Kevin Ratcliffe
Encyclopedia
Kevin Ratcliffe is a former Welsh
footballer
who spent most of his career playing for Everton
. He was born in Mancot
, near Queensferry in North Wales
.
, Manchester after replacing John Gidman
through injury, but was not a first team regular until 1982. He was initally used as a left back with mixed results, but his form improved dramatically when moved to centre back.. Around this time Ipswich Town manager Bobby Robson
was interested in Ratcliffe, but at the PFA Awards that year Howard Kendall
reputedly told Robson to "F*** O**" showing his confidence in the young Ratcliffe. In 1983 at the age of 23 he was made captain, just as the club began a highly successful spell. Whilst captain Ratcliffe won the 1984 FA Cup Final
, the Football League Championship
in 1984–85 and 1986–87 and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1984–85. There were also two other FA Cup finals. Ratcliffe made 461 appearances for Everton and scored two goals in that time (one a 30-yarder at Anfield
).
Ratcliffe was renowned for his robust approach to the game and for being a tough tackler. He was sent off early in his career for a head butt in 1981 on Tommy Hutchison
against Manchester City in 1981. He was also involved in an infamous incident with Vinny Jones in 1989 against Wimbledon. In a bad tempered match, Jones had put in a late tackle against striker Graeme Sharp
flooring him, and Ratcliffe steamed forward to challenge Jones aggressively. Jones brushed his head forward in what appeared to be a headbutt, with Ratcliffe going down. Jones later claimed in his autobiography that his head barely touched Ratcliffe's and Ratcliffe had feigned contact to get him sent off, and expressed disappointment at the dishonesty of his fellow "hard man". This was later confirmed in Graeme Sharp's book, Sharpy, My Story when he admitted both him and Ratcliffe exagerrated Jones's contact on them both to get him sent off to their pleasure.
Ratcliffe has claimed in an interview the hardest (most aggressive) opponents he faced were Graeme Souness
, Jimmy Case
, Mick Harford
and Billy Whitehurst
, with Whitehurst supposedly being the hardest of all.
After leaving Everton in 1991, he went to Dundee
and then played for a short spells with Cardiff City
, Nottingham Forest
and Derby County
.
Ratcliffe was considered one of the fastest central defenders ever to play football. On arrival at Everton
he challenged the whole first team squad to a sprint race and won. Ratcliffe claimed that he challenged Linford Christie
to a sprint in the street shortly after the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, in which Christie won the 100 m gold medal
, and beat the runner. He was not the most skillful of footballers but he anticipated superbly, tackled ferociously and did the simple things well.
, Neville Southall
and Mark Hughes
as well as Ratcliffe, Wales failed to qualify for a major tournament while Ratcliffe was involved in the set-up. He was a room mate of Liverpool rival Ian Rush
's during matches. Ratcliffe's last match for Wales in 1993 turned out to be Ryan Giggs
's first.
as assistant-manager to Mike Pejic
and continued to play for a year. In the summer of 1995, he became manager of the Blues and stayed at the helm until August 1999, when he left after falling out with new owner Terry Smith
. The highlight of his years at Chester City was guiding the club to the Division Three play-offs in 1996–97
and he later took credit for steering the club to a mid-table position in 1998–99
while in serious financial trouble.
Reputedly Ratcliffe drew £5,000 from his own bank account to help cover the costs of a water bill because the club's cheques were refused.
In November 1999 Ratcliffe joined Shrewsbury Town
as manager and helped them avoid relegation from the Football League on the final day of the 1999–2000
season at Chester City's expense. The highlight of his tenure was a January 2003 FA Cup third round victory over his old club Everton, who were doing well in the Premiership
at the time. Interestingly, Everton manager David Moyes
was a former Shrewsbury player. But a disastrous run after this saw Shrewsbury Town relegated to the Football Conference
after 53 years in the Football League. Ratcliffe left the club within days, stating that he had to take the blame for Shrewsbury Town's downfall as he had brought in most of their players.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who spent most of his career playing for Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
. He was born in Mancot
Mancot
Mancot is a village in south east Flintshire, Wales, approximately 1.5 miles from Queensferry, 1.2 miles from Hawarden and 5 miles from Chester...
, near Queensferry in North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
.
Club career
Ratcliffe joined Everton as an apprentice in 1977 and made his debut on the 12th March 1980 at Old TraffordOld Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, Manchester after replacing John Gidman
John Gidman
John Gidman was an English football player. His favoured position was right back.Gidman played for the Liverpool youth team without ever playing for their first team, before he joined Aston Villa in 1971. He was a member of the 1977 League Cup winning side, before being signed by Everton in 1979...
through injury, but was not a first team regular until 1982. He was initally used as a left back with mixed results, but his form improved dramatically when moved to centre back.. Around this time Ipswich Town manager Bobby Robson
Bobby Robson
Sir Robert William "Bobby" Robson, CBE was an English footballer and manager, who coached seven European clubs and the England national team during his career....
was interested in Ratcliffe, but at the PFA Awards that year Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s....
reputedly told Robson to "F*** O**" showing his confidence in the young Ratcliffe. In 1983 at the age of 23 he was made captain, just as the club began a highly successful spell. Whilst captain Ratcliffe won the 1984 FA Cup Final
1984 FA Cup Final
The 1984 FA Cup Final was contested by Everton and Watford at Wembley. Everton won 2–0, with one goal by Graeme Sharp and a particularly memorable goal from Andy Gray. He was adjudged by many to have fouled the Watford goalkeeper Steve Sherwood by heading the ball from Sherwood's hands....
, the Football League Championship
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
in 1984–85 and 1986–87 and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1984–85. There were also two other FA Cup finals. Ratcliffe made 461 appearances for Everton and scored two goals in that time (one a 30-yarder at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
).
Ratcliffe was renowned for his robust approach to the game and for being a tough tackler. He was sent off early in his career for a head butt in 1981 on Tommy Hutchison
Tommy Hutchison
Thomas "Tommy" Hutchison is a Scottish former footballer.-Club career:Beginning his professional career with Alloa Athletic in the Scottish Second Division, being spotted by Archie McPherson...
against Manchester City in 1981. He was also involved in an infamous incident with Vinny Jones in 1989 against Wimbledon. In a bad tempered match, Jones had put in a late tackle against striker Graeme Sharp
Graeme Sharp
Graeme Marshall Sharp is a former footballer. He started his playing career at Dumbarton before signing for Everton for £120,000 in 1980....
flooring him, and Ratcliffe steamed forward to challenge Jones aggressively. Jones brushed his head forward in what appeared to be a headbutt, with Ratcliffe going down. Jones later claimed in his autobiography that his head barely touched Ratcliffe's and Ratcliffe had feigned contact to get him sent off, and expressed disappointment at the dishonesty of his fellow "hard man". This was later confirmed in Graeme Sharp's book, Sharpy, My Story when he admitted both him and Ratcliffe exagerrated Jones's contact on them both to get him sent off to their pleasure.
Ratcliffe has claimed in an interview the hardest (most aggressive) opponents he faced were Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
, Jimmy Case
Jimmy Case
James Robert Case is a retired English football player who shot to fame with the all-conquering Liverpool side of the 1970s and became known as a player with one of the hardest shots in the game.-Early life:...
, Mick Harford
Mick Harford
Michael Gordon "Mick" Harford , is an English former football player turned manager. He is former manager of Rotherham and Luton Town and has also been caretaker manager of Nottingham Forest and QPR...
and Billy Whitehurst
Billy Whitehurst
William "Billy" Whitehurst was an English professional footballer during the 1980s-1990s.-Career:...
, with Whitehurst supposedly being the hardest of all.
After leaving Everton in 1991, he went to Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
and then played for a short spells with Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
, Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
and Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
.
Ratcliffe was considered one of the fastest central defenders ever to play football. On arrival at Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
he challenged the whole first team squad to a sprint race and won. Ratcliffe claimed that he challenged Linford Christie
Linford Christie
Linford Cicero Christie OBE is a former sprinter from the United Kingdom. He is the only British man to have won gold medals in the 100 metres at all four major competitions open to British athletes: the Olympic Games, the World Championships, the European Championships and the Commonwealth Games...
to a sprint in the street shortly after the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, in which Christie won the 100 m gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
, and beat the runner. He was not the most skillful of footballers but he anticipated superbly, tackled ferociously and did the simple things well.
International career
Ratcliffe was capped 59 times by Wales, often as captain. He also represented his country at under-21, youth and schoolboy level. Despite several near-misses and boasting famous players such as Ian RushIan Rush
Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield...
, Neville Southall
Neville Southall
Neville Southall MBE is a former Wales international footballer, best known for his time with Everton. He has been described as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation and won the FWA Footballer of the Year award in 1985...
and Mark Hughes
Mark Hughes
Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals....
as well as Ratcliffe, Wales failed to qualify for a major tournament while Ratcliffe was involved in the set-up. He was a room mate of Liverpool rival Ian Rush
Ian Rush
Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield...
's during matches. Ratcliffe's last match for Wales in 1993 turned out to be Ryan Giggs
Ryan Giggs
Ryan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Manchester United. Giggs made his first appearance for the club during the 1990–91 season and has been a regular player since the 1991–92 season...
's first.
Management career
In 1994, Ratcliffe joined Chester CityChester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
as assistant-manager to Mike Pejic
Mike Pejic
Mike Pejic , is a retired English-Serbian footballer. His father was Serbian and his mother was English.-Career:...
and continued to play for a year. In the summer of 1995, he became manager of the Blues and stayed at the helm until August 1999, when he left after falling out with new owner Terry Smith
Terry Smith (football)
Terry Smith is an American-born American Football player, sports coach and businessman. After starting his playing career as a defensive back for American Football franchise New England Patriots, Smith went on to coach the Great Britain Spartans American football team...
. The highlight of his years at Chester City was guiding the club to the Division Three play-offs in 1996–97
1996-97 in English football
The 1996–1997 season was the 117th season of competitive football in England.Arrival into the league and exit out of the league returns in the fourth tier for the first time after its 3 season absence with only 1 relegation spot.- Premier League :...
and he later took credit for steering the club to a mid-table position in 1998–99
1998-99 in English football
-Premier League:Manchester United overcame close competition from Arsenal, Aston Villa and Chelsea to win their fifth Premiership title in seven seasons thanks to the comeback of Roy Keane after his long-term injury and a transfer raid totalling nearly £30 million which netted Aston Villa striker...
while in serious financial trouble.
Reputedly Ratcliffe drew £5,000 from his own bank account to help cover the costs of a water bill because the club's cheques were refused.
In November 1999 Ratcliffe joined Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
as manager and helped them avoid relegation from the Football League on the final day of the 1999–2000
1999-2000 in English football
-Premier League:Manchester United were crowned FA Premier League champions with an 18-point margin over runners-up Arsenal and with just 3 league defeats all season. This was despite their failure to retain the European Cup and withdrawal from the FA Cup in order to compete in the FIFA Club World...
season at Chester City's expense. The highlight of his tenure was a January 2003 FA Cup third round victory over his old club Everton, who were doing well in the Premiership
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
at the time. Interestingly, Everton manager David Moyes
David Moyes
David William Moyes is an association football manager and former player, currently managing English Premier League club Everton. He was the 2003, 2005 and 2009 League Managers Association Manager of the Year...
was a former Shrewsbury player. But a disastrous run after this saw Shrewsbury Town relegated to the Football Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
after 53 years in the Football League. Ratcliffe left the club within days, stating that he had to take the blame for Shrewsbury Town's downfall as he had brought in most of their players.