Interview with Ray Kennedy from Retro Reds

Q : Were you disappointed not to score in the 1971 FA Cup Final ? You did miss some good chances.

A : Did I ? I can't remember. (Ray chuckles again. I think he is deliberately forgetting.)

Q : You really can't remember ? Or you choose not to remember ?

A : Maybe if we lost it would have been painful. We won the match. We won the double. You have to win the double to realise just how good it is. Nobody really remembers anything bad if you win. Like nobody remembers anything good if you lose. Jimmy (Case) scored one of the best goals ever in the FA Cup Final (Liverpool V Man Utd 1977), but people don't remember that because we lost. I missed some but we had won the double and there was no need to be disappointed. I have only good memories. All good memories, from Arsenal and Liverpool and England. I think I did OK in the end.

Ray was Bill Shankly's last signing for Liverpool

Q : Did you ever feel nervous before big games ? Did this change as you got more experience ?

A : Yes, nervous sometimes, but it became easier, yes... both teams were good, maybe the best in the world at the time, it was good to see Sammy Nelson, Frank McClintock or Jimmy Case, Graeme Souness in the team with you... you always felt you were going to win. Arsenal or Liverpool. That stopped you being too nervous.

Q : What was it like to play against Arsenal ? You scored against them too ... 1978 League Cup Semi-Final...

A : You just have to do it... by 1978 it was a different Arsenal team to the one I played in... by then I was just Liverpool, two very different teams... but I got a slight twinge when we beat them... sad for them and the fans, but obviously delighted for us and our fans. It's difficult... hard to explain... The fans were always good though.

Q : Someone called you a 'semi-final man' for your incredible record of scoring in so many semi's. Coincidence ? Did you feel any difference compared to a Cup Final ?

A : No, not at all, not at all. It was just one of those things. It was always good to score, but for us it was always about winning, that's all we had to do and everyone was happy. If you score in the semi-final it means you can play in the final and someone else gets the chance to score in the final and win the cup, so every goal is as important. Even in the first round.

Q : In your opinion, what were your best games for Arsenal and Liverpool ?

A : Arsenal V Spurs were always good, but winning the double against Spurs, definitely the best. Liverpool... Rome... 1977 European Cup Final. My favourite. We lost the FA Cup at the weekend after winning the league... but when we went to Rome we knew we were going to win. We were ready. I enjoyed that more than any other. I think I played OK, but we won... we were superb !

Q : And your favourite goals ?

A: Ohhh... that's hard... maybe Wolves V Arsenal... a cracker... 20 yards and a right footer... and Liverpool V Derby County ... we won 5-0 I think, 1978...

Q : Regarding your illness... how different is your treatment and medication today to when you first became ill ?

A : I rattle now. (Ray laughs, indicating how the dosage has changed.) At first I just had the one tablet a day... now I have one hundred... well, maybe 20 or so...

Q : Do you meet up with others who have Parkinson's ?

A : Only at the doctors. And this guy... (He delves back into the box and passes me a photo from his book.) ... I met him once. Used to fight more than me. (It is, of course, the photo of Ray with Mohammed Ali.)

Q : Do you manage to get out much ? Holidays ?

A : Not really... mainly to the doctors, dentist, stuff like that... can't go too far at the moment...

Q : Apart from Jimmy, do you keep in touch with ex-colleagues ?

A : Not much... Alan Kennedy is OK, he did some stuff... Graeme Souness when he was up here... people are a long way away...

Q : Do you have any hobbies ?

A : I like reading... auto-biographies especially... sports and others...

Q : Do you still follow football on TV ?

A : I do yes...

Q : What do you think of Rafa's and Arsene's current teams ?

A : They are good teams they have... Arsenal play beautiful football, this season they have been very good to watch... Torres is also very good at Liverpool, very classy, they need someone like him... they are on the way back, I know...

Ray and Jimmy Case were best of friends at Liverpool and still are.

As mentioned at the start, a number of my questions and answers have to be omitted, but we continued a chat for another 3 hours, interspersed with calls from Jimmy Case to see how we were getting on. I was prepared for a short session, but Ray appeared very comfortable with how things progressed and was genuinely surprised at the level of interest there still is in his career and well-being.

He signs some photos of him and Jimmy with the European Cup in 1977 and nods encouragingly. "Batman and Robin they used to call us... Good photo" he tells me. Then pauses. "Good game too..."

We wrap up a while later, still talking football and the imminent matches between Arsenal and Liverpool in the Champions League. As I pack my shirts and photos away and prepare for the long journey south, I ask Ray if he'd like to leave a message for the Liverpool and Arsenal fans who will eventually read this.

He thinks for a moment and gives me the thumbs up.

"Yes... thank you for remembering me..."

Ray... as long as we both play in red, you'll never be forgotten... and you'll never walk alone.

(c) Robert McCluskey / Emilio Zorlakki 2008