Former Liverpool And England Goalkeeper Ray Clemence Dies At 72

Former Liverpool And England Goalkeeper Ray Clemence Dies At 72

Liverpool’s European Cup-winning goalkeeper Ray Clemence has died at the age of 72 the Football Association has announced.

In a statement, his family said: “With great sadness, we write to let you know that Ray Clemence passed away peacefully today, surrounded by his loving family.

“After fighting so hard, for such a long time, he’s now at peace and in no more pain.

“The family would like to say a huge thank you, for all the love and support that he’s received over the years. He was loved so much by us all and he will never be forgotten.”

He became the permanent goalkeeper in 1970, eventually replacing Tommy Lawrence and missed just six games in the next 11 years of his stay.

Not only did he show his importance to his five league title successes, Clemence also proved his worth in Europe when Liverpool won the UEFA Cup in 1973 and 1976 by making penalty saves against both Borussia Monchengladbach and Dynamo Dresden.

When he left for Tottenham in 1981 only the Cup Winners Cup eluded him.

Despite losing the 1982 League Cup to former side Liverpool in his first season, Clemence won the FA Cup in the same campaign and picked up a third UEFA Cup winners medal in 1984.

SEE ALSO | Europa League Winners – The Complete List Since Inception

He also played 61 times for England, sharing a long running rivalry for the no.1 spot with Peter Shilton.

This article was most recently revised and updated 4 years ago

Efe Bridget is a writer at GoalBall. She is a graduate of Mass Communication with 12 years of experience working with reputable publications.