Lives in Cricket No 46 - George Raikes

48 Raikes the International ‘Keeper’ football as will be described below. See chapter six for thoughts on the precipitate nature of Raikes’ retirement and its relationship to the development of professionalism in soccer. Excellent though Raikes undoubtedly was, he was in a line of most accomplished Corinthian goalkeepers. As G.O.Smith wrote: “Apart from Billy Moon, the great Corinthian goalkeeper in my day was (sic) Leslie Gay … and G.B.Raikes”. Carrying on the tradition after Raikes were T.S.Rowlandson, B.Howard-Baker and A.H.Woolcock. The brevity of Raikes’ career can be seen by comparing the number of matches in which each of the custodians turned out: B.Howard-Baker 210 appearances T.S.Rowlandson 150 appearances W.R.Moon 95 appearances A.H.Woolcock 43 appearances L.H.Gay 32 appearances G.B.Raikes 21 appearances Given the rate of evolution of soccer, both tactically and financially, it would be invidious to try and rank all six in order of ability – it is rather fairer to say that all were splendid in their time. A Low Key Coda Nine months after Raikes had ceased to play ‘big’ soccer, the Eastern Daily Press was lamenting his absence: “At present the Norfolk team is incomplete. A goalkeeper is wanted. Why not Mr ‘International’ Raikes? He has left Oxford, and although I have not seen his name in any report of matches this season, ‘Mr Goalkeeping’ of the Yarmouth Mercury will not, I hope, accuse me of recommending a ‘has been’ .” Given that Raikes had still to celebrate his 24 th birthday, the term ‘has been’ was far from relevant. When his birthday arrived (on 14 March, 1897), the paper continued: “ Many happy returns of the day to G.B.Raikes … Will the old Oxonian turn out for Wymondham on Saturday? It would be a great treat?” Experienced Raikes-watchers would have been fairly certain that the answer would be ‘no’ and indeed it was. The 1896-97 season limped to a close, with one of the last games in East Anglia a meaningless fixture in the North Suffolk League between Kirkley, already been crowned champions, and Bungay Athletic, who had made certain of the wooden spoon. The result was a most surprising pointless draw – but the identity of Bungay’s goalkeeper was even more surprising. The Eastern Daily Press commented: “Bungay Athletic … had an international playing for them but after all he was not severely tested. A few of the Kirkley team appeared to make fun of it, and undoubtedly that is the cause of them losing a point. Up to yesterday every game played by them in connection with the league had been won, and now they have to give way to a drawn game with the team which has been looked upon as one of the weakest in the league. Well into the first half a serious accident befell Youngman, the right half for Bungay, which caused his removal, and