Ray Harford - Playing Career

Playing Career

He was born in Halifax but grew up in south London. He started his playing career as a centre-half at Charlton Athletic in 1960, turning professional at Frank Hill's Second Division side in 1964. He played his first senior game in 1966, but soon left for Fourth Division Exeter City, where he played 55 games in less than two years. In 1967 he signed with Lincoln City, then in the Fourth Division and led by Ron Gray. The "Imps" missed out on promotion by five points in 1968–69 and finished eighth in 1969–70, before dropping down to the re-election zone under Bert Loxley in 1970–71. Harford had played close to 200 games in four years at Sincil Bank.

In 1971 he secured a move to Third Division Mansfield Town, quickly followed by a move to league rivals Port Vale in December 1971, whose manager Gordon Lee paid Mansfield £5,000 for his services. He was a regular for the rest of the season, but fell out of favour in August 1972. In January 1973 he was loaned out to Jim Smith's Colchester United, before the deal was made permanent the next month for a price of £1,750. The Layer Road side finished in the Football League's re-election zone in 1972–73, with Harford making 21 appearances, scoring one goal.

The "U's" secured promotion in 1973–74 with a third place finish; Harford was also given the Colchester United Player of the Year award in 1974 for his performances in this 48 games that season. After another 49 appearances in the 1974–75 campaign, he left the United to play for non-league Romford. The next year knee troubles ended his playing career, and he returned to Colchester as youth coach.