Ray Lugg
For a school that didn't have a sports field but had to depend on the West Park, half a mile away, JCS produced some talented sportsmen and women. To the best of my knowledge few made it to the professional level although, I believe, the late Colin Thorpe came very close. In Australia Elizabeth Baker has shown a dedication to netball for most of her life and recently performed at world level in the veterans championships, perhaps she will tell us more about that side of her life. One boy who did make it to a higher level was Ray Lugg.
Ray was born in Jarrow
in 1948, a photo of the 1960 Intermediate Football Team with Ray can be seen on
the Sports Page of this site. One
of his contemporaries on the school team, Alan Atkinson, recalled that it wasn't
a very good side and they were often beaten by large margins.
Charlie Plant was the coach although his many other commitments meant
that there was little time for any actual coaching.
However an indication of the promise shown by Ray was the fact that he
was picked for the team despite being a year younger than most of the others in
the side. He left school in 1964 and, after playing for Jarrow Vikings,
he signed for Middlesbrough as a junior in 1965. He
made his first team debut in 1966 and, unfortunately, the Teesiders were
relegated to the Third Division the following year.
However he was also part of 'Boro's promotion winning squad in 1968.
He made 37 first team appearances on Teeside scoring 3 goals.
As a midfield player he didn't score a lot of goals although, in the
1969/70 season
playing for Watford in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup he scored two against
Gillingham. He'd been transferred
to Watford earlier that year and it was a big season for the 'Hornets' as they
reached the semi-final of The Cup before going out to Chelsea.
On the way they beat Liverpool, who were the most feared team in the
country at the time, and it was Ray's cross that led to the only goal of the
game.
Watford was promoted to the old second division that year and Ray stayed
with them till 1972 when he was transferred to Plymouth Argyle for a season.
After Plymouth he moved on to Crewe Alexandra before finally ending his
English career with Bury in 1979. In
total, since leaving school, he played in 376 Football League games and scored
19 goals.
His next move was to the United States where he signed for the Fort
Lauderdale Strikers. At the time
the USA attracted a lot of British players. As
well as Ray, the England International Gordon Banks also spent several seasons
with the Florida based club. I
believe that, after his playing days, Ray stayed on as a coach and I understand
that he still lives and works in that capacity in America.
Ray Lugg may not have reached the heights of a Gazza or a Beckham but,
without Ray and solid journeymen like him, football couldn't exist.
I
would like to thank Ray's Uncle, Ron Lugg (now Ron Upton), for drawing my
Lance Liddle November 2004