Wallace: Raymond George (Ray)

1991-1994 (Player Details)

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Born: Lewisham: 02-10-1969

Debut: Nottingham Forest (h): 05-12-1992

5’6” 10st 2lb (1992)

He was marginally the youngest of the three Wallace brothers who all played for Southampton. Joining Southampton in July 1986 as a trainee, he turned professional in April 1988 and the following year won the first of his four England Under-Twenty-one caps. All three Wallaces, the twins and elder brother Danny, later to play for Manchester United and England, made history when they played together in a match against Sheffield Wednesday on Ray’s debut for Southampton on 22nd October 1988 and they became the first three brothers to have played together in the same team in English professional football. Ray was a virtual ever-present until September 1989, when he was suspended and lost his place to Jason Dodd, after which he made only one further appearance for the Saints. He scored twice in thirty-three League games at the Dell. Ray accompanied twin brother Rod to Elland Road more as a psychological ploy by Manager Howard Wilkinson rather than for his football skills. Ray was rated at £100,000, a fraction of the £1.6 million on Rod’s head, when the twins arrived at Elland Road in June 1991. Wilkinson believed the prescence of Ray would help Rod settle at his new club. Although he had not figured in a senior game for twenty months, Ray was no novice and at Leeds he operated in midfield or defence, but was confined to the shadows as his twin brother enjoyed the spotlight. He was loaned to Swansea City in March 1992, where he made two League appearances, and to Reading in March 1994, where he played three League games, before he signed for Stoke City in August 1994. After initially enjoying a run in the Potters’ first team he went to Hull City on loan in December 1994 for a couple of months and played seven League games. Back at Stoke he regained a starting place and helped them to the Division One Play-offs in 1995-96. He appeared one hundred and seventy-nine times for the Potters in League games, including twenty-seven as a substitute. He played in defence or defensive midfield and scored an impressive fifteen goals and was remembered with much adoration by the Potters fans for his impressive work ethic. At the end of the 1999-2000 season Wallace drifted out of professional football after a brief loan spell with Airdrieonians, where he made just one substitute appearance. He continued to play with Non-League sides, notably Witton Albion, Altrincham FC and Tyldesley United. He was also a fitness trainer in Manchester and obtained a UEFA ‘B’ category coaching certificate and worked with the Youth team at Bolton Wanderers for eighteen months.