{"id":11216,"date":"2021-12-01T14:03:47","date_gmt":"2021-12-01T14:03:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.friendsofliverpool.com\/?p=11216"},"modified":"2023-02-02T13:15:48","modified_gmt":"2023-02-02T13:15:48","slug":"legendary-arsenal-and-liverpool-midfielder-ray-kennedy-dies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.friendsofliverpool.com\/2021\/12\/legendary-arsenal-and-liverpool-midfielder-ray-kennedy-dies\/","title":{"rendered":"Legendary Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder Ray Kennedy dies"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a long 37-year battle with Parkinson\u2019s Disease, our former player Ray Kennedy died yesterday at the age of 70.<\/p>\n

Playing at two of English football\u2019s elite clubs, Arsenal and Liverpool, Kennedy won everything in the game, in a highly distinguished career.<\/p>\n

He was first scouted as a teenager by fourth division Port Vale, managed by former England legend Sir Stanley Matthews.<\/p>\n

But he considered the youngster too slow and released him.<\/p>\n

The Arsenal years<\/h2>\n

Kennedy then worked in a sweet factory, whilst playing for amateur side New Hartley Juniors, but soon joined Arsenal in 1968.<\/p>\n

He first tasted silverware by winning the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1970, with a vital goal in the first-leg against Anderlecht in a 3-1 defeat, but a 3-0 reverse gave Arsenal a 4-3 aggregate win and their first major European trophy.<\/p>\n

He famously scored a thumping header that gave Arsenal the title on the final day of the 1970-71 season and thus a North London derby win.<\/p>\n

\n

Ray Kennedy \u2764\ufe0f<\/p>\n

For \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddee\ud835\ude01 goal and for so much more, we thank you \ud83d\ude4f pic.twitter.com\/Jb3SB2B0QK<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 30, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n