Ray Charnley

Who was Ray Charnley?

Raymond Ogden "Ray" Charnley was an English professional footballer. He was a centre forward and was one of the most prolific scorers for Blackpool, with whom he spent ten years, including all but one season in the top flight of English football.

With 193 goals in 363 league games, Charnley is the third-highest scorer in Blackpool's history, behind Jimmy Hampson and Stan Mortensen.

In a playing career spanning eighteen years, Charnley also played for Morecambe, Preston North End, Wrexham and Bradford Park Avenue. He scored a total of 293 career league goals in 605 games.

He won one England cap, in 1962.

There have been Blackpool footballers who have played more games for the club than Ray Charnley; and there have been men who have contributed more league goals to the Bloomfield Road cause than the tall, rangy Lancastrian centre-forward. But on both counts, from faithful fans of the Seasiders whose memories stretch back half a century and beyond, there would have to come the heartfelt and grateful rider: not many