Ronnie Clayton

[Muddboy]

Very sad news.

Met him last year on an Ewood ground tour – a fabulous bloke and the biggest Rovers fan you'll ever meet.

A legend in every way.

RIP

[RibbleValleyRover]

RIP Ronnie a true Rovers Legend. I never got to see him play (long before my time) but i have spoken to relatives who saw him in his pomp and they said he was a special player and a true gent.

My heartfelt condolences go out to his family and friends especially Bryan.

Edited October 29, 2010 by RibbleValleyRover

[ABBEY]

Sad day RIP

[cletus]

Sad sad news.

RIP Ronnie Clayton.

A true gent & a true Rover.

[Roost]

One Love - BRFC

[imy9]

RIP, sad day.

[trs]

Was only saying the other day its the likes of Ronnie and Duggie that statues and stands should be built and named after at "Ewood Park".

RIP Ronnie

Edited October 29, 2010 by trs

[DannyKeg]

Aye, poor old Ronnie, a sad day. He was a good un, thinking about him it brings back a few memories. Part of the half back line Clayton, Woods, McGrath - Later Clayton, England, McGrath. Also of curse the last Rover to captain England ?

He used to have a newsagent's shop in Darwen at one time.

A Rover through and through, I'll spend a few moments paying my respects to him tonight.

[Presty On Tour]

RIP to not only a great football but a genuine great bloke and Rovers legend.

[nolan9]

RIP Ronnie Clayton!

[Blueboy Downunder]

this news is definately not the way that i wanted to start my day. like so many others on this messageboard, i had the honour of meeting "mr clayton" and what a humble and genuine person he is. not forgetting that wee matter of being so passionate about the club that we all love.

R.I.P Mr Clayton

[nicko]

A real gent, a true football hero and still a fan.

What a shame.

[Amo]

RIP Ronnie.

[SamTheShrew]

a true gent on the two tours I had as a kid.

His passion for the club was clear for all to see.

They don't make them like they used to.

RIP Ronnie

[Mattyblue]

Radio Lancs will be having a mini tribute to him on the Sport show tonight- just started.

[mattym]

RIP Ronnie a true Rovers legend

[Ninjathunder]

RIP Ronnie.

[Doaksie]

RIP Ronnie, a true Rovers great.

Nice to watch his and Dougie's love for their club in 67Splitscreen's video. True legends.

[MarkBRFC71]

Just heard on Radio Lancs - gutted. An Ewood legend through and through, and a true member if the Rovers family. I grew up on tales of Ronnie Clayton and Bryan Douglas, and the both of them have been constants throughout my 28 years of going to Ewood.

A sad day indeed, hope there's at least a minutes silence tomorrow.

[Seedstral]

RIP Ronnie. A True Rovers Great!!

[Mattyblue]

Just heard on Radio Lancs - gutted. An Ewood legend through and through, and a true member if the Rovers family. I grew up on tales of Ronnie Clayton and Bryan Douglas, and the both of them have been constants throughout my 28 years of going to Ewood.

A sad day indeed, hope there's at least a minutes silence tomorrow.

Rovers TV are usually pretty good at putting tributes together, just hope they have the time before kick off tomorrow.

[m1st]

May he Rest in Peace indeed.

He was the cornerstone of the team I grew up watching in the late 1950s. Like many on here, I met him briefly in later years and felt I'd met not just a Rovers player but a Rovers fan too. You won't get many like him in years to come.

[Stonesrick]

I was fortunate enough to see him play at the latter end of his career.

I also met him several times when he did the stadium tours.

I true gentlemen and a true Rovers legend.

RIP Ronnie.

[bob fleming]

RIP Ronnie.

It's a very sad day. You couldn't have wished to meet a nicer bloke.

[den]

Really sad day.

Ronnie was a true great. The Photo's of him at Wembley in the rovers kit will always stick in my mind. He was a leader as well. I remember him to be a kind of Bobby Moore of our club. Looked really smart and played the game in a manner that would shame most footballers of today. Honest and classy. Was a big part of the best midfield ever to play for Rovers - Clayton, England, McGrath.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One or two posts from the greatest ever thread:

From AL:

The best midfielder I have ever seen has got to be Ronnie Clayton.

Played all his career at Blackburn and is still a big fan. A real one club man who can still be seen sitting in the stand with his great friend and other Rovers legend, Bryan Douglas.

Ronnie was a class, mainly defensive, midfielder who having won the ball could supply a range of defence splitting passes or alternatively could bring the ball forward and join in the attacks, a real box to boxer with an engine like the QE II. Also scored his fair share of goals. His upright style of running enabled him to take in the whole pitch in front of him. This allowed him to make the passes that many others never even saw.

Then there was his England career. One of the few Rovers players to have captained this country and it is claimed by many, together with his big mate Duncan Edwards, (sadly lost in the Munich air disaster) to have extended the England career of the great Billy Wright by covering for him in the last couple of years of his career. We will probably never see his like again.

Bazza:

The Claytons lived in Penwortham near Preston. Both Ken and Ronnie were given a trial by Rovers.

There is some story that Mr Clayton, their father, insisted that both brothers were trialled and if Rovers wanted one, they had to take the other as well. How true this is I don't know.

What I DO know is that Ronnie was being given a trial and he was playing right-half in front of David Gray. My dad was watching this trial and David Gray was constantly shouting instructions to teenager Ronnie. My dad shouted "David, leave the lad alone and let him play his own game."

A chap came up to him to thank him. It was Mr Clayton, Ronnie's father.

Both Ronnie and Ken played for Rovers as wing halves for a short time but Ken faded and Ronnie progressed to captain Rovers and England.

Dr Rich:

Contrary to what a lot of people seem to be implying, I don't believe we've been all that blessed when it comes to central midfielders at Ewood. In every other position there was at least two players who deserved the slot in my mind. Here, Clayton is an obligatory choice, great player, great bloke, should be the first name on the greatest-teamsheet.

Billy:

When Ronnie Clayton started playing for us I think he was 17 years old, but he made such an impression, like Colin Hendry did in later years, he was being called a future England player right from the start, Duncan Edwards was the newspapers favourite, obvious, he played for Man Utd, and he was good, but not better than Ronnie, they both played attractive fair football, far better to watch than later England 'greats' such as Stiles, Robson, and Batty, who had to have a new rule brought in for their tackles, not from the back and not two footed, as if they ever listened. But there is not much you can say, thats not already been said about Ronnie, brilliant in attack or defence, read a good game, and geed up the team when he was captain, even wrote a book on he's football stories.

link

Edited October 29, 2010 by den