Goddard, Ray
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A hard-tackling defender who had earlier been with Wolves and Chelsea, Ray Goddard played for Exeter City between 1949 and 1954 having joined the club from Plymouth Argyle for a £6,000 club record fee. He later managed Bideford before becoming a publican in Wolverhampton.
Ray signed professional forms when aged seventeen for Wolverhampton Wanderers in September 1938 but was to feature in only four league games before the outbreak of war. He joined the Royal Air Force and played for the Services representative team in India as well as for RAF Transport Command. He moved to Chelsea in September 1946 for whom he scored once in 14 league games ahead of signing for Plymouth Argyle in July 1948 where he quickly established himself in making 43 league appearances.
Dislodged following the arrival of Jack 'Jumbo Chisholm at Home Park, Ray moved to St James' Park in December 1949 when Exeter City paid what was then a club record transfer fee of £6,000.
Making his Grecians debut - and immediately assuming the captaincy - against Watford at St James’ Park on Christmas Eve 1949, Ray played in every game during the remainder of the campaign apart from the last of the season. He followed this with 25 league appearances in 1950/51, 28 in 1951/52 and 37 in 1952/53.
Placed on the transfer list at his own request in December 1953, Ray had a further 18 league outings prior to being released in April 1954 to take over as player-manager of Bideford.
Leaving Bideford in December 1954, Ray took a job with a transport company ahead of becoming a pub landlord in Wolverhampton from 1956 onwards ahead of his death in 1974.
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bob allison
I remember my dad and mum telling me about Ray when I was little,it interested me as I was a chelsea supporter and still am and Ray was someway related and stayed with mum and dad and they went to watch a chelsea game.He went on to play for them,unfortunately both mum and dad are gone now and I can't remember all the details but I know dad was from Co.Durham and mums family were and still are from Wolverhampton.I would love to find out more about Ray if possible.Thanks,Bob Allison.
j baker
i went to Mount Radford School and i am sure that RAY and Steve Harrower should to take us for sports. 1947 and 1954.
Norman Webber
Ray Goddard did take us for sport at Mount Radford
Mavis Guy
Ray was my Uncle he married my Farther's sister Iris we are all from Wolverhampton he ran The Bird in Hand pub in Tetenhall Wood all of my family on this generation are no longer with us,
Glynis Mallinson
Ray Goddard was my mum's cousin, son of Harry and Gladys Goddard. Harry and my Nan were brother and sister who were brought up in Ecclesfield along with another brother and four sisters. They were a very close knit family and were very proud of their footballing relative. The team Ray played for in Ecclesfield, first known as Red Row were subsequently named Ecclesfield Red Rose who still play in the Premier division in Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League under the name Ecclesfield Red Rose 1915. My mum passed away in May 2021 at the age of 97,and recently I came across a lovely postcard size photo of Ray in his Wolves shirt and on the back of the photo is written Raymond 1938-9 Wolverhampton Wanderers.