Ray Gooding
English footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ray Gooding (born 16 February 1959) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder. He made 59 appearances in the Football League for Coventry City, Bristol City and Plymouth Argyle.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 16 February 1959 | ||
| Place of birth | Hartlepool, County Durham, England | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Coventry City | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1976–1982 | Coventry City | 49 | (5) |
| 1982 | → Bristol City (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 1982–1983 | Plymouth Argyle | 7 | (1) |
| Bedworth United | |||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Playing career
Gooding began his career with Coventry City, having been signed by Gordon Milne in 1976.[1][2] He scored five goals in 49 league appearances over the next six years and spent a month on loan with Bristol City during the 1981–82 season.[1] Gooding joined Plymouth Argyle in 1982 and scored once in nine league and cup games before suffering a cruciate ligament injury.[2][3] Having been forced to give up professional football, he played briefly for Bedworth United in non-league football before ending his career.[2]
Coaching career
Gooding returned to Coventry in 1988 when John Sillett appointed him to work with John Peacock as a football development officer in the community at the club's centre of excellence.[4] He went on to be responsible for young player recruitment and first met Richard Money when he was appointed academy director during Gordon Strachan's tenure as manager.[4] Under their stewardship, Coventry's youth team reached two FA Youth Cup finals.[2][4] Gooding took redundancy in the summer of 2008 and became a member of Money's academy staff at Newcastle United.[2][4] He later worked for Birmingham City as a recruitment officer and scout for their academy.[5][6]