool history. His great vision, control and passing ability, as well as his power and shooting accuracy gave a new sense of balance and a whole new dimension to Liverpool's play. He quickly gained a place in the England team, and some say he was one of the best players ever to play on the left midfield for his country, although he never managed to represent his extraordinary talents in a World Cup. He had already won many honours at Anfield, including two league titles and a UEFA Cup winners medal, by the time Liverpool took on Saint Etienne at Anfield. With Liverpool trailing on aggregate, Kennedy was one of Liverpool's best players in the comeback, which was arguably the best performance in Liverpool's history. It was a typicaly fantastic Kennedy pass that sent David Fairclough through at the kop end, and you don't need to ask what happened next. From then on their was only one team going to win the competition, and Kennedy played a key role in the final victory over Borrusia Monchengladback in Rome. The arrival of Kenny Dalglish only helped Kennedy, with the touch and vision of Dalglish bringing an extra dimension to Liverpool's play, with Kennedy still a key man. By the time Dalglish's strike won Liverpool's second European Cup in 1978, Kenendy was being linked with clubs from all over Europe, with Real Madrid among many said to be watching his progress. They could watch all they wanted, because Kennedy stayed put, and was arguably the best player in English football over the whole 70's decade. The most important of Kennedy's 72 goals for Liverpool was still to come. He continued his love affair with the European Cup by scoring the decisive away goal in Munich that enabled Liverpool to go onto the final against Real Madrid. By this stage Kennedy was beginning to age quickly, this was due to the onset of Parkinson's disease, although nobody was aware of this fact at the time. He left Liverpool in the December of 1982 to join John Toshacks Swansea. His last game for Liverpool saw Kenendy score in a 2-0 victory over Brian Clough's Nottinham Forest. His career at Anfield had brought 15 major honours in just 9 years, the only trophy missing from the cabinet was the FA Cup, although Kennedy already had a winners medal from his time with Arsenal. After Kennedy left Anfield, it was to be a long time before Liverpool found an adequate replacement on the left of midfield!
Kennedy didn't last long at Swansea, and spells at Hartlepool and Sunderland in his native North East followed, before the worst day of his life. In 1987, the 35 year old Kennedy finally discovered what had been hampering his life for the last half a dozen years. He was suffering from Parkinsons disease. His career was finished the day he discovered his illness, and his private life was completely ruined. Basically Ray Kennedy was becoming a shadow of his former self. As I have already explained, the effects of the disease are plentiful and dreadful. The legend and true gentleman has suffered from years, with shaking and stiff muscles one of his many troubles. For a former proffesional sportsman to have difficulty walking without aid, and to find even the most mundane of tasks so difficult is almost heartbreaking. Perhaps a measure of the man is the fact that Kennedy's doctor had claimed that Kennedy had probably been suffering badly from the disease for almost a decade before it was diagnosed. That means that he wasn't a well man whilst running down the wing week in week out for Liverpool. If that doesn't show you a true example of bravery and heroism in football then I don't know what will. After hearing he had the disease, Kennedy was forced to sell all his medals. That included his 6 championship medals, 3 European Cup winners medals and his precious FA Cup winners medal. Many of these were bought by fans of Liverpool, with some of Kennedy's possesions bought by his former teammates for above the asking price. But in spite of these sales, Kennedy's financial status was nearly as bad as his health. In 1991, Liverpool met Arsenal in a benefit match for Kennedy in front of 18,000 fans at Highbury. The game saw Liverpool manager Graeme Souness start, with a certain Mr Dalglish donning his old number 7 jersey. That shows the esteem Kennedy was held in, the fact that the physically and emotionaly torn Dalglish still found the energy to turn out in his benefit. Although the game finished 3-1 to Liverpool, the huge story was Kennedy walking out onto the pitch. The reception he got was perhaps the loudest noise 18,000 people have ever made. But the overwhelming emotion at the sight of Kennedy was one of sadness. The memory of the strong, athletic and quick player was replaced by a gaunt and weary figure, something that brought tears to the eyes of both Kopites and Gunners alike.
So that was the story of Ray Kennedy. Needless to say, it was filled with triumph and tragedy. I think Ian Callaghan's already mentioned description was appropriate. He was perhaps the most complete midfield player of his time, and his positional play was so good, Bob Paisley noted that he could, if it was required, fill in at centre back! Now, I don't often make controversial remarks in these tribute posts, but in this one I will. Although the benefit match and the Ray of hope video were excellent gestures from the club. I feel we could and perhaps should have made more of an effort to help Kennedy through his financial nightmare in these dark times. As I've said, the benefit match at Higbury was great, but perhaps now's the time to show Kennedy the respect he is given by fans of Liverpool. Perhaps the current Liverpool and Arsenal players should participate in a tribute match at Anfield for Ray! For that is the least he deserves, that is the least the underrated player should be given. Ray Kennedy must go down as one of the best players to wear the Red of Liverpool! He's a legend on both the North Bank and the Kop, and how many people can say that?
