World Cup winner who started out with Town

ENGLAND World Cup winner Ray Wilson has died aged 83.

The outstanding left back, who spent most of his career with Huddersfield Town and Everton, was revealed two years ago as having battled Alzheimer’s disease for several years.

Composed and strong on the pitch, he will always be remembered as a member of the successful 1966 side under Sir Alf Ramsey, although he was never one to seek the limelight.

He is featured on many of the iconic pictures from that day at Wembley, helping to hoist skipper Bobby Moore aloft, and is also in the Upton Park Champions statue of the winners down in London.

Born in Shirebrook, Derbyshire, on December 17, 1934, Ramon Wilson became an apprentice on the railways after leaving school but was quickly spotted playing amateur football by Town.

An inside forward in his early seasons at Leeds Road, it was during a practice match that Roy Goodall suggested he fill in for Laurie Kelly at full back.

Bill Shankly watched the match and, together with Goodall – an England full back himself – suggested Wilson take up the position permanently.

While Ray himself wasn’t keen, the path to national and international glory had been set.

He had signed for the club after National Service and emerged into the first team in the 1955-56 season, making his debut in a 3-0 defeat at Manchester United under manager Andy Beattie.

It was under Shankly, in 195758, that he became firmly established in the Town team, and by April 1960 he was ready to represent his country – making his England debut in a 1-1 draw with Scotland.

Over the next 12 months he became a fixture for the Three Lions and he was a shoo-in for the 1962 World Cup squad in Chile.

He played in all three Group games and England’s elimination by Brazil in the quarter-finals in Vina del Mar.

Brazil won 3-1 with the help of star winger Garrincha’s double and went on to lift the trophy by beating Czechoslovakia.

Wilson’s other two meetings with Brazil came at Wembley in