Ray Wilkins – 1956-2018

If any one man summed up the dignity, class, professionalism, kindness, grace and true sportsmanship of the Ranger, it was Ray Wilkins.

The beloved 61-year old passed away tragically today after a brief fight for life following a cardiac arrest, and the football world, and the world in general are poorer places for the loss of such a pillar of the sporting community.

Bears of an older vintage will remember his wonderful displays on the Hallowed Turf, a hard-fighting but classy midfielder with an eye for a pass and very much a forebearer to the Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard kind of player, and younger fans will know him from his TV gigs and coaching roles.

Speaking on his old friend today, Terry Butcher made a lovely point about him:

“When I saw his face after he scored against Celtic in the Old Firm; this was a guy who’d played Milan derby, Paris, London derby – but his face after scoring against Celtic topped the lot…”

Rangers were special to Ray Wilkins, as special as he was to us – to have a player of that calibre in Scotland was a truly incredible achievement, helped of course by English clubs being banned from Europe – but Wilkins could have chosen any massive club in Europe yet came to Ibrox.

And became one of us.

He carried himself with the distinction of a true Ranger, and while he was a Chelsea boy at heart, he was certainly an adopted Son of Ibrox.

He only spoke beautifully of his time in Govan, and his post-football career was a well-respected combination of punditry on TV (furnishing the viewer and host with so many words of wisdom – very underrated pundit to say the least) and manager or assistant coach at Fulham, QPR and of course Chelsea.

Few in the game commanded the respect Ray did, but with that disarming kindness of a complete gentleman, and the former England captain will leave a dreadful void behind him.

RIP Ray, we will miss you.