Tributes have been paid to Felixstowe's Ray Stanbridge, a man who worked at Felixstowe Dock for 50 years and was a fine local footballer.
Born and brought up in Felixstowe having lived there all his life, Ray passed away last month at the age of 76.
Ray first played for Felixstowe Town's first team in the Ipswich & District League when he was just 14 years of age. He left school a year later and went to work at Felixstowe Dock, where to start with he was in the hold of ships, handballing thousands of cartons of goods, for discharge, on a daily basis.
He worked for the Port for 50 years, rising through the ranks to The Superintendant in charge of The Dooley Terminal. His old boss, Bob Page wrote a glowing Testimonial, which was read to the 200-300 folk who atttended Ray's funeral recently.
Ray married Margaret in 1967. They have two sons, Gary and Neil, who both followed their father in playing for Felixstowe.
An old-fashioned centre forward, Ray played for Felixstowe, before leaving to play for Sudbury Town in the early '70s. He moved to Lowestoft before returning to his home-town club.
He represented Suffolk and when his career ended, he played Vets football, for Felixstowe Strollers, as well as taking up managerial positions at Felixstowe and later Walton United FC, as well as committee positions.
Long-time friend Dave Ashford, who is President of Felixstowe & Walton FC, takes up Ray's story.
"Right up until his health failed him, Ray supported almost all of the events and functions put on by the Club, for example the Annual Sportsmans' Dinner," Dave said.
"He was a generous man who spent his money over the Bar at the football club for many years.
"He was diagnosed with bladder cancer about a year ago, and had a huge operation. He seemed to improve but was eventually transferred to St.Elizabeth Hospice, where he died surrounded by his family on November 12.
"Before a recent home match against Witham Town, the Club and those attending, paid tribute to Ray with a minute's silence, followed by a minute's applause. And prior to the home game versus Lowestoft on January 21, the Football Club is arranging an organised full tribute to a Club Legend that is Ray Stanbridge.
"He will be sadly missed by the Football fraternity locally and throughout the Eastern Counties."
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