Old friends: Ray Gowan (right) with Shildon striker Garry Barnes
Ray Gowan, among the most indelibly remembered and most passionately committed managers in Northern League history, celebrates his 80th birthday on Monday (April 15).
Since he and the lovely Pauline have lived in sunny South Africa since 2009 – “Paradise” he calls it – he will doubtless celebrate with a bottle (or two) of local wine.
Though Ray spent many years in the North, his strong South London accent never deserted him, perhaps fortunately rendering some of his more excitable observations unintelligible.
As a player his clubs ranged from the 47th London Boys Brigade to Kingstonian, Crook Town and Cape Town City. As a Northern League manager his career began at Brandon Untied – where famously he masterminded Paul Dalton’s transer to Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United – and embraced Spennymoor United, Ashington (“probably the worst period of my football life”), Esh Winning (“lovely little club”) and West Auckland.
He may best be remembered, however, for his 13 years as manager of Shildon, 1991-2004, and for driving the Railwaymen to an FA Cup first round tie at Notts County in 2003 – the last Northern League side to reach the competition proper.
While at Brandon he worked in London but flew up for midweek games at his own expense (or, possibly, the company’s.) While at Shildon he worked without wages or expenses, brought in a great deal of sponsorship and when his 100-1 bet on the team reaching the first round came good, gave the winnings to the players’ pool.
His enthusiasm never dimmed, his heart remained on his sleeve, his vocabulary occasionally explosive. Growing up as Shildon pilgrims, my two young sons learned bits of the English language they were certainly never taught at Middleton Tyas primary school.
“At times my passion has cost me a marriage, money, jobs and perhaps friendships” he conceded in Football Ray’s Way, his 2021 autobiography.
Ray was also a greatly dedicated cricketer, clubs ranging from Normanby Hall to Shildon BR (as then they were) and, perhaps appropriately, Doghouse.
He’s been back to Blighty two or three times, the 2013 return chronicled in his book- “I still didn’t get to nuy the (then) league chairman a pint” he noted.
Since he’s 6,000 miles away, it won’t be possible to buy Ray a pint, either, though one of those clever all-singing all-dancing cards has winged its way electronically towards Cape Town. Others may simply like to drop him a line of greeting – raygowan@hotmail.com
A very happy birthday, old friend.
*Today’s Non League Paper (with thanks to blog reader Ken Gaunt) reports an FA survey that clubs below the Football League spent £715,701 on agents’ fees between February 2023 and February 2024.
York City led the way – the phrase may be inappropriate – with £128,902. Hartlepool United coughed up £40,222, Spennymoor Town £4,531, South Shields £2,817 and Darlington just £900.
Gateshead, by some way the most successful North-East non-league club, appear to have eschewed the middle men. Though narrowly free of the releagtion zone after a season struggle, York City are 18th in the National League.
*Reporting enthusiastically from Redcar Town v Ryton and Crawcrook Albion, yesterday’s blog raised an eyebrow at Town striker Carl Williams’s scoring record.
Ebac Northern League stats put him on 26 goals for the season, Town’s programme credited him with just 11. The explanation should have been obvious – as it was to league media man Mike Snowdon and to Town fan Derek Hartas.
After an earlier prolific spell with Redcar, the player had time this season with both Billingham clubs – six goals for Synners, five for Town – before (as John Masefield had it) going down to the sea again. He’s now scored 15 this season, says Derek.
*Eavesdropping over a pre-match pint in the Lobster – good pub, one of Sam’s – we’d noted Grand National day claims that one there really were horses called Mary Hinge and Betty Swollocks.
The latter remains in doubt, at least on these shores, the former was trained by Julie Cecil – former wife of Sir Henry – and recorded five wins in 11 outings in 1993-94.
These days the racing authorites scrutinise a bit more carefully, though trainer Tim Easterby got away with calling one of his charges The Wife. “She sweats a lot but she’s game and very tough” he said.
*Finally, back to birthdays. Today (Sunday) is my younger son Owen’s 40th, just half the man that Ray Gowan is. Though retaining fierce filial allegiance to both Shildon and Arsenal, these days he also supports Hemel Hempstead – where he now lives – and who need a point at Taunton on Saturday to avoid relegation from National League South.
Though it’s warm enough to fire up the barbecue down there, the day’s somewhat clouded by the result at the Emirates. On his birthday in 1991, he recalls, the Gunners lost an FA Cup semi-final to Spurs (“that Gascoigne free kick”) and on his birthay in 1999 lost another Cup semi-final to Man United.
They are rites of passage. Happy days to the bairn, an’ all.
Grass Routes 