From Chris Mozzer.
The late Jim Holton, Gary Gillespie and Ray.
Thanks to Chris Mozzer for finding this newspaper clipping!
The above is mainly about Jimmy Armfield saying that he thought Ray was ready to be capped at under 21 side. He goes on to explain that the players for the senior side have failed to set the World alight, but players like Joe Jordan have also relied on a using a big physical presence and Ray could do a similar job! He went on to say that the more physical forward was usually overlooked at international level due to the fact that they are perceived as being clumsy and short on skills, but Ray was able to substitute his lack of pace and quick movement with the ball at his feet with the courageous headers and flick-ons which he came renowned for. His heading ability and quick thinking caused him to anticipate situations which could create real danger in the opposition's penalty box, resulting in goals or the real threat of them! Ray had already scored six goals in as many games and he went on to score 20 that season, but obviously made many assists which aren't noted in our game! Ray had previously been capped three times at under 23 level, in 1974 while with Burnley, but he never got that under 21 call up. England failed to qualify for, both, the 1974 and 1978 World Cup finals either. It has to be said that England had so many great players and considering that the other British sides were very good then this didn't mean that we were that bad! In both qualifiers, we either lost on goals scored or by one point and the teams who finished on top also made the semi finals in the World Cup, Poland and Italy. Another factor, was that there were no play offs and the current England side have qualified in one of those matches and generally play in groups with poorer opposition!
Shot here taken from the South Stand area of the old Lowfields Stand at Elland Road. The Lowfields Stand was erected in the 1920's and the lower tier terracing ran the entire length of the East side of Elland Road. The seated upper tier with roof stretched over half the distance of the terracing. In 1992 the Lowfields Stand was demolished to make way for the new all seater East Stand.
A full Don Revie Stand,against Portsmouth on the 28th December, 2010.
The Spion Kop at Elland Road was built in the 1920's and attained its name from a hill in South Africa. During the Boer War 322 British soldiers lost their lives on the hill and many football teams named their stands after Spion Kop hill in tribute to the fallen men. The original Kop was all terracing and built on an embankment, at this time the Kop had no roof.
In April 1968 the old Spion Kop terracing was stripped away in no less than six weeks and in its place the new Kop was built complete with a roof and new name. The Elland Road Kop was now known as the Gelderd End. The new stand cost £250,000 to build. In 1994 as a result of the recommendations in the Taylor Report which was published in 1990 the Gelderd End became all seater. 7,000 seats were added to the terrace reducing the stands capacity by just under 3,000. The Gelderd End was the final stand at the Elland Road stadium to acquire seats. The new look Kop was officially opened in October by the President of the club, Lord Harewood and Mrs E Revie the late Don Revie's widow. The Gelderd End was renamed after the great manager himself and the stand is now officially known as the Revie Stand.
Elland Road, Leeds. This stylish, elegant entrance to Leeds United's main stand was just about the only attractive thing about Leeds in the 1960's & 70's. Unbelievably the Club decided to slap their 'banqueting suite' in front of it in the 1990's, thus robbing football of one of its best known backdrops.
John: I remember Ray Hankin quite well, top scorer a couple of seasons round about 77/78, up front with John Hawley...both under-rated I felt. Feeling old now!
LEEDS!
Amazing website, which I'm yet to study. Ray Hankin is very much a part of my nostalgic era, when I used to go with my dad!" "I managed to get his autograph, and things, a couple of years ago". "With best of luck, Phil Dent"
Leon Wobschall caught up with no-nonsense striker Ray Hankin who enjoyed a stellar 1977-78 campaign with the Whites notching up 20 goals.
Rough, tough and no shrinking violet, Ray Hankin and Leeds United were a marriage made in heaven in the raucous late seventies.
That became consummated in a goal-laden 1977-78 campaign when the old-school, take-no-prisoners frontman wreaked havoc and became a bit of a Geldard End cult hero.
The Geordie won over United’s demanding crowd that season by way of 20 league goals in 33 appearances, while sticking up the proverbial two fingers to the FA suits and others such as Jimmy Hill who openly frowned at his all-action style in the process.
Yes, Hankin knew how to look after himself. But he was more than hired muscle, while he didn’t even see himself as the hardest player at Elland Road back in the day. That was a predator known as Jaws...
The sight of the 6ft 2ins, 13-stone plus north-easterner and Tartan tough nut Joe Jordan must have been a fearsome one for cowering first-division defenders when they faced United that ’77-78 season.
That year, it was a case of Jordan taking the knocks – and a whole load more besides when he made the controversial switch to Manchester United in January 1978 – while Hankin grabbed the goals.
Hankin’s haul included nine in his first 10 league games and a famous winner against eventual champions Nottingham Forest, inflicting just a third defeat on the Reds in 34 matches after netting following a typically robust challenge on Peter Shilton.
A Christmas double against second-placed Everton in front of 45,000 at Elland Road proved another high, with Hankin forever looking back on that season with fondness after his first year at United was ravaged by a serious knee injury.
Hankin, bought from Burnley for £172,000 in September 1976, said: “I thought I was tough, but by God, Joe was!
“I didn’t think me and Joe up front would work together, but Joe was actually a totally different player to me. He was a lot quicker than I was and my foil really. In the season, I scored all my goals, Joe was great. He was tough, quick and good on the ball, Joe had everything.
“But the rest of the team I played with were class as well. You were talking about people such as Paul Madeley, Eddie Gray and Paul Reaney; people you only dreamed you would play with.
“We had a great side that year. “In terms of matches, I’ll always remember Forest coming to Leeds on a typical Saturday afternoon in Yorkshire, when it was freezing cold with rain. And I’ll always remember scoring the winner that day.
“We also had the likes of Tony Currie and you couldn’t value him in today’s market. He would be worth a hundred million and a truly great player. I treasured my time with Tony at Leeds as he was my room-mate, mate and a great, great player.”Hankin’s haul proved the zenith of his time at United who he left for £400,000 in March 1980 to join Vancouver Whitecaps.
But while he failed to kick on after that stellar campaign of 77-78, his memories remain largely unsullied of his time at LS11.
Hankin, now 55 and working with adults with special needs back on his native Tyneside, added: “The Leeds fans were great and I never really had a problem. One or two did start to have a go when I wasn’t scoring in my last season (79-80), for some reason, the goals weren’t coming and I was finding it quite hard to get off the mark; I don’t know why.
“For strikers, it’s a confidence-thing and these days people are talking about Torres’ record and things like that and him not scoring goals. It happens.
“But I knew the goals would come back again and they did when I went across to Vancouver.
“Looking back for most of my years at Leeds, I was scoring. In the first year, I was really fighting with an injury, but in the years after, I absolutely loved it.
“I remember Jimmy Armfield signing me, but then he lost his job, which was a real kick for me as I really respected him. But there were great times and I played with some great players and managers.
“Yes, it would have been nice to win something, but obviously circumstances changed. The Bremner’s, Giles’ and all that team started to break up in 1975 just before I joined and I remember Billy was leaving as I was joining the club.“Looking back, everyone remembers the Southampton game (League Cup semi-final in 1978-79) was very hurtful and losing a 2-0 lead at home and us going down there and conceding a goal in the first 30 seconds or something. I think we pummelled them for an hour and a half, but couldn’t score. But we gave it away at Elland Road.”
After his time in Vancouver, Hankin returned to England and after the briefest of spells at Arsenal, joined up with Malcolm Allison’s Middlesbrough and later played for Peterborough and Wolves before stepping down into the non-leagues in the north east with Whitby Town, Blue Star and Guisborough Town.
A marked man during his time in the lower divisions, Hankin was a regular in the footballing dock at the tail end of his career, infamously receiving five red cards in eight games while winding down his professional career at Posh. Or should that be wound up...
Throughout that whole era, Hankin was scrapping it out, literally, at the bottom of the Football League, a time he remembers with little affection.
Rough, tough and no shrinking violet, Ray Hankin and Leeds United were a marriage made in heaven in the raucous late seventies.
That became consummated in a goal-laden 1977-78 campaign when the old-school, take-no-prisoners frontman wreaked havoc and became a bit of a Geldard End cult hero.
The Geordie won over United’s demanding crowd that season by way of 20 league goals in 33 appearances, while sticking up the proverbial two fingers to the FA suits and others such as Jimmy Hill who openly frowned at his all-action style in the process.
Yes, Hankin knew how to look after himself. But he was more than hired muscle, while he didn’t even see himself as the hardest player at Elland Road back in the day. That was a predator known as Jaws...
The sight of the 6ft 2ins, 13-stone plus north-easterner and Tartan tough nut Joe Jordan must have been a fearsome one for cowering first-division defenders when they faced United that ’77-78 season.
That year, it was a case of Jordan taking the knocks – and a whole load more besides when he made the controversial switch to Manchester United in January 1978 – while Hankin grabbed the goals.
Hankin’s haul included nine in his first 10 league games and a famous winner against eventual champions Nottingham Forest, inflicting just a third defeat on the Reds in 34 matches after netting following a typically robust challenge on Peter Shilton.
A Christmas double against second-placed Everton in front of 45,000 at Elland Road proved another high, with Hankin forever looking back on that season with fondness after his first year at United was ravaged by a serious knee injury.
Hankin, bought from Burnley for £172,000 in September 1976, said: “I thought I was tough, but by God, Joe was!
“I didn’t think me and Joe up front would work together, but Joe was actually a totally different player to me. He was a lot quicker than I was and my foil really. In the season, I scored all my goals, Joe was great. He was tough, quick and good on the ball, Joe had everything.
“But the rest of the team I played with were class as well. You were talking about people such as Paul Madeley, Eddie Gray and Paul Reaney; people you only dreamed you would play with.
“We had a great side that year. “In terms of matches, I’ll always remember Forest coming to Leeds on a typical Saturday afternoon in Yorkshire, when it was freezing cold with rain. And I’ll always remember scoring the winner that day.
“We also had the likes of Tony Currie and you couldn’t value him in today’s market. He would be worth a hundred million and a truly great player. I treasured my time with Tony at Leeds as he was my room-mate, mate and a great, great player.”Hankin’s haul proved the zenith of his time at United who he left for £400,000 in March 1980 to join Vancouver Whitecaps.
But while he failed to kick on after that stellar campaign of 77-78, his memories remain largely unsullied of his time at LS11.
Hankin, now 55 and working with adults with special needs back on his native Tyneside, added: “The Leeds fans were great and I never really had a problem. One or two did start to have a go when I wasn’t scoring in my last season (79-80), for some reason, the goals weren’t coming and I was finding it quite hard to get off the mark; I don’t know why.
“For strikers, it’s a confidence-thing and these days people are talking about Torres’ record and things like that and him not scoring goals. It happens.
“But I knew the goals would come back again and they did when I went across to Vancouver.
“Looking back for most of my years at Leeds, I was scoring. In the first year, I was really fighting with an injury, but in the years after, I absolutely loved it.
“I remember Jimmy Armfield signing me, but then he lost his job, which was a real kick for me as I really respected him. But there were great times and I played with some great players and managers.
“Yes, it would have been nice to win something, but obviously circumstances changed. The Bremner’s, Giles’ and all that team started to break up in 1975 just before I joined and I remember Billy was leaving as I was joining the club.“Looking back, everyone remembers the Southampton game (League Cup semi-final in 1978-79) was very hurtful and losing a 2-0 lead at home and us going down there and conceding a goal in the first 30 seconds or something. I think we pummelled them for an hour and a half, but couldn’t score. But we gave it away at Elland Road.”
After his time in Vancouver, Hankin returned to England and after the briefest of spells at Arsenal, joined up with Malcolm Allison’s Middlesbrough and later played for Peterborough and Wolves before stepping down into the non-leagues in the north east with Whitby Town, Blue Star and Guisborough Town.
A marked man during his time in the lower divisions, Hankin was a regular in the footballing dock at the tail end of his career, infamously receiving five red cards in eight games while winding down his professional career at Posh. Or should that be wound up...
Throughout that whole era, Hankin was scrapping it out, literally, at the bottom of the Football League, a time he remembers with little affection.
John Jaques: "Hankin's gona get u" never forget the day we chanted that, after he had been fouled and he looked up at the cop and winked. A True Legend.
Mini Trump football card. This card was produced in the 1970s and was a game played by school kids. Idea of game: Equal amounts are shared out; Just like a normal card game, a player starts from the position on the left of the dealer. They call out the highest number on the card and the remaining players then place their cards on top, and the player with the higher number wins all the cards! If there is a tie, all cards are placed to the side and the winner of the next hand wins the lot! Bring back memories,lol.
Ray's Leeds debut:
This picture card was issued by the Sun newspaper: Leeds signed Ray for nearly 200,000 in September, 1976. After only four league he had to miss the rest of that season through injury, but returned later becoming top scorer in '77-'78 season with twenty goals. He had been given his Burnley debut when only 16.
Division One leading scorers for the 1977/78 season: http://www.free-elements.com/England/Seasons/S1977.html
Jeff Harris: I remember him signing from Burnley in 1976, it was between Leeds or West Ham but he chose for Leeds for 175000. He had a bad knee injury and had to have an operation immediately but scored alot of goals in the the second season, about 21 I think.He was very physical, an old style Centre Forward who could rough defenders up and scored some great goals.He was then over shadowed by John Hawley in the following season 1978-79, but did develop afterwards into a pretty good midfield player with a decent touch for a big man.Went to Toronto blizzard or Vancouver Whitecaps afterwards.
The following season-'77/'78-he played 33 times and scored 20 goals in the league, becoming top goal scorer in the team; He also scored once in the league Cup.
Leeds made the League Cup Semi Final against Nottingham Forest and finished 9th in the league.
Jimmy Armfield signed Ray Hankin for Leeds United in 1976.
1976-77 team picture.
First season.
Ray made his leeds debut in a 2-0 away win against Everton on Saturday 6th November, 1976. He played a further 3 times before becoming injured.
Ray made his leeds debut in a 2-0 away win against Everton on Saturday 6th November, 1976. He played a further 3 times before becoming injured.
Back Row: Paul Reaney, Tony Currie, Byron Stevenson, Ray Hankin, David Harvey, David Stewart, Gordon McQueen, Joe Jordan, Paul Madeley, Peter Lorimer.
Front Row: Allan Clarke, Frank Gray, Carl Harris, Trevor Cherry, Eddie Gray, David McNiven, Peter Hampton.
Front Row: Allan Clarke, Frank Gray, Carl Harris, Trevor Cherry, Eddie Gray, David McNiven, Peter Hampton.
1977-78.
This season's leading scorers:
Bob Latchford- Everton: 30.
Trevor Francis- Birmingham: 25
Kenny Dalglish- Liverpool: 20
Ian Wallace- Coventry: 20
Ray Hankin- Leeds: 20
Tony "Bomber" Brown- W.B.A. :18
Gordon Hill- Man Utd / Derby: 18
David Cross- Hammers / The Throstles: 17
Mike Ferguson- Coventry: 17
Brian Kidd- Manchester City: 16
Super Mac- Arsenal: 15
Micky Burns- Newcastle: 15
John Ryan- Norwich: 15
Frank Stapleton- Arsenal: 13
Andy Gray- Villa: 13
Mick Channon- Manchester City: 12
Peter Withe- Forest: 12
John Deehan- Villa: 12
Dennis Tueart- Manchester City: 12
Kevin Reeves- Norwich: 12
20.08.1977
19.11.1977. Nottingham Forest, home. W1-0.: The 'Hand of God' wasn't the only time for Shilton to be made a mug of! Ray did this years before and scored a 'Legal' goal! This was Forests' only third defeat in 34 games and considering that they won the league in the same season, European Cup in 1979 and 1980 plus the Super Cup -'79 and League Cup in both '78 and '79, you have to appreciate the geniusality of Ray for targeting their Achilles heel!
Stockport White, Leeds forum: I remember a typically brave header against Forest to give us a 1-0 win, probably 1978. Always liked Hankin.
EddieGrayfan, Leeds forum: Ray Hankin was a useful forward with Burnley in the mid seventies. Burnley were relegated and Ray was signed by Leeds in 1977, I think. His manager at Burnley would later be his manager at Leeds, Jimmy Adamson. I think he also linked up with Brian Flynn again at Leeds after their time at Burnley. Hankin was a rough tough Geordie who struggled with weight problems. I believe Hankin was the first player since Alan Clarke in the glory years to score 20 goals in a season for Leeds probably 77/78, this feat lasted a long time until the Howard Wilkinson era (Chapman, I think). My last memory of Hankin as a Leeds player was in one of his last games (if not his last) against Ipswich at home approx Oct 79. Leeds had come from behind against a very useful and up and coming Ipswich side. Hankin had received massive abuse throughout the game, all of a sudden Leeds were awarded a penalty. The regular taker was Kevin Hird, but as the penalty was awarded Hankin had the balls to hold the ball up to the Kop and point to himself as if he was going to take the penalty. The kop and Hankin saw the funny side of it, this punctuated a tense situation with humour. Hird duly dispatched the penalty and Leeds went on to win 2-1. A previous contributor commented on Ray's winner against champions elect Notts Forest in 77/78, I think we drew with them at the city ground that year also with an Hankin goal played in by the ref if I remember rightly.
This is from a set of 368 stickers issued in the U.K. by Ava Americana in 1977/78 season. They have undated printed backs stating "Football Special" and are 62x46mm in size. Much scarcer than the common "Football Special 1979" set by the same company.
1977-78 saw the departure of Joe Jordan and Gordon McQueen to Manchester United, with Ray Hankin replacing Jordan up front and bagging 20 goals. It also marked the end of the line for Paul Reaney and Allan Clarke and - at the end of a season that saw Leeds reach the League Cup semi-finals but only finish 9th in the League - Jimmy Armfield. Armfield had taken a team that was past its peak, stabilised it and produced a reasonable amount of success. But with the success of Don Revie's teams so vividly imprinted on the board and the fans, that wasn't enough.
Armfield began to tackle the one job that Revie had always feared - that of breaking up the great side he had assembled - the following season. Terry Cooper, Billy Bremner, Norman Hunter, Johnny Giles and Terry Yorath departed. Midfielders Tony Currie and Brian Flynn, winger Arthur Graham and burly striker Ray Hankin were brought in.
United reached the FA Cup semi final in 1977 and the League Cup semi final a year later and though United had never finished outside the top ten in Division One during Armfield's tenure this was not good enough for the board of that time and he lost his job in 1978.
Jock Stein, a legend in Scotland for his achievements with Celtic, succeeded Armfield but his stay at Elland Road lasted only as long as Clough's stay had before he returned to Scotland.
Jimmy Adamson was next to try his luck in the managerial seat, joining United in October 1978. Money was made available to him for team rebuilding and he spent over £1.3m bringing in striker Alan Curtis from Swansea, defender Brian Greenhoff from Manchester United, Scottish striker Derek Parlane from Rangers and midfielder Alex Sabella from Sheffield United.
In his first season, Adamson guided United to fifth place in Division One - and a place in Europe - and to the League Cup semi final. But in the 1979-80 campaign it all started to go wrong. He resigned in October 1980.
27.08.1977
Memories from some Leeds fans, collected from a fans forums:
Comment from Cathie Leeds Kelly Fantastic player for Leeds United, as i was growing up he was one off the best players i remember watching, he was a tough player who played with pride and passion. A hero for the mighty Leeds.
onenorthernsoul, Leeds forum: Ray Hankin was a cracking centre forward, scared of no one and one of the best headers of the ball ever. He didn't have much luck here unfortunately, and we didn't see him at his best for long. He was a bit of an animal too, putting it politely, I'm sure there are plenty Leeds fans remember him stamping on John Wark's neck, screened on MOTD that time He got injured again and his weight soared whilst he was recuperating, which meant a lot of Leeds fans started getting at him when he played again. He was twice the size but half the player he was beforehand. On his day, and when the team was playing well too, that was a great 'H Bomb' of a team - Hankin, Hawley, Hird, Hampton, Hart, Hamson. Might have missed one or two out as well. Good days even though we won nowt!
stockportwhite,Leeds forum: I remember a typically brave header against Forest to give us a 1-0 win, probably 1978. Always liked Hankin.
A previous contributor commented on Ray's winner against champions elect Notts Forest in 77/78, I think we drew with them at the city ground that year also with an Hankingoal played in by the ref if I remember rightly.
comment from Starbeck White 53 on leeds forum: My mate reminded me about this tonight.
It was either 78 or 79 at Roker Park. Sunderland won 4-1, and we think Stan Cummings got a hat trick.
It was a full house and already noisy (as the old Roker was), but they went f3cking mental when no.4 went in.
You know the feeling on an away trip when the home side have the upper hand, the noise almost made your ears bleed.
Same scoreline but a totally different feeling was at OT around the same period.
Andy Ritchie made his debut for scum and scored a hat trick.
But...Ray Hankin scored a blinding diving header right in front of us to make it 1-4.
We went absolutely ballistic, and didn't stop.
The manure fans were looking at us as if we were completely mad.
Another from same person from above: Come on everybody Together for Scunny and lay off Somma folks as he has been thown in half a season too soon and needs time to learn with his back to goal [yep he is NO Ray Hankin!!]
Dave "Bealwulf" Beal: Hanks was a top striker, had a pretty good partnership with John Hawley as I remember. Then he left and we bought Derek Parlane from Rangers.
Comments from Leeds fan John Seddon: First time I saw Leeds play was at West Ham and we won 1 - 0 with a headed goal by Ray Hankin during 1977/8 season .
03.09.1977
Memory lane: Date: Saturday 10th September 1977.
Venue: Elland Road, Leeds.
Competition: First Division.
Score: Leeds United 2 Ipswich Town 1
Scorers: Leeds United: Hankin (2). Ipswich Town: Mariner.
Attendance: 24,280
Teams: Leeds United: Stewart; Cherry (Stevenson), F. Gray; Lorimer, McQueen, Madeley; E. Gray, Hankin, Jordan, Currie, Graham.
Ipswich Town: Cooper; Burley, Tobbot; Talbot, Hunter, Osman; Osborne, Gates, Mariner, Whymark, Woods.
Referee: K.McNally (Cheshire).
Ray Hankin, although only twenty-one years old, presented a fearsome sight to opposing defenders and he made his considerable presence tell to good effect when Leeds United successfully dealt with the threat of Ipswich Town in a First Division tussle in September 1977. The six foot two inch, thirteen stone thirteen pound Geordie had scored three goals in his first three outings of that season and he took his tally to five in four games when he found the target twice as Ipswich were beaten 2-1. His five goal tally made him the joint leading scorer in the top division and though he went on to score twenty league goals in thirty-three appearances, United had to be content with finishing the season in ninth position.
Hopes were high when Ipswich arrived at Elland Road for this early season encounter. United had lost one of their four opening league games and had won through their first league cup match and Bobby Robson’s side came to Elland Road having made a good start, remaining undefeated in league and cup to that point.
Trevor Cherry passed a late fitness test on a groin strain, a legacy of his display for England in midweek, and Eddie Gray, who had been troubled by a leg strain, returned after a three match absence which left twenty-one-year-old Byron Stevenson on the bench. Ipswich, though, were without injured stars John Wark and Mick Mills and their England defender Kevin Beattie failed a late test which allowed eighteen-year-old Russell Osman to continue in the side.
Ray heads in the Leeds winner!After a goalless first half, Ipswich took the lead through their England striker Paul Mariner, who was on hand near the penalty spot to sweep the ball past David Stewart after Les Tibbott and Eric Gates had linked well to build the attack. Two minutes later though, Ray Hankin headed United level. Tony Currie began the move with a change of direction to send Arthur Graham racing away on the left. The Scottish winger hit a fine swerving centre and Hankin launched himself into a dive to head in from six yards.
Eight minutes of the game were left when Hankin made it 2-1. Eddie Gray’s cross from the right was won in the air by Gordon McQueen, who headed the ball for Hankin to glance his header past Paul Cooper from close range. After the game Hankin made it clear he wanted to shed a pound or two off his massive frame following almost a year on the sidelines working his way back from a nagging knee injury. “I would like to lose a few pounds and get down to thirteen and a half stones,” he said. His manager Jimmy Armfield, was, however well pleased with his progress but said, “I do not think that he has reached anywhere near his peak yet. His appreciation of the game is great and he will only improve.”
Hopes were high when Ipswich arrived at Elland Road for this early season encounter. United had lost one of their four opening league games and had won through their first league cup match and Bobby Robson’s side came to Elland Road having made a good start, remaining undefeated in league and cup to that point.
Trevor Cherry passed a late fitness test on a groin strain, a legacy of his display for England in midweek, and Eddie Gray, who had been troubled by a leg strain, returned after a three match absence which left twenty-one-year-old Byron Stevenson on the bench. Ipswich, though, were without injured stars John Wark and Mick Mills and their England defender Kevin Beattie failed a late test which allowed eighteen-year-old Russell Osman to continue in the side.
Ray heads in the Leeds winner!After a goalless first half, Ipswich took the lead through their England striker Paul Mariner, who was on hand near the penalty spot to sweep the ball past David Stewart after Les Tibbott and Eric Gates had linked well to build the attack. Two minutes later though, Ray Hankin headed United level. Tony Currie began the move with a change of direction to send Arthur Graham racing away on the left. The Scottish winger hit a fine swerving centre and Hankin launched himself into a dive to head in from six yards.
Eight minutes of the game were left when Hankin made it 2-1. Eddie Gray’s cross from the right was won in the air by Gordon McQueen, who headed the ball for Hankin to glance his header past Paul Cooper from close range. After the game Hankin made it clear he wanted to shed a pound or two off his massive frame following almost a year on the sidelines working his way back from a nagging knee injury. “I would like to lose a few pounds and get down to thirteen and a half stones,” he said. His manager Jimmy Armfield, was, however well pleased with his progress but said, “I do not think that he has reached anywhere near his peak yet. His appreciation of the game is great and he will only improve.”
Memories from a fan at this very game: Comment from Gelderbootboy, from the Leeds forum: Remember him scoring two crackers against Ipswich about 1978 and one was a diving header in front of the Kop - it was on match if the day and I spotted myself in the crowd B)
CONTROVERSY:
Kind words from Billy Ashcroft: "I played against Ray and remember him being a big strong lad who could play a bit too, just before moving to F C Twente, just far enough away enough for him not to kick me. If you speak to him say hello from me."
24/09/77: Ray scores against Manchester United, in the 1-1 draw at Elland Road.
01.10.1977
08.10.1977
English League Cup 1977-1978
26.10.1977: Round Three.
19.11.1977
26.11.1977
Ray scores the winner in a 3-2 win, at Maine Road, against Manchester City:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1og8lmHgrbI
Date: Tuesday 27th December 1977.
Venue: Elland Road, Leeds.
Competition: First Division.
Score: Leeds United 3 Everton 1
Scorers: Leeds United: Hankin (2), Lorimer. Everton: Dobson.
Attendance: 45,560.
Four minutes into the second half Ray Hankin was again on target when he headed in Frank Gray’s free-kick for his fifteenth goal of the season to make it 3-0 after Arthur Graham had been floored just on the edge of the box.
Ray scores twice and Martin Dobson replies for Everton; Two great Burnley ex players and for the fact that this team was broken up, they could've been the team of the 1970s, as predicted by manager Jimmy Adamson! Where did he end up, Leeds too, lol.
Leeds versus man City, F.A. Cup from 1977/78 season. Hankin displays the head flicks he was renowned for but a dominant City were just too much; Entertaining game though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3YfKuVHgxs
Julian Leusby great pic,remember having this on my bedroom wall. Cover of Shoot magazine, plus a supporter's badge.
4-2 to Forest; Aggregate score of 7-3.
Leeds finished the season in ninth place and after very comfortable league Cup wins over the likes of Everton and Bolton, they met a fantastic Forest side who would go on to not just win this cup but also the league. One year later they claimed the European Cup.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xcvi_uax-M
Action from both legs, plus the 1-1 league match at the City Ground:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atMvYLc5U-Q&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL71EEB691A1039C79
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atMvYLc5U-Q&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL71EEB691A1039C79
18.03.1978
27.03.1978
28th March,1978: Leeds 5 Leicester 1.
The blockbusting efforts of Ray Hankin, the speed and skills of wingers Carl Harris and, to a lesser extent, Arthur Graham, the ceaseless running of Brian Flynn and the arrogance of Eddie Gray sank the visitors almost without trace.
It was an emphatic win by any standards once United opened up a seventh minute lead courtesy of a Carl Harris-Eddie Gray link-up that led to Ray Hankincontrolling the ball well on the edge of the penalty area before hitting it past Mark Wallington in the Leicester goal for his nineteenth goal of the season. The visitors lasted another twenty minutes before dropping further into arrears when Frank Gray, showing the impish skills more associated with Duncan McKenzie, noticed Wallington off his line and calmly chipped the ball over the goalkeeper.
It was an emphatic win by any standards once United opened up a seventh minute lead courtesy of a Carl Harris-Eddie Gray link-up that led to Ray Hankincontrolling the ball well on the edge of the penalty area before hitting it past Mark Wallington in the Leicester goal for his nineteenth goal of the season. The visitors lasted another twenty minutes before dropping further into arrears when Frank Gray, showing the impish skills more associated with Duncan McKenzie, noticed Wallington off his line and calmly chipped the ball over the goalkeeper.
Back Row: Ray Hankin, Carl Harris, Trevor Cherry, Gordon McQueen, David Stewart, Allan Clarke, Joe Jordan, Tony Currie, Paul Reaney.
Front Row: Peter Hampton, David McNiven, Arthur Graham, Peter Lorimer, Eddie Gray, Byron Stevenson, Paul Madeley,
Front Row: Peter Hampton, David McNiven, Arthur Graham, Peter Lorimer, Eddie Gray, Byron Stevenson, Paul Madeley,
Leeds finished the season in ninth position.
1978-79.
A Topps Chewing Gum card.
02.09.1978
Back Row: Paul Madeley, John Hawley, Paul Hart, David Stewart, Ray Hankin, David Harvey, Keith Parkinson, Tony Currie, Byron Stevenson.
Front Row: Frank Gray, Eddie Gray, Peter Lorimer, Brian Flynn, Trevor Cherry, Carl Harris, Arthur Graham, Peter Hampton.
Front Row: Frank Gray, Eddie Gray, Peter Lorimer, Brian Flynn, Trevor Cherry, Carl Harris, Arthur Graham, Peter Hampton.
Hankin makes a header, closely watched by Paul Hart. Earlier, Leeds score after Ray makes a heavy challenge for the ball; It runs loose and the ball is slammed home!
Match action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIdfAozEfwc
Match action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIdfAozEfwc
25/11/78: Leeds versus Southampton: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9UPUESQwgI&feature=youtube_gdata
1978-79 season: Ray played 30 games and scored 9 league goals. The team made the league Cup Semi Final, against Southampton, and finished the league season in 5th position. Leeds finished the season in fifth place and qualified for the U.E.F.A. Cup!
14/04/79: Leeds 1-0 Aston Villa: Catch Ray here doing Colin Gibson at the very end:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5cKpFYJu3w&feature=related
14/04/79: Leeds 1-0 Aston Villa: Catch Ray here doing Colin Gibson at the very end:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5cKpFYJu3w&feature=related
Three Football Stickers From This Same Year.
From various sticker albums.
1979-80.
1979-80 season: Ray played 16 league games and scored 3 goals. leeds finished 11th, 9 points above relegated Bristol City. Ray made 99 appearances, scored 35 goals before being transferred to Vancouver Whitecaps for 300,000.
Back Row: Keith Parkinson, Paul Hart, John Lukic, Neil Firm, David Harvey, Ray Hankin, Byron Stevenson.
Middle Row: Kevin Hird, Alan Curtis, Gary Hamson, John Hawley, Eddie Gray.
Front Row: Brian Flynn, Paul Madeley, Peter Hampton, Trevor Cherry, Arthur Graham, Carl Harris, Gwyn Thomas.
Middle Row: Kevin Hird, Alan Curtis, Gary Hamson, John Hawley, Eddie Gray.
Front Row: Brian Flynn, Paul Madeley, Peter Hampton, Trevor Cherry, Arthur Graham, Carl Harris, Gwyn Thomas.
U.E.F.A. Cup.
Valetta v Leeds United AFC
Valetta 0 v 4 Leeds United AFC UEFA Cup
19 August 1979
Hart, Graham 3.
Kevin Hird, Alan Curtis, Brian Flynn, Peter Hampton.
Valetta 0 v 4 Leeds United AFC UEFA Cup
19 August 1979
Hart, Graham 3.
Kevin Hird, Alan Curtis, Brian Flynn, Peter Hampton.
The Empire Stadium, Gzira : The infamous hard surface, (sand). The ground was closed after 59 years in 1981 after many years of complaints from foreign clubs.
The stadium also saw greyhound racing, boxing athletics and motor-cycling as well as finals of the Maltese Cup, but the relationship between the Maltese FA and the stadium’s owners was always fraught. The new National Stadium was built at Ta’ Qali in 1981 albeit without any input from the MFA, but once agreement between government and FA had been achieved the final game at the Empire Stadium was played on 29 November 1981, a Premier League game between Sliema Wanderers and Senglea Athletics.
Once upon a time the Empire Stadium, Gżira was the National Stadium of Malta. It was opened in 1922, replacing the Mile-End Football Ground, in Hamrun close to the site of the Victor Tedescu Stadium, home to Hamrun Spartans. Prior to being a football ground the space had been used as a balloon station by the RAF during the First World War.
The Maltese national side played their very first international here against Austria in 1957.
Empire Stadium Gzira
Later known as The Stadium. Used mostly for football matches (and greyhound racing) and hosted the home matches of the Maltese national football team and also hosted the final of the Maltese Cup. The stadium was able to hold 30,000 spectators and originally opened in 1922. It was notorious for its sandy pitch. It hosted its final game in 1981, being replaced by the modern Ta' Qali Stadium.
Famously in February 1971 Malta faced England in a European Championships qualifier, and the British press managed to underestimate their hosts describing them as ” A bunch of Spanish waiters,” and criticised the Empire Stadium’s notorious sandy pitch A capacity crowd of 30,000 saw the gallant part-timers rather unluckily go down 0-1. Footage here
Ray scores at Elland Rd against Valetta F.C. of Malta in the 1st rd 2nd leg UEFA Cup
Wed 3rd October 1979; In the sixty-second minute Paul Hart turned a ball from the right into Ray Hankin’s path and he headed home from three yards: Ray celebrates below! This game ended 3-0, adding to the 4-0 away win.
Ray's sense of humour: My last memory of Hankin as a Leeds player was in one of his last games (if not his last) against Ipswich at home: 6th Oct, 1979. Leeds had come from behind against a very useful and up and coming Ipswich side. Hankin had received massive abuse throughout the game, all of a sudden Leeds were awarded a penalty. The regular taker was Kevin Hird, but as the penalty was awarded Hankin had the balls to hold the ball up to the Kop and point to himself as if he was going to take the penalty. The kop and Hankin saw the funny side of it, this punctuated a tense situation with humour. Hird duly dispatched the penalty and Leeds went on to win 2-1.
Leeds lost both game 2-0 and so went out in the second round 4-0 on aggregate.
Ray finally left Leeds in March of 1980.
Ray Hankin was sold, 1st March 1980. His last game was against
Bolton Wanderers, 9th February 1980; score was 2-2. Attendance: 16,428.
Lukic, John
Cherry, Trevor
Hampton, Peter
Flynn, Brian
Greenhoff, Brian
Madeley, Paul
Hankin, Ray
Hird, Kevin. Scored penalty.
Connor, Terry
Hamson, Gary
Graham, Arthur. Other goal.
Cherry, Trevor
Hampton, Peter
Flynn, Brian
Greenhoff, Brian
Madeley, Paul
Hankin, Ray
Hird, Kevin. Scored penalty.
Connor, Terry
Hamson, Gary
Graham, Arthur. Other goal.