Kevin Ratcliffe facts for kids
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Ratcliffe with Everton in 1984
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kevin Ratcliffe | ||
| Date of birth | 12 November 1960 | ||
| Place of birth | Mancot, Wales | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in | ||
| Playing position | Central defender, left back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Everton | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1980–1992 | Everton | 359 | (2) |
| 1992 | Dundee | 4 | (0) |
| 1992–1993 | Cardiff City | 25 | (1) |
| 1993 | Nottingham Forest | 0 | (0) |
| 1994 | Derby County | 6 | (0) |
| 1994–1995 | Chester City | 23 | (0) |
| Total | 406 | (3) | |
| National team | |||
| 1981–1993 | Wales | 59 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1995–1999 | Chester City | ||
| 1999–2003 | Shrewsbury Town | ||
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Kevin Ratcliffe (born 12 November 1960) is a former professional football player from Wales. He is best known for playing most of his career as a defender for Everton.
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Playing for Football Clubs
Kevin Ratcliffe was born in Mancot, a town in Flintshire, Wales. He joined the famous Everton club in 1977 when he was still learning the game. He played his first senior match on 12 March 1980.
At first, Kevin played as a left back. Later, he moved to play as a central defender, which is where he truly shined. In 1983, when he was just 23 years old, he became the captain of Everton. This was a very successful time for the club.
Everton's Golden Years
As captain, Kevin Ratcliffe led Everton to win many important trophies:
- The 1984 FA Cup Final, a major English football competition.
- The Football League Championship twice, in 1985 and 1987. This was the top league in England at the time.
- The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1984–85, a big European competition.
He also played in three other FA Cup finals (1985, 1986, 1989) and a League Cup final in 1984. Kevin played a total of 461 games for Everton. He scored two goals during his time there, including one amazing shot from 30 yards away at Anfield.
Kevin was known for being a very strong and tough player on the field. He was a fierce tackler. He once had a notable moment with Vinnie Jones during a match against Wimbledon in 1989. Kevin left Everton in 1991. After that, he played for a few other clubs for shorter periods. These clubs included Dundee, Cardiff City, Nottingham Forest, Derby County, and Chester City.
Playing for Wales
Kevin Ratcliffe played for the Wales national team 59 times. He often captained the team. He also represented Wales at younger age levels, including under-21, youth, and schoolboy teams.
Even though Wales had many famous players like Ian Rush, Neville Southall, Ryan Giggs, and Mark Hughes during Kevin's time, the team did not manage to qualify for a major international tournament. Kevin was good friends with Ian Rush, who played for rival club Liverpool. They often shared a room when playing for Wales.
Becoming a Manager
After his playing career, Kevin Ratcliffe became a football manager.
Managing Chester City
In 1994, Kevin joined Chester City as a player and assistant manager. He became the main manager in April 1995. He stayed at Chester City until August 1999. A highlight of his time there was guiding the club to the play-offs in 1997. He also helped the club stay in a good league position even when they had money problems. It is said that Kevin even used his own money to help the club pay a water bill once.
Managing Shrewsbury Town
In November 1999, Kevin Ratcliffe became the manager of Shrewsbury Town. He helped them avoid being relegated from the Football League in his first season. A very memorable moment was in January 2003. His Shrewsbury team, who were in a lower league, beat his old club Everton in the FA Cup. Everton was in the top league at the time. However, after this big win, Shrewsbury Town had a very bad run of games. They were eventually relegated to a lower league. Kevin left the club soon after, taking responsibility for the team's struggles.
Life After Football
Today, Kevin Ratcliffe works for BBC Wales Sport. He also gives speeches at events, sharing stories from his football career.
Personal Life
Kevin is married and has three children. He has said that he supported Everton as a child and that Alan Ball was his childhood hero. He believes his father and Everton coach, Colin Harvey, had the biggest influence on his career. His most memorable moment in football was winning the 1984 FA Cup Final with Everton. His biggest disappointment was losing the 1985 FA Cup Final to Manchester United. He enjoys playing snooker and likes watching sports shows and listening to pop music.
Honours and Achievements
Kevin Ratcliffe won many titles during his playing career, especially with Everton.
Everton
- Football League First Division: 1984–85, 1986–87
- FA Cup: 1983–84
- FA Charity Shield: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1984–85
