Ray Kennedy Day

[The Prince]

Just to let you know that plans are underfoot for a Ray Kennedy Day next year at the Emirates game. Ray now lives in the North East and is still struggling with Parkinson’s Disease. He has had to sell his medals to survive. He’s undergoing a pretty hard time as his medication gives him horrific side effects. I’d like to think that if we can raise some cash for him we could make his life a little easier.

So far I’ve had limited success with the club but have now established a few contacts thanks to John Mackin so we should have some movement soon. I’ve also contacted Arsenal and spoken to a very helpful man who has promised to help organise something such as a charity night with ex-players etc.

Ideally I’d like to organise a few separate money raising events, such as a Liverpool v Arsenal fanzine/supporters five a side or something similar. Anything that can help Ray.

I'll keep you posted.

Karl

[real red]

Great idea.

[El Rojo]

Perhaps a Paypal account could be set up to allow anybody who wishes to do so to donate online?

What a player.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Mk4hzTsAW4

[tokyojoe]

Good shout. Horrible disease, finished off the old man.

[King Emlyn]

How the hell have the club allowed him to sell his medals to survive, surely they must have been aware of the situation. Makes you bloody weep.

[Red Nick]

Originally Posted by King Emlyn How the hell have the club allowed him to sell his medals to survive, surely they must have been aware of the situation. Makes you bloody weep.

Agree 100%

In this instance the club are a total bunch of cunts

The very least the club could have bought the medals at a premium and put them on show in the museum with a tribute to the man

We can't do anything for a legend but we can pay the likes of Souness and Houllier big payoffs to leave our great club.


Its things like this that really make you want to give up football, it stinks to high heaven

to the starter of the friend if you get an appeal going or whatever let me know and I'll make a donation of some sort depending on my own circumstances at the time.

[Red Mist]

Originally Posted by King Emlyn How the hell have the club allowed him to sell his medals to survive, surely they must have been aware of the situation. Makes you bloody weep.

I concur, that's pretty outrageous. Premiership football clubs that are loaded with cash really should look out for their former players, especially such prominent figures as Ray Kennedy.

[The Prince]

Cheers everyone.

I interviewed him for an article I wrote in TTWAR in 2005. I've been planning to do something like this ever since but for various reasons I couldn't get around it. I've been friendly with Ray's doctor (and author of the book) ever since. In fact, he even helped me when I had a serious illness last year.He's promised me his time if I need publicity to answer questions about the disease.

At the moment I'm not going to slag the club off because I want them on my side. They've got a good opportunity to put things right here.

Ideally I'd like lots of little events going on (charity footy matches etc) around hopefully two charity dinners - one in London, one back home. I've posted the first post on On The Kop, RAOTL and here. No need for me to do it on TTWAR as I've been boring them for months about it. I normally post a thread about Ray if he appears for ten seconds on the telly.

I'm getting some good responses. Hopefully we can help him out a bit.

[robbief]

a dinner would be a good fund raiser. most of the lads will sign a shirt or a ball and throw it into a raffle.

[Cath]

I'm sure the club could help with a Charity Dinner. They should offer use of Anfield banquetting and some of the auld lads who knew/played with Ray would surely give their time.

[G Richards]

I think it would be a good idea if the club set up a hardship fund for former players. It would have to be means tested and presumably in relation to appearances/hero status in order to be fair. Ray Kennedy would be well deserving on both counts.

Playing Devil's advocate for a moment, the other side of the coin is that any ex player should put money aside for their own future, just like everyone else has to in their place of work. If they do well, they will presumably have a more comfortable retirement, financially speaking. If they don't manage to put much aside, they take a State pension, along with the rest of the population. One might argue that footballers of Kennedy's generation were well paid in relation to the man in the street. Granted, it was nothing like today's money, but nor was it tuppence ha'penny.

Another complication might come when player X has no money. For all we know, he squandered it on cars, women and booze. then we have player Y, from exactly the same generation, who managed to be wiser and save his money for old age. Should the club help player X?

NB - in no way am I saying this was Kennedy. I think he is a deserving case, but I'm just trying to tease out the issues surrounding when and where the club should get involved in helping ex playes.

[captainharris]

Really, I don't think the club has a responsibility to do anything. I wouldn't expect anything from my old employers is I was to fall on hard times.

[JER]

Originally Posted by G Richards I think it would be a good idea if the club set up a hardship fund for former players. It would have to be means tested and presumably in relation to appearances/hero status in order to be fair. Ray Kennedy would be well deserving on both counts. Playing Devil's advocate for a moment, the other side of the coin is that any ex player should put money aside for their own future, just like everyone else has to in their place of work. If they do well, they will presumably have a more comfortable retirement, financially speaking. If they don't manage to put much aside, they take a State pension, along with the rest of the population. One might argue that footballers of Kennedy's generation were well paid in relation to the man in the street. Granted, it was nothing like today's money, but nor was it tuppence ha'penny. Another complication might come when player X has no money. For all we know, he squandered it on cars, women and booze. then we have player Y, from exactly the same generation, who managed to be wiser and save his money for old age. Should the club help player X? NB - in no way am I saying this was Kennedy. I think he is a deserving case, but I'm just trying to tease out the issues surrounding when and where the club should get involved in helping ex playes.

I think the problem is that players didn't earn nearly enough to set themselves up, and were left with knackered limbs after 15 years of putting their bodies through hell (Tommy Smith being a prime example)
Players like Kennedy put Liverpool on the world map in the 70s and helped create this incredible world wide support the club now has - the decent thing would be to recipricate in some way. Seeing Riise's pay slip puts this into context - that monthly pay cheque probably dwarfs Kennedy's entire career earnings I would imagine.

[Red Nick]

Originally Posted by G Richards I think it would be a good idea if the club set up a hardship fund for former players. It would have to be means tested and presumably in relation to appearances/hero status in order to be fair. Ray Kennedy would be well deserving on both counts. Playing Devil's advocate for a moment, the other side of the coin is that any ex player should put money aside for their own future, just like everyone else has to in their place of work. If they do well, they will presumably have a more comfortable retirement, financially speaking. If they don't manage to put much aside, they take a State pension, along with the rest of the population. One might argue that footballers of Kennedy's generation were well paid in relation to the man in the street. Granted, it was nothing like today's money, but nor was it tuppence ha'penny. Another complication might come when player X has no money. For all we know, he squandered it on cars, women and booze. then we have player Y, from exactly the same generation, who managed to be wiser and save his money for old age. Should the club help player X? NB - in no way am I saying this was Kennedy. I think he is a deserving case, but I'm just trying to tease out the issues surrounding when and where the club should get involved in helping ex playes.

Players didnt start earning real money until after Bosman took effect, Only have to look at a legend Like Ian Callaghan to see how well off he is compared to someone like Diao.

What about a 1981 European Cup Final reunion dinner, I would have thought all of those players would turn of for Ray.

[The Prince]

i'm not asking for a handout as such as the club have already given him a testimonial. All I really need is their help and support.

A mate of mine was at the 1981 European dinner (he's a Blue too!) and he said that Jimmy Case gave a speech about the fact that Ray was missing. My mate's going to talk to them. I'm hoping Sammy Nelson can mention it to their old boys network too.

[Devils Advocate]

Originally Posted by captainharris Really, I don't think the club has a responsibility to do anything. I wouldn't expect anything from my old employers is I was to fall on hard times.

How many dvds/videos have your former employees sold over the years featuring you and other colleagues at work?? Football is completely different to being a plumber/taxi driver, ye don't have thousands of people reminiscing the weekend in 1977 that a new bog was expertly fitted.

[The Prince]

Signed Arsenal shirt on E-Bay from a Liverpool supporter.

"I have seen these go for between £400.00 to £500.00. I am after £300.00 for myself, anything else will be forwarded to "The Prince" to pass onto Ray Kennedy."

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...=tab%3DSelling

If anyone can pass this on to a few Arsenal fans that'd be a great help. I'm trying to register on a few of their sites to spread the word.

[motty]

A RAY OF HOPE

Cup final week 2001
a centre stage for everyone
a worldwide audience comes to town
for english footballs ‘jewel in the crown’.

A day of glamour for players and fans
fanfares, balloons, and marching bands
but far from cardiffs millenium dome
a lonely figure sits at home.

A frail man who barely talks
who needs assistance when he walks
a man who once stood proud and tall
who’s now discarded by them all.

But thats not how its always been
a geordie boy burst on the scene
an instant star at highbury
his name of course, Ray kennedy.

Think back exactly 30 years
before the illness and the tears
life was so sweet before your troubles
as you helped arsenal win the double.

You stayed with the gunners till 74
then shanks came knocking on your door
his final signing you would be
a master stroke we all agree.

You were quite lethal in front of goal
but ‘Sir Bob’ gave you a differant role
to left midfield, and what a change
with your vision, goals, and passing range.

4 championships, 3 european cups
1 league, 1 uefa, is what you notched up
your records there for all to see
your part of Liverpools history.

What happened next was tragedy
you had a change of personality
with your life and marriage on its knees
you were stricken by parkinsons disease.

You were coaching youths at sunderland
when your worsening illness forced their hand
it was shortly after they cut you loose
you became a virtual recluse.

Financial ruin was quick to follow
you lost your pub then had to borrow
the